Annual Meeting and PHW’s Preservation Awards

PHW will kick off our 51st year with the Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 28 at the Winchester Little Theatre. A large part of what we look forward to celebrating at Annual Meeting, aside from the food and friends, is seeing the preservation projects that have happened around Winchester over the past year.

The awards were started by PHW in 1980 as preservation instead of demolition started to become the norm. The awards were intended to encourage the often lonely and unrecognized efforts of local preservationists. Initially, all projects, whether building restorations, leadership, or scholarly research, were awarded a certificate of merit.

In 1986, the Lucille Lozier Award, Ben Belchic Award, and Carroll H. Henkel Award were added to the merit awards to recognize specific preservation projects. As longtime PHW members or readers of the 50th Anniversary blog series may know, these three awards were named in honor of founding members of PHW who had passed away by this point in time. The Henkel award, named for PHW’s first president, honors individuals who demonstrate outstanding leadership for historic preservation in the Winchester-Frederick County area. The Lozier award, named for PHW’s president during the final year of the struggle to save the Conrad House, is awarded to a renovation of a significant structure retaining 75% of the historic architectural fabric. The Belchic award, named for PHW’s first resident historian, recognizes a significant contribution to understanding Winchester’s history through written texts, such as books, maps, National Register nominations, and guided tours.

In 1988, the Elsie Rosenberger Award was added to the roster to recognize volunteerism with PHW. This award also is the only one to date which is recognized with an engraving of the volunteers’ names on a silver octagonal platter which remains on display year-round at the PHW office.

Two more awards were added in the 1990s. The first, the Katherine G. Rockwood Revolving Fund Award, was initiated in 1996. Named for the mastermind behind many of PHW’s projects of the 1970s and early 1980s, including the 1976 Historic District survey and the Limestone, Sycamores, & Architecture book, this award is only eligible to the approximately 80 properties PHW has purchased through the Revolving Fund. Until this time, it had been standard not to recognize the work put into the Revolving Fund properties as a quality restoration was part of the agreement to purchase the property. Added the next year was the Patron Award, recognizing outstanding supporters of the goals and programs of PHW. As it usually encompasses a financial component, it is likely to recognize sponsors or large donors to the organization.

The newest award is the Lifetime Achievement, which came to be in 2009. E. E Bayliss, Jr., who had long been PHW’s go-to realtor for the Revolving Fund, had passed away shortly before the Annual Meeting and no particular award seemed to fit the work he had done for PHW. After brainstorming, we decided the best recognition would be a Lifetime Achievement to recognize a person who has worked for the goals and programs of PHW over many years. Whereas a Henkel Award may recognize a short term, high-impact project, Lifetime Achievements are a recognition of “slow and steady” work over the long-term. The award is often presented posthumously to recognize a PHW supporter who may otherwise be unrecognized despite long years of preservation work.

Ten more names will join the list of PHW Preservation Award winners this Sunday, and a new recognition category will be presented as well. The winners won’t be publicly released until following the meeting, but you can review the past winners from 1980-2014 at PHW’s site.

We hope to see you Sunday as these names become inscribed in PHW’s history!

Mark your calendars: PHW’s 51st Annual Meeting on June 28th

51st Annual Meeting

Join PHW as we celebrate another year of historic preservation in Winchester. The business portion of the meeting features an overview of the past year, election of board members, and presentation of the 2015 Preservation Awards. The Winchester Little Theatre team will then bring you up to date on the work and progress at the Little Theatre. Afterwards, stay for an afternoon of socializing, refreshments, and building tours. WLT will have slates for sale, which can be purchased for $10 each and signed. Much like other projects which used engraved bricks for sidewalks to raise funds, your signed slates will be used on the actual roof at the Pennsylvania Freight Station.

Date: Sunday, June 28
Time: 2:00 PM
Location: The Winchester Little Theatre, 315 W. Boscawen St.
Cost: The event is free for current PHW members and invited guests. Need to join or renew your membership? Visit our membership page for more information.

Upcoming Events in May

CSX Train

The Friends of Handley Regional Library and Preservation of Historic Winchester are co-sponsoring a two-part program in honor of National Preservation Month 2015. National Preservation Month, established as May by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, encourages localities to see, save, and celebrate their important places with diverse activities. This year marks the second time the Friends and PHW have collaborated on a program for National Preservation Month, this year expanding the program to two days and including a kid-friendly component. Because of PHW’s involvement in the ongoing restoration of the Winchester Little Theatre’s freight station, these two free programs will celebrate the important railroad transportation in Winchester with stories and images evocative of this bygone era.

