34th Annual Maryland Preservation Awards

2009 Award Recipients

The Maryland Preservation Awards are presented annually by the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust. The Trustees are appointed by the Governor of Maryland and represent all regions of the state. The awards honor outstanding achievements in historic preservation, architecture, archaeology, museums, cultural conservation, education, and related fields and represent the best of preservation in Maryland. Awards are made in six categories: Stewardship, Service, Project Excellence, Educational Excellence, Heritage Book, and the Calvert Prize. In 2009 the Trustees created two new categories for the Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency and Preservation Partnerships.

To learn more about these categories and past recipients click here.

In 2009 Preservation Awards were presented to 16 individuals and projects as well as special recognition of two Maryland History Day projects that received awards sponsored by the MHT Board of Trustees.

For more information about the Maryland Preservation Awards please contact Elizabeth Hughes at (410) 514-7604.

Preservation Service

Wayne M. Goldstein

Silver Spring, Montgomery County

Mr. Goldstein believed wholeheartedly in civic activism and a government that was directed by and responded to the citizens it governed. He worked tirelessly within that framework in many positions with the Montgomery County Civic Federation, as a columnist for the Montgomery County Sentinel Newspaper, and as an unprecedented four term President of Montgomery Preservation Inc. During his terms of office and under his leadership, MPI worked to save the Comsat Laboratories Building in Clarksburg and championed many other historic sites in Montgomery County. He led the on-going fight to protect the Historic Preservation laws of Montgomery County and through these laws, its tangible history. This award is presented posthumously, following Wayne’s untimely passing on April 27, 2009.

 

R. Flanigan "Polly" Shannahan

Easton, Talbot County

Ms. R. Flannigan Shannahan, known to her friends as Polly, has been a leader of the historic preservation movement in Talbot County for more than sixty years. There are few people in Talbot County who have played as active a role in public advocacy for preservation as Ms. Shannahan. She has led or served on virtually every preservation organization in Talbot County. She was a longtime director of the Historical Society of Talbot County, and participated in the founding of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels. She has led the boards of the Talbot County Historic Trust, Historic Easton, and the Talbot County Historic Preservation Commission, as well as serving on the Civic Projects Committee of the Talbot County Federated Garden Club and the Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage. She counts the preservation of historic Myrtle Grove to be among her greatest achievements.

 

Educational Excellence

Allegany County African American History Website

The Western Maryland Regional Library has developed an extensive online archive of their collections relating to the history of African-American individuals, organizations, sites, and social, cultural, and political history in Allegany County, Maryland. The website sheds light on a community that has long been under-represented in public history, but whose contributions and achievements are undeniable. This website is being utilized in a wide variety of ways by educational institutions, is providing the impetus for several related initiatives, has formed the basis for numerous civic and community group presentations, and has also being linked to various historical and educational institutions within the region, the state, and across the nation. Pictured are Albert Feldstein, primary collector and author of the site contents and Jill Craig, Digitization Librarian at the Western Maryland Regional Library in Hagerstown. Click here to visit the website

 

St. John's Site Museum

Historic St. Mary's City,
St. Mary's County

Nearly forty years ago, Maryland began the excavation of one of, if not the most, important historic sites in the state.  Today, the story of early Maryland is superbly interpreted by the St. John’s Site Museum.  Through multiple exhibit formats, this museum shows how early Marylanders lived, and documents stories of people and of events that transpired on the site.  The early colonial government often met at St. John’s where Mathias de Sousa participated in the Assembly and where Margaret Brent requested the vote.  St. John’s Site Museum allows the public to explore a common legacy through themes of discovery, political and social ideals, and change over time.  In a collaborative effort, historians, archaeologists, and educators have created a multi-faceted experience that challenges the visitor on many levels.  This is achieved by using state-of-the-art technology and insightful planning.  The resulting exhibits within the museum show how archaeology helps to illustrate the lives of past Marylanders and how the events of that past impact our lives today.

