Historical Transportation Marker Program Grant

The Historical Transportation Marker Program provides grants to commemorate significant transportation methods used before 1945, such as canals, bridges, railroads, and aircraft. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) organizations and government entities in the U.S. Grants aim to recognize historical facts with clear inscriptions, supported by documentation, while ensuring markers are publicly accessible near existing sites. This initiative highlights the evolution of transportation and its impact on community development.

The following subjects qualify for Historic Transportation marker grants:

• Canals

Often considered a precursor to interstate highways, transportation canals helped facilitate the movement of goods and people. This spurred development of towns and villages along the way, leading to an overall expansion of the nation.
Bridges abd tunnels
Bridges and tunnels allowed people to overcome natural obstacles such as rivers and mountains, expediting travel. If a bridge has been rebuilt or restored after 1945, components of the original structure must still be extant.
Railroads
Existing railroad structures such as depots, stations, rail cars and engines will be considered. Trolleys and interurbans are included in this category. Applications for former railbeds that lack an existing structure will not be accepted for this marker program.
Aircrafts
Existing airfields, hangers, planes and other aircraft will be considered. Use for transportation of goods or people must be proven.

Eligibility

Historic Transportation grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and local, state and federal government entities within the United States. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact an eligible local organization, such as a municipal historian or historical organization. They will often apply for the grant on behalf of the individual.Historic Transportation markers must recognize a historical fact that occurred by 1945. After World War II, the United States saw a significant change in transportation with the increase in automobile ownership and the construction of the interstate highway system. We seek to commemorate the way in which goods and people were transported prior to these transformative events.Marker inscription must be proven with primary source documentation.Subject must be historically significant to the larger community or beyond.Inscriptions must be clear about why the subject is historically significant.Inscriptions should maximize available character limits.Key dates must be included for framing context.Markers must be installed near an existing site or structure. Applications for structures that no longer exist or are slated for removal will not be successful.Structures must be publicly accessible for viewing.