CROWNSVILLE, MD — The Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT) presented the 34th Annual Maryland Preservation Awards at a ceremony on Friday May 29 at 6:00 in Old St. Paul’s Church at 225 N. Charles Street in Baltimore. The award ceremony was held in conjunction with Maryland’s Annual Preservation and Revitalization Conference, sponsored by Preservation Maryland, the Maryland Department of Planning, the Maryland Historical Trust and many cosponsors. Sixteen individuals and projects received awards, including two for Preservation Service, two for Educational Excellence, three for Heritage Books, five for Project Excellence, two for Stewardship of MHT Easement Properties, and recipients of two new categories created in 2009. The new categories are Preservation Partnerships and Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency; there was one recipient in each of these new categories.
The awards are given by the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust, which is appointed by the Governor and represents all parts of the state. The Maryland Historical Trust, an agency of the Maryland Department of Planning, is dedicated to preserving the legacy of Maryland's past. Through research, conservation, and education, the Trust assists the people of Maryland in understanding their historical and cultural heritage. In selecting the winners the Board considers a variety of factors including community impact, adherence to best practices, and innovation, but all winners are considered to be exemplary role models. "These individuals and projects represent the best in heritage education, community revitalization, and volunteerism in Maryland" said Harrison B. Wetherill, Jr., of Annapolis, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. "Each award highlights an important and unique aspect of historic preservation and the important and powerful ways that historic places can impact our lives and communities" said Wetherill.
The 2009 award winners included a diverse range of individuals, organizations, and projects from all regions of the state. The Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration (SHA) received the first ever award for Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency for its efforts to protect, preserve, and interpret historic places across the state through careful project planning, research and documentation projects, and public interpretation and community participation in preservation projects. The Hammond-Harwood House Association, Annapolis and the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore received awards for their organizations’ stewardship of two National Historic Landmark properties, the Hammond-Harwood House and the Mount Royal Station, both of which the Maryland Historical Trust holds perpetual historic preservation easements on.
Four award winning projects are directly related to the history of Maryland’s African-American communities, including the Allegany County African-American History Website, the Rehabilitation of the Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Parsonage in Rockville, the Rehabilitation of the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge in Sandy Spring, and the St. John’s Site Museum in Historic St. Mary’s City where Mathias de Sousa became the first African-American to participate in colonial government.
Rehabilitation projects such as the John Eyler Farmstead in Sabillasville, Frederick County, the Radcliffe Mill in Chestertown, Kent County, and Frieda’s Cottage in Rockville, Montgomery County demonstrate how vernacular, yet significant historic buildings can be reclaimed and repurposed to create new housing and economic development opportunities.
Three recent publications, Baltimore’s Alley Houses: Homes for Working People Since the 1780s by Mary Ellen Hayward, Pathways to History: Charles County History 1658-2008 by the Smallwood Foundation, and At the Crossroads: The Architectural History of Wicomico County Maryland by Paul Baker Touart received awards for the high quality of the authors’ scholarship and the awareness that these publications bring to significant architectural and historic resources in their communities.
Two community leaders were also being honored for their commitment to historic preservation and civic leadership. Wayne M. Goldstein, formerly of Silver Spring was honored posthumously for his leadership of Montgomery Preservation, Inc. and long track record of community service and activism in Montgomery County. Mrs. R. Flanigan "Polly" Shannahan of Easton was recognized for nearly 60 years of civic activism and leadership of numerous community organizations in Talbot County. Mrs. Shannahan has been instrumental in the preservation of several prominent landmarks in Talbot County, as well as the adoption of policies and plans to protect historic districts in Easton and all over Talbot County.
"The Maryland Historical Trust congratulates all of this Maryland Preservation Award recipients. The awards are a wonderful way for the State to recognize those individuals and organizations who have raised the standards for preservation programs across Maryland. Our grass roots partners are key players in Maryland's heritage preservation initiatives—in areas without this local leadership, our historical and cultural resources are at significant risk," said J. Rodney Little, Director of the Maryland Historical Trust.
For further information about the Maryland Preservation Awards, contact Cory Kegerise, MHT Administrator of Local Preservation Programs, at 410-514-7635 or ckegerise@mdp.state.md.us.