Click here to learn more about Historic St. Mary's City

 

Heritage Book Award

Click here for a list of past recipients of Heritage Book Awards

At the Crossroads: The Architectural History of Wicomico County

Paul Baker Touart and the Preservation Trust of Wicomico County

Designed and printed over a two-year period, At the Crossroads: The Architectural History of Wicomico County, Maryland is the culmination of fourteen years of architectural fieldwork and documentary research by architectural historian Paul Baker Touart. The volume brings to print a voluminous amount of primary record research, contemporary and historic photographs, maps, and drawings in a format that explains the architectural and historical development of Wicomico County, which started in prehistoric times and continued during colonial exploration and settlement of Somerset County. 

The Maryland Historical Trust and Wicomico County Council funded the years of architectural fieldwork and research that stretched from 1994 through 2001-02. The research and publication was made possible through the generous financial support of the Wicomico County Council, the City of Salisbury, and the Maryland Historical Trust Non-Capital Grant program.

 

 

 

Baltimore's Alley Houses: Homes for Working People Since the 1780s

Mary Ellen Hayward

Mary Ellen Hayward’s recent book, Baltimore’s Alley Houses, Homes for Working People Since the 1780s, (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2008) is one of only a handful of books nationwide to look at the subject of the smallest houses built on cities’ narrow alley streets.  Her research is based on a comprehensive three-year study of Baltimore’s surviving alley houses, funded by the Maryland Historical Trust in response to an announcement in 1996 by the city’s then Housing Commissioner that he hoped to be able to demolish most of the alley houses left in the city.  Baltimore Heritage, Inc. sponsored the survey project, which was carried out with the help of members of the CHAP staff, as well as fellow board members of Baltimore Heritage. By telling the story of Baltimore’s alley houses, Hayward attempted to increase interest in this threatened resource and aid in its preservation. In 1996 and 1997, at the height of the “vacant housing crisis,” many of the city’s alley houses stood boarded and vacant.  Today, those within sight, or a long walk, of the reinvigorated harbor business areas in Canton, Locust Point, South Baltimore, Riverside, and even Pigtown have been reclaimed.

This pioneering study explains how one of America’s important early cities responded to the challenge of housing its poorer citizens. Where and how did the working poor live? How did builders and developers provide reasonably priced housing for lower-income groups during the city's growth? Having studied over 3,000 surviving alley houses in Baltimore through extensive land records and census research, Mary Ellen Hayward systematically reconstructs the lives, households, and neighborhoods that once thrived on the city's narrowest streets.  In the past, these neighborhoods were sometimes referred to as "dilapidated," "blighted," or "poverty stricken." In Baltimore's Alley Houses, Hayward reveals the rich cultural and ethnic traditions that formed the African-American and immigrant Irish, German, Bohemian, and Polish communities that made their homes on the city's alley streets.

 

Pathways to History: Charles County, Maryland 1658-2008

The Smallwood Foundation

Published to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Charles County, Pathways to History offers fresh perspectives on the history of the county. The book is ambitious in scope, beginning its story in the 12,000 year old Paleo-Indian period and ending with the 20th century.   More than 370 illustrations accompany the text written by three historians and five additional contributors. Meticulously indexed, the book is a valuable reference work for students not just of Charles County, but of rural American history on the eve of the 21st century. Pathways to History offers a stimulating journey for all readers, whether they are well versed in local history or new to southern Maryland. The book owes much to the citizens of Charles County who shared their stories and artifacts.  Three scholars describe life in Charles County in the centuries before and after the arrival of English settlers and, not long thereafter, forced African immigrants. Their chapters address the pre-colonial, colonial and revolutionary war period; the antebellum and post bellum eras of the 19th century, and the county’s 20th-century modernization. 

Pathways to History is published under the auspices of the Smallwood Foundation, Inc.. This non-profit organization was formed in 1938 to restore the Charles County home of William Smallwood, Maryland’s highest-ranking Revolutionary War officer. All proceeds from the sale of this book are pledged to fund research, restoration, preservation, and appreciation of Charles County’s history.

