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For Immediate Release: October 12, 2007
OHIO HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE HONORS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Seven recipients of the 2007 Ohio Historic Preservation Office Awards were honored by Ohio Historical Society Executive Director William K. Laidlaw, Jr., on Saturday, September 29, during a noon luncheon at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus, as part of the Annual Meeting and Conference of the Ohio Historical Society and Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums. They are:
- Canton and Medina: Preservation Merit Award to Sen. J. Kirk Schuring, Canton, and former Rep. Charles E. Calvert, Medina, for their leadership on behalf of enacting the new Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit, an incentive for investing in the preservation and rehabilitation of historic properties.
- Cincinnati and Covington, KY: Public Education and Awareness Award to Betts House Research Center, Cincinnati Preservation Association, Sullebarger and Associates, and TiER 1 Performance Solutions for the exhibit "Endangered Cincinnati: Can These Buildings Be Saved?"
- Cincinnati: Public Education and Awareness Award to the University of Cincinnati’s Center for the Electronic Reconstruction of Historical and Archaeological Sites (CERHAS) for "EarthWorks", a virtual reconstruction of Ohio’s monumental earthworks.
- Cleveland: Public Education and Awareness Award to Cleveland Restoration Society, Lake Erie Graphics, Dependable Painting Company, and Turner Construction Company for the 2007 "Celebration of Preservation" Calendar.
- Cleveland and Columbus: Preservation Merit Award to Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Richard L. Bowen + Associates, and the Ohio School Facilities Commission for the preservation and rehabilitation of the 1929 John Hay High School at 2075 Stokes Boulevard in Cleveland.
- Medina: see Canton and Medina
- Milford: Preservation Merit Award to the Greater Milford Area Historical Society for longtime stewardship of "Promont" at 906 Main Street in Milford, home of Ohio’s forty-third governor, John M. Pattison, from 1879 to 1906.
- Rossville (Piqua / Miami County): Public Education and Awareness Award to Helen Dehlia Gilmore for her longtime devotion to preserving the history of Rossville and the story of the Randolph Slaves who settled there in 1847. Ms. Gilmore is a descendant of the Randolph Slaves.
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office Awards have been presented annually since 1983 on the basis of nominations from throughout the state. Awards are presented in two categories: Public Education and Awareness, and Preservation Merit.
The Public Education and Awareness Award is for increasing interest in historic preservation. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, media, newsletters, publications, interpretation, original research, educational programs, and special events which have substantially increased public understanding and awareness of historic preservation at the local, regional, or state level.
The Preservation Merit Award is for preserving Ohio’s prehistory, history, architecture, or culture. Eligible activities include, but are not limited to, restoring, rehabilitating, or otherwise preserving an important building or site, longtime stewardship of a property, promoting protective legislation, funding preservation projects, offering leadership, support, or service, and furthering preservation at the local, regional, or state level.
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office is Ohio’s official historic preservation agency. A part of the Ohio Historical Society, it identifies historic places in Ohio, nominates properties to the National Register of Historic Places, reviews federally-assisted projects for effects on Ohio’s historic, architectural, and archaeological resources, consults on the conservation of older buildings and sites, and offers educational programs and publications.
Background / 2007 Ohio Historic Preservation Office Awards
Canton and Medina
Sen. J. Kirk Schuring, Canton, and former Rep. Charles E. Calvert, Medina, for their leadership on behalf of enacting the new Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit, an incentive for investing in the preservation and rehabilitation of historic properties.
Earlier this year, Ohio joined 26 other states that have a tax credit designed to encourage private investment in preserving and rehabilitating historic properties. State Senator J. Kirk Schuring and former State Representative Charles E. Calvert were instrumental in bringing Ohio’s new tax credit into being. Representative Calvert shepherded House Bill 149 through the Ohio House in May 2006. Senator Schuring, who’d previously introduced companion legislation known as Senate Bill 60, guided the bill through hearings in the Senate. Signed into law in January 2007, the Ohio Historic Preservation Tax Credit is jointly administered by the Ohio Department of Development and the Ohio Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio Historical Society. Eighty-four applications representing a total investment nearing one billion dollars have been received to date. Senator Schuring, a life-long resident of Stark County, served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1993 to 2002. He has represented the 29th district as state senator since 2003. Representative Calvert, born in Cleveland, attended Baldwin Wallace College and Cleveland State University. A former chief financial officer for NASA’s Glenn Research Center, he served as 69th district representative from Medina from 1998 to 2006.
