Part of the funding for Revolutionary-era programming at Yorktown’s newest museum will be provided by York County.
The Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday night to contribute $1 million over 10 years to help fund the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown’s operations, exhibits and programs after the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation approached supervisors in November 2013 with a funding request.
The first contribution of $100,000 will be applied in fiscal year 2016, which begins July 1.
Interim County Administrator Mark Carter noted in a memorandum the $1 million contribution agreement is not binding, as the supervisors cannot enter into a contractual commitment beyond the current fiscal year. Instead, the Board of Supervisors plans to renew the agreement annually and dole out $100,000 each fiscal year.
“It is believed that partnering with Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Inc. in this endeavor will help promote York County’s historical, economic, scenic and recreational importance within the Historic Triangle,” Carter said, adding the new museum would be a used by the county to host events and programs that bolster tourism and economic development.
The $50 million museum is set to be completed in late 2016, though part of it is expected to open later this year as the Yorktown Victory Center operations move into the new space while work continues on the permanent exhibitions and the outdoor living-history areas.
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation began enhancing and enlarging the 22-acre site of the Yorktown Victory Center in 2013.
The new museum will capture the essence of the American Revolution through enhancements at the re-created Continental Army encampment and the 18th-century farm, a new introductory video showcasing revolutionary America and an education center.
Some of county’s funds will go toward programs such as demonstrative lessons in open-hearth cooking and the production of textiles, informational sessions on infantry tactics, and teachings on the political relationship with Britain.
Construction for the museum is funded by state appropriations, revenue generated by the foundation and private donations.
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