The two halves of the program are as follows:

Wednesday, May 13
Start time 6:30 P.M.

“Slow Train to Yesterday: Memories of the Railroad in the Blue Ridge Mountains” documentary showing with introduction by Mason Cooper, Winchester Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The documentary running time is just under one hour.

Saturday, May 16
Start time 2:00 P.M.

“See! Save! Celebrate! Winchester’s Railroad History” lectures and slideshows by author and railroad historian Bob Cohen and Executive Assistant for Preservation of Historic Winchester Sandra Bosley.
The Saturday event includes a separate, concurrent children’s program suitable for grades 2-5 with hands-on activities, a model train, and “then and now” themed photographs of Winchester.

Both events will be held at the Auditorium of the Handley Library, 100 West Piccadilly Street, Winchester, Virginia. For more information or questions, please contact Barbara Dickinson, Executive Director of the Friends of Handley Regional Library, at (540) 662-9041 ext. 31 or friends@handleyregional.org.

If you would like additional printed postcards for this event for handouts, please stop by the PHW office and pick some up from the back door of the Hexagon House, 530 Amherst Street. They’re free!

May 16 is a busy day elsewhere around downtown, with Fort Loudoun Day at 419 North Loudoun Street from 10 A.M.-1 P.M. and Kidzfest all day on the Old Town Mall. We hope to see you at one (or more!) of these activities in May!

While you are having fun with all the warm weather activities, PHW is also soliciting preservation award nominations for local projects, people, and publications that have enhanced our community. While nominations are always open, to be considered for a 2015 award, please make sure you make your nominations no later than 5 P.M. on Monday, June 8 – the last time the PHW board will meet before the Annual Meeting on June 28th.

The 2014 PHW Preservation Awards

As you know, one of the highlights of the Annual Meeting is recognizing people and projects which retain, interpret, and show leadership in preserving the historic fabric of Winchester. This year, we were happy to present twelve awards:

Awards of Merit
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, 19 West Cork Street

Deborah Prutzman, 202 South Braddock Street

Alec and Lindsay Bouldin & Richard Shannon, 525 South Braddock Street

Glaize and Bro. Properties, 302-304 North Cameron Street

Sara D’Amato, 661 Millwood Avenue

Brian Wishneff and Associates, 119-121 North Loudoun Street

Patron Awards
The Economic Development Authority
For support of historic rehabilitation projects in Winchester

The City of Winchester
For the rehabilitation of the Taylor Hotel

Katherine G. Rockwood Award
Joseph and Sharon Collette, 510-512 South Loudoun Street

Ben Belchic Award
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
For interpreting the history of Winchester through the Glen Burnie House

Lucille Lozier Awards
The Adams Companies, 315 and 317 South Loudoun Street

OakCrest Companies, 29-33 East Boscawen Street

In addition, we recognized six of our directors who have retired from their positions on the PHW Board of Directors:

Certificates of Appreciation
Cal Allen, Lawrence Belkin, Bill Buettin, Karen Clay, Patrick Farris, Dan McCoig

In other PHW news, Sarah Smith and Kathy Cresegiona are joining the Board of Directors, and Frank Wright, former PHW President, was elected to PHW’s Honorary Council.

If you were unable to join us at Selma for the meeting, images from the business portion of the meeting and award ceremony as well as the slideshow featuring the award recipients is now available for viewing in PHW’s Picasa album.

PHW’s 50th Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting 2014

Mark your calendars – PHW’s 50th Annual Meeting will be held June 22, 2014 at “Selma,” 514 Amherst St. The business meeting with election of officers and presentation of the 2014 Preservation Awards begins at 2 PM. Following the business portion of the meeting, join us for a reception with light refreshments, take a docent-guided tour through “Selma,” or play croquet on the lawn.

Wrapping Up the 49th Annual Meeting

Karen Clay, Mark Lore, and Ed Acker at the Annual Meeting.Thank you to everyone who came out for the Annual Meeting on Saturday. We had fantastic weather for our outdoor meeting and croquet. Special thanks to Tony from Blind Faith for allowing us to borrow a sound system, the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley for the use of their outdoor chairs, Jeff Rudy for the homebrewed beers, and the PHW event setup team, including John Barker, Frank Wright, Nancy Murphy, Sharon Collette, Mark Lore, and Marlena Spencer for helping put it all together.