Local contact: Joyce Barrett, Interim Executive Director, Heritage Ohio (Nominator), (614) 258-6200
Cincinnati and Covington, KY
Public Education and Awareness Award to Betts House Research Center, Cincinnati Preservation Association, Sullebarger and Associates, and TiER 1 Performance Solutions for the exhibit Endangered Cincinnati: Can These Buildings Be Saved?
A collaboration between Cincinnati’s Betts House Research Center and Cincinnati Preservation Association, "Endangered Cincinnati: Can These Buildings Be Saved?" is a sequel to last year’s exhibit, "Lost Cincinnati: Why Buildings Die." Made possible by grants from the William S. Rowe Foundation, the Architectural Foundation of Cincinnati, and Cincinnati’s Fine Arts Fund, it features some of the area’s most endangered landmarks, exploring their importance to the social and physical fabric of the city; the threats they face; and what might be done to save them. Margo Warminski, preservation director for Cincinnati Preservation Association, was responsible for the case studies, research, writing, and web page production. Beth Sullebarger of Sullebarger Associates coordinated production and installation of the exhibit at the historic Betts House. The exhibit was designed by TiER 1 Performance Solutions of Covington, KY. The exhibit’s reach was expanded by presentations at the Mercantile Library and City Hall, plus articles in City Beat, Cincinnati Magazine, the Cincinnati Enquirer, and the Cincinnati Preservation Association newsletter.
Local contacts: Duncan Muir, Director, Betts House Research Center, Cincinnati, (513) 651-0734. Margo Warminski, Cincinnati Preservation Association, (513) 721-4506
Cincinnati
Public Education and Awareness Award to the University of Cincinnati’s Center for the Electronic Reconstruction of Historical and Archaeological Sites (CERHAS) for "EarthWorks", a virtual reconstruction of Ohio’s monumental earthworks.
Since 1998, John Hancock and his associates and students have developed computer models and animations depicting Ohio’s ancient earthworks. The project has proved to be an excellent means of teaching about Hopewell culture and Ohio’s archaeological heritage, capitalizing on interactive computer technology to help illustrate relationships that might not be apparent otherwise. The "EarthWorks" exhibit has appeared at Chillicothe’s Hopewell Culture National Historical Park; Newark; Fort Ancient; the Cincinnati Museum Center; and at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus. The Center for the Electronic Reconstruction of Historical and Archaeological Sites is a program of the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning. In addition to its work on the ancient monuments of Ohio, the Center has done virtual reconstructions of Troy, Psalmodi, White Water Shaker Village, Midea, Argive Shrine, the Pope House in Lexington, KY, and the Cave of Lascaux.
Local contact:
John Hancock, Associate Dean, University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning, (513) 556-0223
Cleveland
Public Education and Awareness Award to Cleveland Restoration Society, Lake Erie Graphics, Dependable Painting Company, and Turner Construction Company for the 2007 "Celebration of Preservation" Calendar.
To bring recognition to its annual award winners, Cleveland Restoration Society renamed its awards program the "Celebration of Preservation", then partnered with Lake Erie Graphics to create a calendar featuring projects that received awards from the society in 2006. Created to convey the positive results of preservation, the calendar pictures 12 projects, with brief descriptions explaining why each received an award. Lake Erie Graphics produced the calendars to give to their customers as end-of-the-year ‘thank you’ gifts, reaching beyond the traditional preservation audience. Underwriting was provided by Lake Erie Graphics, Dependable Painting Company, and Turner Construction. Cleveland Restoration Society distributed another thousand calendars to donors and key constituents, and sold calendars at events and bookstores during the holiday season. The calendar has extended the impact of the awards program throughout the year by calling attention to the role of historic preservation in revitalizing northeast Ohio.
Local contact: Deana Bremer Fisher, Director of Marketing & Development, Cleveland Restoration Society, (216) 426-3111
Cleveland and Columbus
Preservation Merit Award to Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Richard L. Bowen + Associates, and the Ohio School Facilities Commission for the preservation and rehabilitation of the 1929 John Hay High School at 2075 Stokes Boulevard in Cleveland.
Located at University Circle, with neighbors like the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, John Hay High School was completed in 1929. The landmark building served generations of Clevelanders, then closed for renovation in 2001, emerging five years later as a state-of-the-art school designed to honor past generations while meeting the needs of future ones. The project demonstrates how an older school can be upgraded to meet contemporary standards for educational adequacy, while recapturing the original architectural character and preserving qualities treasured by alumni. Inspired by the shared vision of community leaders and Cleveland Metropolitan School District, John Hay now houses three innovative small high schools: a school of architecture and design; a school of science and medicine; and an accelerated college prep school. To promote a university-like culture, all three share the lobby, auditorium, and student dining room, plus art studios and science laboratories. The building hosts frequent alumni programs, theatrical presentations, public forums, corporate meetings, and other community events. And, it regularly attracts neighbors, alumni, and other visitors who appreciate its aesthetic value. Throughout the building, vintage photos depict earlier students. Today’s students view their school with respect, understanding that they are part of a legacy. The renewed John Hay High School balances preservation of a 20th century landmark with creation of a modern learning environment. The result is a one-of-a-kind school that is at once historic and cutting edge–a school that students, staff, alumni, and Clevelanders are proud to call their own.
