Five historic buildings in Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve will get new roofs this year with the help of a community grant program.

The Ebey’s Forever Preservation Grant program, facilitated by the Ebey’s Trust Board, awarded $51,000 Tuesday to three houses and two barns.

With just seven applicants this year, it’s kind of a quiet year, but no less exciting.

“It wasn’t a hugely competitive year, but all of the projects are new this year,” said Sarah Steen, preservation coordinator.

“We are extending our reach. And we broke a million bucks this year.”

Over the past seven years, $425,000 in privately-raised funds have been allocated to 60 different preservation projects through the program.

Since all awarded grant funding is matched by the owners, over $1,000,000 has been directly invested into the historic landscape, Steen explained.

Each year a committee reviews and recommends applications to the Trust Board.

“Ebey’s Landing Histor-ical Reserve is all about the history of the people, their homes and their buildings,” said Paul Whelan, a historic building owner and committee member.

“Ebey’s Forever grants are keeping that history alive.”

“It’s a pleasure to serve on the committee and to see the dedication that people in the community have to preserving the history of our local homes and buildings,” he said.

This year, the Fullington House, a combination of a 1859 log cabin moved from San de Fuca and 1920s materials brought over from Seattle, received a grant for a new cedar shake roof.

The Todd/Lovejoy House, built in 1886, will use grant funds for a new shingle roof and porch flooring repair.

“I’m really happy about the Todd/Lovejoy House,” Steen said. “Shirley Dalton (the homeowner) has done a lot of restoration work over the last few years.”

The White Barn, built in 1920, is “bread and butter” for the grant program, Steen said, or the type of barn the program sees grant requests from each year.

It will use grant funds for a new cedar shake roof and siding repair.

The program is not only about restoring historic buildings but also protecting them, Steen said.

The Robertson House, built in 1864, is located on Front Street and will use grant funds to replace an asphalt roof, for siding repair and drainage.

Sometimes not all of the projects involve historic materials, Steen said. Sometimes its about protecting what’s still there.

Sometimes that means putting a metal roof on a barn.

The last project that was awarded a grant is a bit of an unknown Steen said.

The “Ryan’s” Barn is a shed located at the Old Countryside Inn that’s now owned by Ryan’s House for Youth.

The reserve is partnering with the Central Whidbey Lions Club to replace the roof and do some structure stabilization so the nonprofit youth organization can use the building for storage.

The Lions are covering the matching funds for the project and doing the labor, Steen said.

They are currently trying to find out more information about the structure and another “peeled pole” barn on the property to get them put on the historic register.

“We just don’t know anything about it, who built it,” Steen said.

“If anyone knows anything about it, they can give me a call.”