RECIPIENTS OF 2009 AWARDS ARE:
Statewide
RECIPIENT: Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration Neil Pedersen, SHA Administrator AWARD CATEGORY: Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency
The State Highway Administration is the first recipient of this new award category for the agency’s long-standing commitment to historic preservation and exemplary fulfillment of its legal obligations under Federal and State law. SHA has routinely demonstrated leadership and innovation in historic preservation through thoughtful project planning that seeks to avoid adverse effects on historic properties, providing funding for research and documentation projects such as the recent book Historic Bridges of Maryland, and a commitment to creative partnerships that share their discoveries with the public. Some recent noteworthy projects include the rehabilitation of the US40 Alternate Bridge over Casselman River in Garrett County, the publication of When Main Street Is A State Highway, and a partnership with the University of Maryland on several archeological investigations that includes blogs about the investigative process and some of their recent findings.
Allegany County
PROJECT: Allegany County African-American History Website AWARD CATEGORY: Educational Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Western Maryland Regional Library, Albert L. Feldstein, Jill Craig
The Western Maryland Regional Library is being recognized for the creation of a website that provides unprecedented and widespread access to a significant collection of primary source materials relating the history of the African-American community in Allegany County. Amateur historical Albert Feldstein and Digitization Librarian Jill Craig collaborated to catalog, scan, and interpret photographs, newspaper clippings, ephemera, and materials related to buildings and sites to tell the story of a significant, but historically underrepresented part of Western Maryland’s history. The website is one of the first to cover this topic in Maryland and will hopefully serve as a model for other communities across the state.
Anne Arundel County
PROPERTY: Hammond-Harwood House
AWARD CATEGORY: Stewardship of a Maryland Historical Trust Easement Property
RECIPIENT: Hammond-Harwood House Association, Inc., Carter Lively, Executive Director
The Hammond-Harwood House, built c. 1774, is located in the Colonial Annapolis national Historic Landmark District and is considered to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the United States. The house has been owned and cared for by the Hammond-Harwood House Association, Inc. since 1940, and the Association is being recognized for being careful and diligent stewards of the property for nearly 70 years. The Maryland Historical Trust holds a perpetual easement on the property on behalf of the people of Maryland, and acknowledges the Association’s commitment to sound project planning and careful execution of restoration projects.
Baltimore City
PROPERTY: Mount Royal Station
AWARD CATEGORY: Stewardship of a Maryland Historical Trust Easement Property
RECIPIENT: Maryland Institute College of Art - Fred Lazarus, President; Michael Molla, VP of Operations; Doug Frost, Former VP of Development
The Mount Royal Station is a National Historic Landmark built in 1896 for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad and designed by Baltimore-based architects Baldwin & Pennington. The Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) has used the building as studio space since purchasing landmark property in 1966. In 2007 MICA completed a major rehabilitation of the building that transformed it into sculpture and three dimensional studio space while preserving and retaining the building’s most significant interior and exterior features. Throughout this and previous projects MICA has proven to be an excellent steward of this nationally significant building as well as other historic properties under its ownership. The Maryland Historical Trust holds a perpetual easement on Mount Royal Station on behalf of the people of Maryland and acknowledges MICA’s commitment to preserving this significant building, much of which has been undertaken under the leadership of College President Fred Lazarus.
PROJECT: Restoration of the B&O Locomotive #57 "Memnon"
AWARD CATEGORY: Project Excellence
RECIPIENTS: B&O Railroad Museum – Courtney B. Wilson, Executive Director
The B&O Locomotive #57, also known as "Memnon" was built in 1848 for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at the New Castle Locomotive Works in Delaware and is the oldest surviving American freight locomotive in existence. Memnon was in service until 1892, when it was refurbished for display and exhibition and became a centerpiece of the railroad’s public relations campaigns. The locomotive was restored in 1927 and was one of the featured attractions at the Fair of the Iron Horse, the celebration of the B&O’s 100th Anniversary. Memnon was damaged when the roof of the B&O Museum’s Roundhouse collapsed in February 2003, leading the Museum to embark on a five year restoration of the historic engine. The locomotive was repaired on site in the North Car Shop using both expert craftsmen and volunteer labor, helping to pass on significant craft skills, as well as restore a nationally significant piece of American history.