Local contacts: Richard L. Bowen + Associates, Cleveland, (216) 377-3835. Fred Ahlborn, Ohio School Facilities Commission, (614) 387-1048
Columbus (see Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio School Facilities Commission)
Medina (see Canton and Medina)
Milford
Preservation Merit Award to the Greater Milford Area Historical Society for longtime stewardship of ‘Promont’ at 906 Main Street in Milford, home of Ohio’s forty-third governor, John M. Pattison, from 1879 to 1906.
In 1983 James Kirgan, a local business leader, left ‘Promont’–home of Ohio’s 43rd governor, John M. Pattison–to the Greater Milford Area Historical Society. The society made some repairs and upgrades, then moved in with a small collection and a hard-working group of volunteers. Since then, they’ve furnished Promont in the style of 1879 to 1906, when the Pattisons lived there, including items from the Pattison family. Several years ago the society began planning upgrades. They realized that the first task had to be establishing a museum-quality environment for the collection. To maintain proper temperature and humidity levels, a specially designed heating, ventilating, and air conditioning system was added. Funded through a capital campaign and matching funds from the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, it was designed by Cincinnati Air Conditioning and installed by Perfection Heating & Air Conditioning. A second project was paint abatement and repainting the exterior, working with Doug Ignatius of Champlin-Haupt Architects, and contractor E.B. Miller of Cincinnati. Funded by a grant from the State of Ohio through the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission, the abatement removed many layers of paint that had been applied over the years. Every inch of the surface was scraped, washed, primed, and painted twice–a tedious task that has had the unexpected benefit of revealing skillfully carved stonework over the windows. Finally, the society has worked with Allied Windows of Cincinnati to protect the original wooden windows and frames by adding storm windows, using funds from community donors and the State of Ohio through the Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission. Today ‘Promont’–listed on the National Register of Historic Places–is a handsome setting in which the Greater Milford Area Historical Society fulfills its mission of educating the community by collecting, preserving, interpreting, and promoting the history of Milford and the Victorian era.
Local contact: Donna Amann, Administrator, Promont House Museum, Milford, OH, (513) 248-0324. Richard Norloh, President, Greater Milford Area Historical Society, (513) 248-9550. Mary Ann Benoski, Volunteer, Greater Milford Historical Society, (513) 248-0324
Rossville (Piqua / Miami County)
Public Education and Awareness Award to Helen Dehlia Gilmore for her longtime devotion to preserving the history of Rossville and the story of the Randolph Slaves who settled there in 1847.
For decades, Helen Gilmore has been instrumental in preserving the history of Rossville, Ohio, and the story of the Randolph Slaves who settled there in 1847. Freed according to provisions of the will of John Randolph of Roanoke Plantation, Charlotte County, Virginia, the Randolph Slaves came to Ohio where they settled in Miami County. Located on the Miami River, Rossville had a church, school, graveyard, and many small homes. A direct descendant of the Randolph Slaves, Helen Gilmore was born and raised in Rossville, and her great-grandfather, Isaac Ryal–one of the slaves that Randolph freed–is buried in the Jackson Cemetery there. After her mother died, Helen was raised by her grandmother. They lived in the home of Helen’s great-great uncle, York Ryal, another of the former Randolph Slaves. In the early 1950s, Helen and her husband, Isaac, moved back to Rossville from Dayton. At the time, township trustees planned to build a garage for salt trucks on the site of the cemetery where many of the former Randolph Slaves were buried. The trustees told Helen that if she could prove who was buried there, they would spare it. Helen found a map in her cousin’s basement listing all of the burials. Since then, she has spent countless hours compiling information about the history of Rossville and the story of the Randolph Slaves. She’s gathered copies of all of the original deeds, along with pictures, family histories, and other early records. Today, the Jackson Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and Helen’s childhood home, the York Ryal House, is the Rossville Museum and Cultural Center, where the story of this remarkable community is preserved.
Local contact: Helen Gilmore, Rossville Museum and Cultural Center, (937) 773-6789. John T. Carpenter, Nominator, (937) 773-0954
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Media contact: Tom Wolf: 614.297.2000 or twolf@ohiohistory.org
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