Grant to Put South Coast Railroad Museum Project on Fast Track
The museum will use the nearly $25,000 to produce an updated 100-page history of the Goleta Depot.
Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, announced Tuesday a Museums for America grant of $24,712 for the South Coast Railroad Museum.
Museums for America is the Institute for American Research’s largest grant program for museums, and supports projects and activities that build museums’ capacity to serve their communities.
This year, IMLS received 371 applications for Museums for America grants. The South Coast Railroad Museum was one of 154 projects to be selected for a grant and will use the funding for a project titled Goleta Depot: The History of an Enduring Community Landmark.
The museum will produce an updated and enhanced edition of a 100-page history of the Goleta Depot, which has been out of print for more than two decades. Spanish and English versions of the text will be available in print and online. The new edition will provide information about the depot as well as engage its audience by making connections to the everyday lives of its readers.
“This is a remarkable achievement for the South Coast Railroad Museum,” Capps said. “The Goleta Depot has played an important role in our community for decades, and it’s important that we celebrate that rich heritage and preserve this local history for future generations.”
“The award of this IMLS grant is great news and a wonderful opportunity for the South Coast Railroad Museum,” said Gary Coombs Ph.D., director of the South Coast Railroad Museum. “The grant funds will make it possible for us to update and expand the history of Goleta Depot that was first published back in 1982 and which has been out of print for 20 years. We are especially excited that the final product will be available in a full-color digital version, as well as in traditional printed form.”
Emily Kryder is press secretary for Rep. Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara.