St. Joseph County recorder seeks NEH grant to preserve 19th-century land records

Candace Brown, St. Joseph County recorder, asked the Board of County Commissioners on Sept. 2 for permission to apply for a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to preserve and digitize at-risk recorder volumes.

Brown told commissioners the recorder's office is custodian of deed books, plat books, land patents and military discharges dating back to the county's founding in 1830 and said many volumes are deteriorating. She said the funding would be used to preserve and digitize the “at most risk” volumes to ensure their long-term survival and public accessibility.

The recorder said the office was notified of the opportunity by a vendor that previously performed preservation work and that the county has letters of support from the South Bend Genealogical Society, the St. Joseph County History Museum and the Indiana State Archives. Brown told the board the grant could provide up to $300,000 and that, if awarded, the grant would not require matching funds.

Commissioners asked procedural questions about the federal grant selection process. Brown said the NEH selects 30 applicants in the first round and that she would share the vendor's list and a quote showing which volumes were recommended for preservation if the board wanted those details.

After discussion, a motion to approve the grant application request carried unanimously. Commissioner Morton, Commissioner Hazen and Commissioner Maxmeyer each voted yes.

The recorder will proceed with the application and return to the board if the grant is awarded or if further approvals are required.