The county boards may encourage and promote historical research within their respective jurisdictions by making reasonable appropriations for the publication of the proceedings of and such papers and other documents of historic interest as may be furnished by any historic or other society engaged in historic research, and for ascertaining and marking the location of ancient forts, villages, missions, military encampments, habitations of aborigines and other places of historic interest, and may provide for the manner in which and the purposes for which such appropriations shall be expended.