These funds would be used to expand the boundaries of the existing Dickinson NHR District in concert with the development of a local historic district there, and would pay for the development of a new NHR district related to the historic development of the Amherst Depot, and the industrial uses and adjacent residential neighborhoods that sprang up in response to the presence of the railroad. NHR districts provide properties with limited protections when state or federal funds are being used for a project, and such districts can also be protected by local regulations such as zoning or local historic districts. To reduce costs, this project would be ‘bundled’ with other NHR district nomination projects already under development.