PROJECT: Baltimore’s Alley Houses: Homes for Working People Since the 1780s AWARD CATEGORY: Heritage Book
RECIPIENT: Mary Ellen Hayward
Mary Ellen Hayward’s 2008 book on some of Baltimore’s most modest buildings documents the rich cultural and architectural legacy of the city’s smallest streets. Baltimore’s Alley Houses is the culmination of nearly 10 years of architectural survey and archival research by Hayward and others that began in response to an announcement by the City’s Housing Commissioner that he intended to demolish all of the remaining alley houses in the City. Hayward’s research and this publication have helped to raise awareness about the rich and diverse history of Baltimore’s working neighborhoods and the buildings that housed much of the city’s workforce.
Charles County
PROJECT: Pathways to History: Charles County 1658-2008 AWARD CATEGORY: Heritage Book
RECIPIENT: Smallwood Foundation – Michael J. Sullivan, President
The Smallwood Foundation, the nonprofit organization that supports Smallwood State Park in Marbury, led the effort to gather and publish one of the most comprehensive publications on the history of Charles County in recent years. Pathways to History chronicles the important people, places, trends, and movements in Charles County’s history and was published as part of the county’s 350th anniversary festivities in 2008. The work was coordinated by production editor Annie Compton and Foundation President Mike Sullivan and Dr. Julia King, Dr. Christine Arnold-Lourie, Susan Shaffer, and numerous others contributed the interpretive essays on the county’s history.
Frederick County
PROJECT: Rehabilitation of the John Eyler House, Sabillasville AWARD CATEGORY: Project Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Robert & Jeanne Srour, Preservation Associates, Paula Reed & Associates, Restorations Unlimited, Air Supply, Inc., Braddock Renovators, Custom Building, Foxfield Forge, Hamby Painting, Expert House Movers, Andy Lofstrand, Palmer Industries, Inc., Lem & Dawn Richmond, Snurr Electric
Robert & Jeanne Srour rescued the 1810 John Eyler farmhouse in Sabillasville, Frederick County from near collapse and restored the property as a vacation rental in rural central Maryland. Built in 1810, this "L" shaped, gable roofed, brick house was allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that the NE corner had collapsed and a tall man could walk through the hole. Using State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits, the Srours rehabilitated the small brick farmhouse and leveraged over $600,000 in private investment, much of which was spent on labor and materials supplied by local craftsmen.
Kent County
PROJECT: Rehabilitation of the Radcliffe Mill, Chestertown AWARD CATEGORY: Project Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Radcliffe Investments, LLC, Torchio Architects, Betty Bird & Associates, Baker, Ingram & Associates, Claggett Engineering, Davis, Moore, Shearon & Associates, LLC, South Fork Studios, Warfel Construction Company
Radcliffe Mill, one of the largest historic structures in Chestertown, Maryland, is situated on the banks of Radcliffe Creek, at the western gateway to the town. This multi-building project consisted of the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Mill, circa 1892 with subsequent additions, the Annex, circa 1900 and its loosely linked sister, the Seed House, circa 1960. The Mill property went through many owners and was adapted to new milling technologies as they were developed. Roller mills were installed in the late 19th century, and were in use until the 1950’s. The Radcliffe Mill business of storage and sales of grain and feed continued until 1997.
Since then the mill buildings were under-utilized and their maintenance was neglected. In 2003 the Mill was purchased by a local partnership with the intention of renovating the property to house their accounting firm and potential tenant space. The completed project utilized State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits and consists of office space in the Mill for the owner’s businesses, a restaurant/tavern in the Mill and an advertising agency in the Seed House & Annex. The owners of the Mill have saved an historic structure, reinvigorated an important gateway to Chestertown, kept three thriving small businesses in the town limits, renovated an eyesore into a showplace, saved energy & resources by reusing an existing structure, and hopefully, inspired other business and property owners in the area to do the same.
