Five historic properties in Tacoma and Pierce County competing for a share of $1 million in grant dollars from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and American Express opened their doors over the weekend to visitors. The sites included Titlow Park Lodge, Spanish Steps, Johnson Farm / Anderson Island Historical Society, Orting Soldiers Home / Garfield Hall, and Skansie Brothers Net Shed. The grant program, Partners in Preservation, directs $5.5 million over a five-year period toward preserving historic places throughout the United States. There are 25 sites in the Puget Sound region asking for the public’s vote at partnersinpreservation.com until May 12. Winners of the voting contest will be guaranteed funding for critical preservation projects.

Architectural historian Susan Johnson of Artifacts Consulting in Tacoma was one of many people who participated in the open houses. She shared her photos with the Tacoma Daily Index. She visited the Skansie Net Shed in Gig Harbor. For additional photos, pick up today’s print edition of the Index.

For a complete list of the 25 sites, visit http://www.preservationnation.org/partners-in-preservation/seattle/grant-nominees.html . For more information, visit http://www.tacomaculture.org/steps.asp .

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For related Tacoma Daily Index coverage, click here:

Open Houses this weekend for historic sites competing for preservation grants (04/28/10) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1760463&more=0

Tacoma’s Spanish Steps to vie for $125K historic preservation grant (04/15/10) — http://tacomadailyindex.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=88&cat=23&id=1752778&more=0