Nevis secures US$245,000 U.S. grant to restore Hamilton House
Photo: Left to right – Terysia Herbert - Executive Director & Secretary, Isabel Byron – President, Hazel Chiverton - Board member, Hon. Premier Mark Brantley, Karin Sullivan - U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, Deputy Governor General, Her Honour Hyleeta Liburd, Maurisha Robinson – Vice President, Hope Trott - family that previously owned Hamilton House. Photo credit: Nevis Tourism Authority
Key Points(5)
- Nevis has secured a US$245,000 grant from the U.S.
- Embassy to restore the historic Hamilton House, redevelop the Alexander Hamilton Museum and establish a permanent exhibit honouring civil rights pioneer Constance Baker Motley.
- The Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) received the funding through the U.S.
- Embassy's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, which supports projects to protect cultural heritage.
- The project will focus on three initiatives: conserving Hamilton House, improving the Alexander Hamilton Museum and creating an exhibit dedicated to Motley, a Nevisian-American lawyer who became the first Black woman appointed to the U.S.
Nevis has secured a US$245,000 grant from the U.S. Embassy to restore the historic Hamilton House, redevelop the Alexander Hamilton Museum and establish a permanent exhibit honouring civil rights pioneer Constance Baker Motley.
The Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS) received the funding through the U.S. Embassy's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, which supports projects to protect cultural heritage.
The project will focus on three initiatives: conserving Hamilton House, improving the Alexander Hamilton Museum and creating an exhibit dedicated to Motley, a Nevisian-American lawyer who became the first Black woman appointed to the U.S. federal judiciary.
Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of the United States, was born on Nevis in the Caribbean. Motley, whose parents were from Nevis, became a prominent civil rights lawyer who helped challenge racial segregation through the courts before becoming a federal judge.
Nevis Premier Mark Brantley said the investment would help preserve the island's history while strengthening its connections with the United States.
“Nevis has given the world extraordinary people, and this investment ensures their stories are told where they began,” Brantley said.
He added that the projects would enhance the visitor experience and remind young people of the achievements of Nevisians on the international stage.
The initiative will involve U.S.-based nonprofit CyArk, which specialises in digital documentation of cultural heritage, including three-dimensional recording. The organisation will lead the project's digital preservation and interpretation work.
Regional heritage and curation expert Raimie Richardson will help develop the museum's presentation of Hamilton's early life in the Caribbean before he left for mainland North America.
The grant was formalised at a signing ceremony at the Alexander Hamilton Museum. NHCS Executive Director Teresa Herbert and U.S. Embassy Chargé d'Affaires Karin Sullivan signed the grant documents. Sullivan, Brantley and NHCS President Isabel Byron also addressed the gathering.
Hope Trott attended on behalf of the family that previously owned Hamilton House, alongside NHCS board members, project partners and other stakeholders.
The NHCS said the project is expected to create opportunities for education, digital engagement and community participation while supporting heritage tourism.
The work will also bring greater attention to Nevis' historical links with the United States through Hamilton's early life and Motley's family heritage.