Montgomery County
RECIPIENT: Wayne M. Goldstein, Silver Spring AWARD CATEGORY: Preservation Service
Wayne M. Goldstein was a four term President of Montgomery Preservation, Inc., and a die-hard and tenacious advocate for historic preservation, smart planning, and good government. During Wayne’s leadership of MPI, the organization spearheaded preservation efforts for Canada Dry, Falkland, and Perpetual Bank in Silver Spring, the 1971 Library and Edmonds house in Rockville, Talbott house and Crown farm in Gaithersburg, and Wild Acres in Bethesda. He also led a successful effort to save Cesar Pelli’s COMSAT Laboratories in Rockville, and received an Educational Excellence Award from the Maryland Historical Trust for that project in 2008. In addition to his service with MPI, Wayne was a past President of the Montgomery County Civic Federation, a columnist for the Montgomery Sentinel, and fixture and County Council, Planning Board, and Historic Preservation Commission meetings. Wayne passed away suddenly on April 27, 2009 at the age of 56 while on his way to testify before the Montgomery County Council. Wayne’s dedication and service are truly remarkable and made a significant difference in historic preservation in Montgomery County. Mr. Goldstein’s mother, Mrs. Trenice Goldstein, accepted the award on his behalf.
PROJECT: Rehabilitation of the Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant Church Parsonage, Rockville AWARD CATEGORY: Preservation Partnerships
RECIPIENTS: Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, Rev. Jane Wood, Pastor, Ross Development & Investments, Mr. Michael Schwartzman, Vice President, Rockville Historic District Commission, Max van Balgooy, Chair
Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church is located in the oldest section of Rockville and is Rockville’s oldest African-American church. It is locally designated and also listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District. In 1999, the parsonage, also known as Cordelia House served as a women’s shelter, when one of the occupants set fire to it. The February fire damaged the front wall and roof of the building, while water damage contributed to ruination throughout the building. The money provided from fire insurance was insufficient to cover the rehabilitation costs and the Church applied for permission to demolish the structure. Since 1999, there have been numerous hearings, meetings, applications, and discussions to decide the future of Cordelia House. The Church was unable to move forward with rehabilitation as they lacked sufficient funds. The City was reluctant to agree to demolition of the historic structure because of its significance to the City’s heritage. In 2007 Michael Schwartzman, of Ross Development & Investments, was involved with the Rockville Town Center development, which has created a vibrant downtown once again for the City of Rockville. He passed the parsonage building on a daily basis, and felt that something should be done about this "eyesore." He approached Pastor Wood as a neighbor to see if Cordelia House could be repaired. Working together, they were able to collect the necessary funds to support the rehabilitation project. The congregation now uses the building for small meetings and for an office for their Pastor.
PROJECT: Restoration of Frieda’s Cottage, Rockville AWARD CATEGORY: Project Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Peerless Rockville Historic Preservation, Ltd., Chestnut Lodge Properties, Inc., Craig Moloney, AIA
Peerless Rockville has undertaken the restoration of the 1936 Colonial Revival home of Dr. Frieda Fromm-Reichmann to the period when this eminent psychiatrist lived and worked here. Eager to leave Nazi Germany, Dr. Fromm-Reichmann accepted an invitation in 1935 from Dr. Dexter Bullard of the Chestnut Lodge Sanitarium to practice here, on the condition that he build a house for her. From 1936-1957, Frieda’s Cottage served as her home, office, and treatment center as she worked with psychotic patients coming to Chestnut Lodge. Dr. Fromm-Reichmann was a pioneer in psychiatry, and had a reputation for her work in treating seriously disturbed mental patients with intensive psychotherapy. Frieda’s Cottage sits on its own lot within the larger eight-acre Chestnut Lodge Historic District. It is a Colonial Revival style cottage, designed by a Washington architect, Walter G. Peter, and built by a local builder, Franklin H. Karn. It is one of five structures associated with Chestnut Lodge, all of which are locally designated under Rockville’s historic preservation program. Chestnut Lodge Properties, Inc., the developer of the Chestnut Lodge property donated the Cottage as well as cash to kick-start the fundraising efforts in 2007. When Peerless Rockville took title to the house in June 2007, it had been empty for seven years. From 1957 to 2000, the house was used both as a residence and for offices by the Sanitarium. Maintenance efforts had been minimized to keep the building functional. Peerless Rockville used this restoration project as a teaching opportunity for the public through restoration workshops contractors, volunteer work sessions, and open houses to demonstrate progress in the restoration of this house. Peerless Rockville has returned this property to a single-family residence, which it leases to a tenant.