If you couldn’t make it to the meeting on Saturday, we have the next best thing with videos and still images from the event:


Watch on YouTube.


Watch on YouTube.

Still images from the meeting, the reception, and the croquet tournament taken by John Chesson.

Friday Photos: Annual Meeting 1978

While PHW is gearing up for the 49th Annual Meeting tomorrow, Saturday June 15 at 2 p.m., we invite you to take a look back at the 1978 Annual Meeting, the earliest such meeting we have found documented with photographs. The event was hosted in the garden of Nancy Pennypacker’s house. All photographs were taken by G. Rich Anderson.

PHW Annual Meeting, 1978

View the album on Picasa.

PHW’s Annual Meeting, June 15

It’s almost time for PHW’s 49th Annual Meeting on Saturday, June 15! Just as a reminder, the business meeting portion begins at 2 p.m. and will be held outdoors on the rear lawn at the Hexagon House. Although we welcome anyone who would like to attend and see the awards presented, please remember only active PHW members can vote in the election of PHW officers. PHW volunteers will be on hand to help you renew your dues prior to the meeting.

Following the business portion of the meeting (anticipated to finish at 3 p.m.) we will adjourn for a lawn party themed afternoon of fun and socializing. Refreshments will be available, along with guided tours of the Hexagon House. Outside, try your hand at croquet, either for fun or tournament style. Refresh your memory of croquet rules at United States Croquet Association or wait until Saturday for a live tutorial. Exact tournament rules will depend on the number of participants Saturday. For those looking to compete in the tournament, a trophy will be presented to the winner, so try your best and have fun!

In case of inclement weather, please watch the PHW website for updates or call 540-667-3577 and listen to the voice mail message for potential rescheduling. If rescheduled, the event will take place Sunday, June 16, starting at 2 p.m.

Open House at 427 N. Loudoun St. on August 5

The property at 427 N. Loudoun St, a recipient of a PHW 2012 Award of Merit, will be hosting an open house this Sunday, August 5 from 1-4 PM. For those able to attend PHW’s Annual Meeting, you saw the home has beautiful interior woodwork which was lovingly preserved and retained. Now is your chance to see this building in person. In the meantime, a Youtube tour of the property is available:


Watch on Youtube.

See the property flyer.

We hope to see you there!

2012 Preservation Award Winners

At our Annual Meeting Sunday, PHW announced the recipients of the 2012 Preservation Awards for preservation efforts in Winchester and Frederick County in the past year. We had an excellent selection of winners. By category, the recipients are:

427nloudounAwards of Merit, for renovations that contribute to the streetscape of Winchester:

    Alec Bouldin and Lindsay Shannon for 427 N. Loudoun St.
    Tommy Beavers and Scott Moore for 507 S. Loudoun St.

tollKatherine G. Rockwood Award, for the outstanding renovation of one of PHW’s Jennings Revolving Fund houses:

    Dennis Rhodes III and Richard Johnson, 800 Amherst St., the Toll House.
    Adams Nelson Management for the Adams family, 311 S. Loudoun St., the Simon Lauck House.

meskerLucille Lozier Award, for the renovation of an outstanding building that retains 75% for its historic fabric:

    Shenandoah University, 142 N. Loudoun St., the Solenberger Building.
    Larry Omps and Lawton Saunders, 144-146 N. Loudoun St.

esmithPatron Awards, for people or businesses that have been an outstanding supporter of PHW’s goals and programs:

    Eugene B. Smith Gallery, for his support of PHW’s programs through gift donations, being an official source for selling and framing PHW’s Beyer prints “A View of Winchester,” and the use of his artwork to promote our historic downtown buildings.
    Dr. Peter Bullough, for his support of preservation and education activities in Winchester and Frederick County, as well as special recognition for hosting our spring cocktail fundraiser “Manhattan(s) in Winchester” in his New York themed home on Cork Street.

sherryElsie M. Rosenberger Award, for an unsung PHW volunteer:

    Sherry Bosley, for her ongoing support in the behind the scenes office tasks at PHW.

diemCarroll Henkel Award, for a leader in preservation:

    Vincent Diem, for his support of preservation during his time as Zoning Administrator at the City, as well as his leadership role in the updated architectural survey and recommendations for future survey areas which was completed last fall.

Congratulations to all the award winners, and thank you for the work you do, big and small, to help keep Winchester’s historic buildings a shining example of positive preservation in our community!