MHT's Museum Assistance Program Seeking Grant Reviewers
MHT is pleased to announce the reinstatement of the Historical and Cultural Museum Assistance Program (MAP) and invites individuals with relevant expertise to serve as grant reviewers for this important initiative. MAP supports the operational needs of Maryland’s history museums and cultural organizations, helping them steward and interpret our shared heritage. As a grant reviewer, you will play a vital role in ensuring thoughtful, fair, and informed funding decisions that strengthen Maryland’s museum community. For more information on qualifications and to apply, visit bit.ly/4kEn7NB.
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FY26 Competitive Commercial Tax Credit Applications Now Open
The FY26 competitive commercial tax credit round is now open, and application forms are available on the competitive commercial tax credit webpage! Applications are due by August 31, 2025. If you have any questions about the program, or are interested in discussing a potential project, please contact mht.taxcredits@maryland.gov.
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By Heather Barrett, MHT Administrator of Architectural Research
Over the last five years, MHT has overseen two major projects documenting Asian American communities in Maryland. One focused on Baltimore’s Chinatown and included the preparation of a Multiple Property Documentation Form (MPDF) and a supporting National Register nomination, which were funded by a National Park Service Underrepresented Communities grant. The second project, funded through MHT’s Historic Preservation Non-Capital Grant Program, supported a new historic and cultural context study on Asian American history in Montgomery County, carried out by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. As we mark the conclusion of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we’re spotlighting this significant project.
 Chong Kee in the 1900 United States Federal Census
In 1900, the U.S. Census documented the first Asian immigrants living in Montgomery County – a total of three men who emigrated from China. According to the census, the three men were naturalized citizens living in Rockville, Kensington, and Gaithersburg. This was in addition to one man born in San Francisco to parents from China. All four listed their professions as laundrymen.
While job opportunities and the development of close-knit enclaves drew Asian immigrants to Washington, DC and Baltimore as early as the 1850s, migration to Montgomery County was slower. The 1950 census identified 78 Chinese, 66 Japanese, and 26 Indian residents in Montgomery County. By the 1970s, the county experienced slow but continuous population growth of those with Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Indian heritage. One of the challenges of both MHT studies is that Asian, Asian American or Pacific Islander culture includes such a broad and diverse group of people representing over 75 countries.
As part of the project, over 150 sites were documented to reflect this immigration history and grouped into six overarching themes: Community; Commerce; Education; Religion; Political Involvement and Civil Rights; and Cultural Preservation, Integration, and Assimilation. Within each of these categories, several trends were further explored – for example, the growth of Asian American commercial corridors and the shift from small, ethnic-specific groceries to Pan-Asian supermarkets.
One important site included in the Religion theme is the Gandhi Memorial Center, a complex of buildings that provides space for spiritual, cultural, educational, artistic, and domestic functions. Located on Western Avenue in Bethesda, the complex includes the main center and library, the mid-20th century Golden Lotus Temple (left) designed by church founder Brahmachari Jotin (later known as Swami Premananda), the original Self-Revelation Fellowship building (now a parish house), and several residential buildings. The church integrates architectural elements of Christian churches in the area, as well as the symbolism and philosophies of Absolute Monism. According to the Self-Revelation Fellowship, Absolute Monism, or Advaita Vedanta, is an ancient Indian philosophy that teaches that the soul (or self) is not separate from the divine, but is one with the ultimate reality—pure consciousness, existence, and bliss.
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Another key site for Commerce, the Maxim Supermarket (right), was one of the oldest Chinese groceries in Rockville. Opened in the mid-1980s in a 1967 building designed by architect John H. Sullivan, it specialized in traditional cooking ingredients, delicacies such as roast duck and organ meats, homewares, and even mahjong sets. Unfortunately, this local community institution was demolished in 2022, a reminder of how vulnerable these community landmarks can be to development pressures.
Immigrant communities have been a rich and significant part of the American and Maryland story and projects like this bring attention to the vital contributions and the complex struggles of immigrant communities. In total, this project determined 18 historic resources potentially eligible for listing in the National Register. With an overarching historic context in place, let’s get to work on this recognition!