PROJECT: Rehabilitation of the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge, Sandy Spring AWARD CATEGORY: Project Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge, Structural Preservation Systems, Structural Group
With a cornerstone dating back to 1909, the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge played a significant role in the area’s African American community, particularly from the 1920s through the 1960s. Not only did the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows serve as a health and life insurance agency for its members – highly significant services before welfare and Social Security were implemented -- the group also hosted social events, from trips to places around the world to dances held at the Odd Fellows Lodge. In fact, the lodge was well-known for its dances because it was one of the few places accessible to African Americans for socializing during the era of segregation. As such, the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge played a central role in the community and was a hub for social life throughout the early to mid 1900s. The lodge had been abandoned for approximately 30 years, during which time the building suffered severe water damage and deterioration. During the construction the contractors had to remove 400 pounds worth of honeycomb, containing nearly 60,000 bees. The Odd Fellows Lodge Preservation Committee was established to preserve the historic building. Through capital grants from the Maryland Historical Trust, private donations and a state bond bill, the Odd Fellows Lodge Preservation Committee raised money to begin phase one of the restoration project in the summer of 2008. The Lodge will be used as community meeting space in addition to serving the needs of the Odd Fellows.
St. Mary’s County
PROJECT: St. John’s Site Museum, Historic St. Mary’s City AWARD CATEGORY: Educational Excellence
RECIPIENTS: Historic St. Mary’s City Commission, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Hadley Exhibits, Konvoer Construction,
The St. John’s Site Museum at Historic St. Mary’s City is a $10 million exhibit that both preserves an extremely significant archeological site, and uses it to teach visitors about Chesapeake building traditions, the origins of representative government in the United States, the pursuit for racial and gender equality, and the archeological process itself. St. John’s was the site of the first meetings of the General Assembly, is where Mathias de Sousa became the first person of African descent to participate in government, where Margaret Brent became the first woman to request the vote, and was the home of several members of the Calvert family. The exhibit features a partially reconstructed 17th century heavy timber dwelling that covers the excavated remains of the house’s foundations. A significant part of the museum is a series of free-standing exhibit panels which focus on the overarching theme that Maryland’s first settlement oversaw the beginning of certain ideas, trends, and concerns that still have relevance today. The themes highlight key elements of Maryland’s heritage.
Talbot County
RECIPIENT: R. Flanigan "Polly" Shannahan, Easton AWARD CATEGORY: Preservation Service
Known as Polly to her friends, Mrs. Shannahan has been a leader in the historic preservation movement in Talbot County, and her hometown of Easton for nearly 60 years. Born in Baltimore, Mrs. Shannahan was the first female commissioned officer from Maryland to join the United State Naval Reserves during World War II. She moved to Easton after the war and began a long career of civic service, having led or served on virtually every preservation organization in Talbot County. She was a longtime director of the Historical Society of Talbot County, and participated in the founding of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. She has led the boards of the Talbot County Historic Trust, Historic Easton, and the Talbot County Historic Preservation Commission, as well as serving on the Civic Projects Committee of the Talbot County Federated Garden Club and the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage. Among her many projects were the preservation of the 1794 Talbot County Courthouse, the late 19th century Sheriff’s House and Jail, and passage of local historic preservation ordinances in Easton and Talbot County. However, she counts the preservation of historic Myrtle Grove and the ensuing legal opinions that protects perpetual easements from alteration after the death of their donors, to be among her greatest achievements.
Wicomico County
PROJECT: At the Crossroads: The Architectural History of Wicomico County, Maryland AWARD CATEGORY: Heritage Book
RECIPIENTS: Paul Baker Touart, Preservation Trust of Wicomico County, Whitney- Edwards Design, Wicomico County Council, City of Salisbury
Paul Baker Touart and the Preservation Trust of Wicomico County released At the Crossroads: The Architectural History of Wicomico County, Maryland in late 2008, the culmination of 14 years of survey, research and writing. It is also the third and final installment of publications on the Lower Shore counties, making that the first region of the state to be fully surveyed and published on. The volume brings to print a voluminous amount of primary record research, contemporary and historic photographs, maps, and drawings in a format that explains the architectural and historical development of Wicomico County, which started in prehistoric times and continued during colonial exploration and settlement of Somerset County. The Maryland Historical Trust and Wicomico County Council funded the years of architectural fieldwork and research that stretched from 1994 through 2001-02. The research and publication was made possible through the generous financial support of the Wicomico County Council, the City of Salisbury, and the Maryland Historical Trust Non-Capital Grant program.
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