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5-24-2007 Now in its ninth year, the preservation awards program recognizes individuals and groups who have helped further historic preservation in their communities. Nominations are considered each year in the following categories: career achievement, stewardship, adaptive re-use, restoration (for buildings, structures or landscapes), rehabilitation (for buildings, structures or landscapes), historic preservation planning, and special nomination. This year's winners - selected by an independent jury composed of historic preservation professionals and others from related fields - are Chartwell Studios, Chase House, the Greater Milford Historical Association, the members of Pierstown Grange, Doug Plummer and Garth Roberts, and Rufus J. Thayer. "This is the first year we have given an award posthumously. There is no doubt that Rufus Thayer's vision to protect his family farm in perpetuity has been an extraordinary gift to the Otsego Lake community and the many students that use the farm as an educational facility," said Martha Frey, Otsego 2000's executive director. "Thayer's generosity exemplifies how one person's actions can serve the greater good for many years to come." Chartwell Studios, Rehabilitation - Peter Cozzolino and Marguerite MacFarlane have successfully breathed new life into what Sharon Springs locals still refer to as the "old drug store." The c. 1871 building, which was previously vacant and had become run down and unsightly, is once again a handsome storefront on the Route 20 Scenic Byway. Chartwell Studios houses both working and teaching studios, a research library, and galleries featuring the works of other area artists and craftsmen. Through their hard work and dedication, Cozzolino and MacFarlane have saved an important piece of Sharon's history. Chase House, Restoration - Over the last two decades, Sidney Chase has painstakingly worked to dismantle, transport, reassemble and restore the c. 1830 Federal-style, two-story home in which he and his wife, Dorelle, now reside. The house, previously located in Harpersfield, had been vacant since 1960. In the late 1980s Chase, a lover of Federal-style architecture, chose to move the structure to a hillside behind the Chase Organ Factory in Worcester, where he then began to rebuild the house from top to bottom û board by board, floor by floor, and room by room. The Chases' center-hall home boasts a restored exterior with a "recreated" kitchen wing and original interior features including moldings, trim, staircase, fireplaces, and cupboards. Greater Milford Historical Association, Stewardship - Through the vision and dedication of the Board of Directors of the Greater Milford Historical Association, the First Presbyterian Church and the David Sayre House have been preserved and have become cornerstones of history and culture in Milford. These two important historic buildings, now known as the Upper Susquehanna Cultural Center and the David Sayre Store & House Museum, are operated by the GMHA, which was founded in 1972. The Cultural Center serves as the venue for a broad range of community programs and events throughout the year. Visitors to the museum enjoy guided tours and special programs, as well as a unique historical shopping experience at the general store, which reflects the inventory of Mr. Sayre's store dating from the early 1800s. Doug Plummer and Garth Roberts, Special Award - With their purchase and rehabilitation of buildings at 195 and 197 Main Street, Doug Plummer and Garth Roberts have continued to demonstrate their commitment to the revitalization of downtown Sharon Springs. Having transformed what were once described as "eyesores" - the New Brooklyn House at 195 Main, now Black Cat Cafe, and American Emporium at 197 Main - Plummer and Roberts are being recognized for their civic leadership and for their cumulative body of work in Sharon Springs. In 2001, Plummer and Roberts received a Preservation Award for the rehabilitation of The American Hotel. Pierstown Grange, Stewardship - One of just three Grange Halls remaining in Otsego County, today the Pierstown Grange Hall serves as that hamlet's only community center and as home base for the local grange and the Pierstown Garden Club. Pierstown Grange No. 793 was organized in 1895, and the Grange Hall is a contributing building in the Glimmerglass Historic District. Through the direction of the Pierstown Grange membership, this two-story meeting hall and the surrounding Grange property are used throughout the year for assorted meetings, parties, receptions, and seminars, including the annual Memorial Day lawn and garage sale, and a community picnic each August. Rufus J. Thayer, Special Award (awarded posthumously) - In 1984, Rufus J. Thayer and his cousin, Dr. Janice Whipple, gave about 300 acres of wooded land on Rum Hill in Springfield to the College at Oneonta Foundation for use by its Biological Field Station. Upon his death in 1999, Thayer sought to preserve his remaining 200+ acres in such a way that the land would remain in active agriculture use in perpetuity, and that the remaining acreage be kept forever wild. Thanks to this vision, and with the help of the BFS and Otsego Land Trust, the Thayer Farm is protected from future development and is one of the last active farms on the shores of Otsego Lake and in the Glimmerglass Historic District. "Stewardship was a strong theme this year. Whether it was the efforts of a few people to help bring back a Main Street business district, a farmstead, or a small group dedicated to the preservation of one building, the award winners truly deserve recognition for their efforts to preserve our local heritage," said Frey. The 2007 Historic Preservation Awards ceremony and reception is free and open to the public. This event is sponsored by Otsego 2000 and Hyde Hall, Inc. For more information, contact Otsego 2000 at 607-547- 8881. |
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