The Kennedy Mine in Jackson won recent nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by: File photo

The past is never gone - it's not even past.

That adage could become especially true in Amador County with efforts by locals to use state money assistance to save features of Mother Lode history.

A workshop April 7 at the supervisors' chambers in Jackson drew some 20 people who had questions for a representative of the state Department of Historical Preservation, said Renee Chapman, a grant writer for the county.

Chapman noted that Jackson's Kennedy Mine won recent nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Like that designation, qualifying with the state of California as a "certified local government" carries eligibility for grant money.

"There seemed to be a strong interest in Amador County becoming a CLG on the part of the people who were there, and there was some discussion of forming an ad hoc committee to pursue such a goal with the county supervisors," said Marie Nelson, survey coordinator for the historical-preservation department. "The CLG grants we make can be for any amount up to $25,000. Typically they are between $20,000 and $25,000. There is a 60/40 match requirement - which means a minimum of 40 percent local match, which can include cash and in-kind services. The grants are for planning or educational projects, not for bricks and mortar projects."

 Chapman said she thought the 20 people who attended made up a more-than-adequate pool from which county supervisors could appoint an ad hoc committee to pursue grant money.

However, Kristin Bengyel, deputy administrative officer, said one reason Amador hasn't gone this route earlier was, well, money, in the form of administrative costs connected with the state program.

"There have been committees, but never progress toward formalizing it," Bengyel said. "It does involve some control and regulation. There's definitely an administrative load to this, and it's not really a core function of county government."

Bill Braun, project manager for archives at the Kennedy Mine Foundation, said officials are looking forward to breaking ground on a grant-funded, 1,200-square-foot building to house the mine operation's numerous volumes of historical data.

"It was a three-year effort (raising the grant money) -we're about ready to start building."

Amador's becoming a state-certified local government would require passage of a county ordinance as well as appointment of an ad hoc committee.

Bengyel noted that any of Amador's five cities, as well, is eligible for the state program.

Grants for promoting heritage tourism are also available through the national Preserve America program, Nelson noted.

"Being a CLG when applying to become a Preserve America community generally speeds the application process and essentially assures getting designated a Preserve America community," she said.