American Gothic House Committee Honored with Award

Eldon—The American Gothic House Committee received the Loren Horton Community History Award for the Best Use of Volunteers last Monday, May 19 in Des Moines, IA at the State Historical Society of Iowa.

For the full press release, see below.

Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs
600 E. Locust Street
Des Moines, IA 50319

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 19, 2008
Contact: Jeff Morgan, 515-281-3858

SHSI announces historic preservation, community history awards

DES MOINES – The State Historical Society of Iowa today announced historic preservation and community history awards during “Celebrate Community History,” an event that celebrates May as National Historic Preservation Month.

Historians, historic preservationists and others gathered for the event, which was created in 1995 with the 10-year anniversary of the Certified Local Government Program. Today’s event recognized Iowa’s varied and important historic properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, and groups and individuals for their work in preserving Iowa’s rich heritage.

“This event is a celebration of our historic assets and efforts undertaken during the last year to preserve them,” said Cyndi Pederson, director of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. “We are pleased to recognize the projects and the people who devote their time, energy and resources to ensure our heritage is kept alive for future generations of Iowans to enjoy.”

Awards and certificates presented today included Preservation Projects of Merit; National Register of Historic Places Certificates; Cultural & Entertainment Districts; Certified Local Government Awards of Grant Funds: Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance Best of Preservation Award; National History Day in Iowa “Kids Count!” Award; Benjamin F. Shambaugh Award; Loren Horton Community History Award; Petersen/Harlan Award and the Mills/Noun Popular History Award.

Celebrate Community History is sponsored by SHSI, the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance and the Iowa Gaming Association.

Following is a list of award and certificate recipients recognized today:

PRESERVATION PROJECTS OF MERIT
The Award of Merit recognizes outstanding historic tax credit projects that exemplify the best of preservation practices and meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.
Award Recipients:

• Residential Property: Sherrill Mount House, Sherrill, Mark Maiers
• Commercial Project Under $500,000: Upper Main, Dubuque, Gronen Properties, LLC
• Commercial Project Over $500,000: Armstrong Apartments, Clinton, Community Housing Initiatives, Inc.
• Special Recognition: Hurst Hotel, Maquoketa, Signature Properties

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CERTIFICATES
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Properties listed on the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering and culture.
Certificate Recipients:

• Beaconsfield Supply Store, Beaconsfield
• Chevre B’Nai Yisroel Synagogue, Council Bluffs
• Lincoln-Fairview Historic District, Council Bluffs
• Louis C. and Amelia L. Schmidt House, Davenport
• D.S. Chamberlain Building, Des Moines
• Dubuque Star Brewery, Dubuque
• Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm Historic District, Fairfield
• Fort Madison Downtown Historic Commercial District, Fort Madison
• Knoxville WPA Athletic Field Historic District, Knoxville
• Edmundson Park Historic District, Oskaloosa
• Netcott-Pfeiffer House, Parkersburg
• First Christian Church, Pella
• Julius and Anine Overson House, Sioux City
• Williges Building, Sioux City
• Antlers Hotel, Spirit Lake
• Tabor Antislavery Historic District, Tabor
• Hunter School, Tabor Vicinity
• Youngville Café, Watkins Vicinity
• City Hotel, Wheatland
• Lincoln Township Mausoleum, Zearing

CULTURAL AND ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICTS
A Cultural and Entertainment District is a well-recognized, labeled, mixed-use compact area of a city in which a high concentration of cultural facilities serve as the anchor. The following represent the most recent communities to be given this title:

• Oskaloosa Cultural & Entertainment District
• Grinnell Cultural & Entertainment District
• Cody Road Cultural & Entertainment District, LeClaire

CERTIFIED LOCAL GOVERNMENT AWARDS OF GRANT FUNDS
Jointly administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the State Historic Preservation Office, the Certified Local Government Program is a model and a cost-effective local, state and federal partnership that promotes historic preservation at the grassroots level across the nation.
2008 Award Recipients:

• Ames Historic Preservation Commission, College Heights Intensive and Architectural Survey
• Coon Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, Survey and Evaluation of the Coon Rapids Commercial District
• Dubuque Historic Preservation Commission, Downtown Design Guidelines
• Monona County Historic Preservation Commission, Survey of the Onawa Downtown District
• Sioux City Historic Preservation Commission, Survey of the Downtown Commercial District
• Washington Historic Preservation Commission, Planning for Preservation Project

