The West Virginia State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is seeking nominations for Our Legacy, Our Future Preservation Awards. Recommendations for nominees will be accepted until Sept. 15. Individuals, organizations, resources and historic districts are all eligible for consideration. The awards will be presented at a reception at West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling on Sunday, Oct. 15, at 2 p.m.
This awards program honors the exemplary work of dedicated people who keep the state moving forward as they help to preserve and protect its historic resources. The three award categories include the Betty Woods “Snookie” Nutting Award, Individual Historic Resource Awards and Historic District Awards.
The Snookie Nutting Award will be presented to a West Virginian who embodies the spirit and dedication that is making a difference in a community. Nutting has a passion for historic preservation that is inspiring and contagious. Her lifelong pursuit of preservation projects in her hometown of Wheeling are an example of how one person can have an impact on a community.
The Individual Historic Resource Awards recognizes historic preservation efforts associated with an individual historic resource that is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Awards in this category include an individual person award, which recognizes a person who demonstrates dedication to the historic preservation of an individual resource and whose work has helped to preserve the resource; and individual resource award, which recognizes an individual resource that represents a significant aspect of West Virginia’s history and plays a role in the continuing understanding of that history.
Historic District Awards are awarded in two categories: organization award and historic district award. The organization award recognizes an organization that has made a significant contribution to the preservation of an historic district through restoration, research and attention to the importance of the district. The historic district award recognizes a historic district that is comprised of multiple components that reflects a significant aspect of West Virginia’s history and is an example of what preservation can mean to a community.
For more information about the preservation awards and to fill out a nomination form, go to http://www.wvculture.org/shpo/2017HPAward.pdf or contact John Adamik, SHPO education and planning coordinator, at 304-558-0240 or john.d.adamik@wv.gov.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is proud to be able to present its programs at no charge to the public but without a solution to the state’s budget situation, this could be the last year that programs of this type could be offered. The division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, is an agency within the Office of Secretary of Education and the Arts with Gayle Manchin, cabinet secretary. It brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.