Legislature approves county sign‑on to Greater Hudson application for Ludington statue conservation

A county historian asked Putnam County legislators on Nov. 21 for permission to let the county’s name be included in a Greater Hudson Heritage Network application to the Save America’s Treasures program (administered through the Historic Preservation Fund and National Park Service in partnership with national endowments). The historian described the Ludington statue on Lake Oneida as nationally significant, noting recent attention in Smithsonian Magazine and the artist Anna Hyatt Huntington’s prominence.

The historian said Greater Hudson would prepare and submit the paperwork and, if selected, the grant dollars would pay conservators hired through Greater Hudson; the county would not receive cash directly nor be asked to contribute funds. "It's no county money," the presenter said. The presenter told legislators the initial deadline for expressing interest had been extended by Greater Hudson and sought the legislature’s approval to attach Putnam County’s name to the application.

After brief questions about what the county’s involvement would entail (Greater Hudson would do the paperwork and allocate grant funds to conservation contractors), a motion to approve the county’s participation was offered, seconded, and approved by voice vote.

The meeting record shows the action as approval to proceed with Greater Hudson’s application naming Putnam County as a partner; details about which other organizations would be listed and the precise scope of conservation work would be determined later if the application advances.