PORTLAND – the U.S. Department of Interior’s National Park Service, in partnership with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, has awarded a $62,000 Preserve America Grant to the city of Portland for its “Point to the Past Heritage Interpretation Project,” and a $37,500 Preserve America Grant to the city of Saco for its “Public History in Public Places for Saco Bay Cities” project.

In a pilot project, Portland will use GPS devices to provide visitors at selected landmarks with relevant information and interpretation. Funds awarded to Saco will be used to create one traveling and two stationary exhibits concerning local and regional history, an interpretative regional history guide and a traveling truck for use by teachers in the classroom.

In announcing the grants, Democratic 1st District Rep. Tom Allen said that “these projects will make the past come alive for residents of and visitors to these history-rich cities in Maine.”