IOWA HISTORIC PRESERVATION ALLIANCE PRESERVATION AT ITS BEST AWARDS
This award recognizes outstanding historic preservation projects in a wide range of categories. The awards, given annually, recognize projects that demonstrate a commitment to maintaining and preserving Iowa’s cultural heritage.
Award Recipients:

• Residential – Single Family: 323 E. 4th St., Spencer, Martin Arthur, Julie Schmidt and Lee Vogel
• Public Building – Charles Theater: Charles City, Veronica Litterer, Stoney Point Players and Charles City Art Council
• Commercial – Small Building: Breadeaux Building, Hampton, Joel and Kim Orr
• Commercial – Large Building: Dubuque Star Brewery, Dubuque, David Johnson and City of Dubuque Planning Services
• Mixed Use – Dubuque Casket Company: Dubuque, David Johnson and City of Dubuque Planning Services
• Mixed Use – 500 E. Locust, Suite 500, Des Moines: Sam Erickson, Community Housing Initiatives, Inc.

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN IOWA “KIDS COUNT!” AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO YOUTH RESEARCHERS
The “Kids Count!” awards recognize Iowa libraries, archives and museums for providing outstanding service to young student researchers.
Certificate of Achievement Recipient:

• African American Historical Museum and Cultural Center of Iowa, Cedar Rapids

Certificate of Merit Recipients:

• Cowles Library – Drake University, Des Moines
• Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum, West Branch

BENJAMIN F. SHAMBAUGH AWARDS
This award recognizes the most significant book published on Iowa history during the previous calendar year.
Award Recipient:

• Wilson J. Warren, Tied to the Great Packing Machine: The Midwest and Meatpacking, published by University of Iowa Press

Certificates of Recognition:

• William B. Friedricks, Investing in Iowa: the Life and Times of F.M. Hubbell, published by The Iowan Books
• Abigail Foerstner, James Van Allen: The First Eight Billion Miles, published by University of Iowa Press

LOREN HORTON COMMUNITY HISTORY AWARD
The Loren Horton Community History Award recognizes the best project that increases the awareness of and participation in Iowa history on a local level.
Loren Horton Community History Award

• Danville High School Fine Arts Students, “A Living Legacy of Danville History”

Loren Horton Certificate of Recognition Recipients

• Outstanding Research or Publication: Judy M. Holzmer, “Diary of Walter C. Laughead: Company D, 50th Iowa Volunteer Infantry”
• Outstanding Use of Volunteers: American Gothic House Committee, Edlon, “American Gothic house Visitor Center Project”
• Outstanding Project in Museum: The Putnam Museum and IMAX Theater, Davenport, “Bringing History to Life: The Civil War Years”

PETERSEN/HARLAN AWARD
The Petersen/Harlan Award recognizes an individual, group or organization that has made significant long-term or continuing contributions to Iowa history.

• Dorothy Schwieder, Ames

MILLS/NOUN POPULAR HISTORY AWARD
This award recognizes the author of the most significant article on an Iowa history topic published in a popular history periodical during the previous calendar year. It is named in honor of Iowa reporter and popular historian George Mills and Iowa historian and philanthropist Louise Noun.

Award Recipient

• Dr. Thomas Morain, Pardon Me, Governor: Ernest Rathbun, William Harding and the Politics of Justice, Iowa Heritage Illustrated, Winter 2005

Honorable Mention

• Tim Lane, Saint Patterson and His Duck Soup, Iowa Heritage Illustrated, Summer 2005
• Leah D. Rogers and Clare L. Kerneck, The Lincoln Highway’s Seedling Mile, Iowa Heritage Illustrated, Fall 2005

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The State Historical Society of Iowa is a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs and a trustee of Iowa’s historical legacy and an advocate for understanding Iowa’s past. It identifies, records, collects, preserves, manages and provides access to Iowa’s historical resources. Its dual mission of preservation and education serves Iowans of all ages, conducts and stimulates research, disseminates information, and encourages and supports historical preservation and education efforts of others throughout the state. More information about SHSI is available at www.iowahistory.org.