For additional sites uncovered during this project, please check out the full context report. This project also included twelve oral history interviews with community members, which can be found in the MHT Library. Previous MHT blogs have spotlighted the Baltimore Chinatown project, most notably Karen Yee’s Researching Identity through History and Place and Allison Luthern’s Baltimore’s Chinatown.
Citation: Diehlmann, Nicole A, Laura van Opstal and Meghan W. Sullivan, Asian American Historical and Cultural Context of Montgomery County, June 2023.
Photos:
The Golden Lotus Temple at the Self-Revelation Church of Absolute Monism, November 2022. Image Credit: Laura van Opstal, RK&K.
The former Maxim Grocery, 2022. Image credit: Karen Yee, M-NCPPC.
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AAHPP Grant Applications Due
Applications for the African American Heritage Preservation Program FY 2026 grant round are due June 30, 2025. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read the grant guidelines, view a recorded webinar, and contact program staff with any questions (e.g., whether their project is eligible). For full details, visit the AAHPP webpage.
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MD250 Grants & Virtual Convenings
The MD Two Fifty Commission has launched a new round of their small grants program. There are three types of small grants: citizen academies, inclusive history, and MD Two Fifty Fellows. Details and applications can be found here.
Local 250 Commissions are active in communities across Maryland! Get involved by joining your local 250 Commission or by attending MD Two Fifty's virtual events:
- Monthly Office Hours: Next session is June 27 at 12pm
- Virtual Convenings: Next meeting is July 9 at 3pm
Visit the MD Two Fifty news page and social media pages for updates. Questions? Contact Director Michele W. Johnson at Michele.Johnson1@maryland.gov.
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 More MHT News...
Like many state agencies, MHT — as Maryland's State Historic Preservation Office — receives federal funding each year. The Historic Preservation Fund, which is funded through proceeds from federal offshore gas and oil leasing (not taxes), supports programs administered by SHPOs which are mandated by federal law, including the National Register of Historic Places, federal project review (Section 106 review), and Certified Local Government grants. This funding is currently under threat.
The National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers has recently released an information sheet about the proposed near-elimination of the HPF in 2026, as well as the current delay in the release of appropriated HPF funds for 2025. You can learn more and download the info sheets by visiting NCSHPO's webpage.
Thank you to those of you who have reached out to support Maryland's heritage and our work! We are advocating to ensure the release of authorized funding and working with Congress to prevent harmful cuts. We appreciate your support and will provide updates as we are able.
My Mallows Bay Challenge
You’re invited to share the memories or meaning that Mallows Bay brings to you. Whether you’ve spent your whole life fishing there or recently paddled your first kayak amongst the Ghost Fleet on a tour with MHT's Dr. Susan Langley, Mallows Bay offers something truly special. It’s one of the many reasons it was designated as a National Marine Sanctuary. Custom challenge coins will be awarded to the first 250 submissions in the categories of creative writing/ poetry, photo storytelling, and artistic interpretation. For more information on the challenge, visit the Charles County Parks webpage.
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“The Women Who Went to the Field”: Celebrating Clara Barton for Women’s History Month by Dr. Brenna Spray, MHT/MHAA Outreach Coordinator
Protecting the Past: Middle Schoolers Get Creative with Preservation PSAs by Julia Berg, 6th Grade Teacher at Bennett Middle School and Eastern Shore ASM Chapter Member
Giddyup for Colonial Archaeology – Field Session Planned at the Maxwell Hall Equestrian Park by Dr. Matt McKnight, MHT Chief Archaeologist
Announcing the FY 2025 Historic Preservation Capital Grant Program Awardees by Stacy Montgomery, MHT Capital Programs Administrator
Reach Out!
There are many ways you can learn more about MHT, its programs, and the work it does. The latest news is updated regularly on our website. You can "like" and "follow" us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube or sign up for our e-blasts to have our quarterly newsletters and other preservation news delivered straight to your inbox! If you are interested in joining the team at MHT, check the most recent job listings.
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