The nomination deadline for the 36th Annual Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation Historic Preservation Awards has been extended to Friday, April 18. The awards recognize excellence in the preservation of Kentucky’s historic buildings and cultural resources, including archaeological sites. Contributions can be through investment, advocacy, volunteerism, building partnerships, public involvement, lifelong commitment or significant achievement.
The awards are presented each May, during National Historic Preservation Month, by the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation and Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office. The 2014 ceremony will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at the Kentucky Governor’s Mansion.
Nominations are accepted for Preservation Projects, honoring outstanding examples of historic building restoration or rehabilitation, or for other projects that have furthered preservation of Kentucky’s built environment or cultural resources; Service to Preservation, recognizing individuals, organizations, nonprofits, public officials, financial institutions, news media, volunteers and others whose contributions have had a positive impact in their communities; and the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Award, to the individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to the cause of historic preservation in the Commonwealth.
Sadieville Rosenwald SchoolNominations may be submitted via email to ; by fax, to 502-564-5820; or via mail or in person delivery to the Kentucky Heritage Council, 300 Washington St., Frankfort, KY 40601. Nominations will be reviewed by a panel of judges representing various agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the Kentucky Heritage Council and members of the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation.
All nominations must be received in this office or postmarked by close of business April 18. For guidelines, nomination form, submittal instructions and more, see www.heritage.ky.gov.
2013 awards went to the Cox Building in Maysville; Rockcastle River Historic Truss Bridge; Sadieville Rosenwald School (pictured); Nancy Adams, for her work at Pine Mountain Settlement School, a National Historic Landmark; Keith Nagle, for his leadership with Discover Downtown Middlesboro, a Kentucky Main Street Program community; and the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation deTours Committee, for encouraging central Kentucky residents to become more familiar with local history and the process and benefits of adaptive reuse. Stephen L. Collins, of Shelbyville, was recognized with the Memorial Award. Also for the first time, Grassroots Awards were given, for Bethel Church and Cemetery, Pendleton County, and Friends of Sherman Tavern, Dry Ridge.
The Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation was chartered in 1979 to honor the late Ida Lee Willis, widow of former Gov. Simeon Willis and first executive director of the Kentucky Heritage Commission (now the Kentucky Heritage Council). Under her direction, the agency initiated the first statewide survey of historic resources and began nominating sites to the National Register of Historic Places.