Click here to learn more about the Pathways to History project and the Smallwood Foundation

 

Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency

Maryland Department of Transportation, State Highway Administration

The Maryland State Highway Administration is the recipient of the inaugural Stewardship of Historic Properties by a Government Agency Award because of the agency's long-standing committment to historic preservation and quality project design. The Cultural Resources Dvision leads SHA's architectural and archeological investigations and compliance projects that are initiated under State and Federal historic preservation laws. The Administration has taken a proactive approach to historic preservation by inviting members of the public to participate in their work through blogs and site visits, partnerships with the Universityof Maryland, support of research and documentation efforts such as GIS mapping and digital archive support to MHT, and development and publication of design manuals, interpretive materials, and promotional brochures about historic preservation. It is clear that SHA takes their role as steards of our cultural heritage seriously and are exemplary role models for other State and Federal agencies.

One of SHA's most recent projects was the rehabilitation of the US40 Alternate Bridge over the Casselman River in Garrett County. The project was reviewed by MHT under applicable State and Federal laws, and through careful project planning, was found to have no adverse effect on this National Register-eligible metal truss bridge.

Stewardship of MHT Easement Properties

Hammond-Harwood House Association, Inc.

Hammond-Harwood House
Annapolis, Anne Arundel County

The Hammond-Harwood House is among the most significant Georgian residences of Colonial America. Important for the excellence of its design and refinement of detail, the building, completed in 1774, has the added distinction of being attributed with reasonable certainty to William Buckland, marking the period of his architectural maturity. The Hammond-Harwood House Association, Inc. has owned the National Historic Landmark property since 1940 and has been a diligent steward since that time.

The Association recently undertook an extensive roofing study and replaced the slate roofs on the hyphens of the house. The slate roof had been on the House since the ownership of St. John's College in the late 1920'S. It had been relatively well maintained during its 75 year lifetime but it was coming to the end of its reasonable functional life. It was decided to include the entire roofing system in the project, but divide the project into phases determined by the condition of the existing slates and our ability to raise the funds needed. Before any priorities on actual replacement were determined Association President Beverly Tilghman charged the B&G Committee with commissioning a thorough and expert survey of the entire roofing system. This was undertaken by Preservation Architect and Engineer Richard Ortega of Hillier Architecture of Philadelphia.

Click here to learn more about the Hammond-Harwood House

Maryland Institute College of Art

Mount Royal Station
Baltimore

Mt. Royal Station is one of the most venerable architectural landmarks in Baltimore City and is a National Historic Landmark. Designed by Baldwin & Pennington, who were among the most important architects in Baltimore of their period, the Station opened September 1, 1896. Originally built to accommodate the northward expansion of Baltimore, the Mount Royal Station became a nationally-recognized example of adaptive reuse when it was purchased by the Maryland Institute College of Art and renovated to academic use in 1966. For over 40 years, the station has served the College well as an extension of its midtown campus, with artists' studios, an auditorium, library, gallery space, and studios within the restored train station shell.

The College recently completed a restoration of the station under the supervision of GWWO Architects.This project included the conversion of the train station from a multi-use arts facility to a studio center exclusively for the creation of sculpture and other three-dimensional art, including a fiber and textile center. The building received an entirely new HVAC system and upgrades to the fire alarm and sprinkler systems, as well as the installation of building-wide wireless capability and a new security center. Interior historic finishes, such as mosaic tile flooring, marble columns, wood wainscot and trim, ornamental plaster and walls, and tin ceilings, were also restored and preserved. Exterior improvements included cleaning and repointing of all exterior stonework, repair and repainting of wood door and window openings, restoration of the steel roof framing, and improvements to the adjacent historic train shed. For the first time in years, the 150-foot-tall clock tower was illuminated at night. A new pedestrian entrance and Frost Plaza were integrated into the north side of the building, to allow for a more convenient link to the rest of the MICA campus.

Click here to learn more about the Maryland Institute College of Art

Preservation Partnerships

Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church, Ross Development, and Rockville Historic District Commission

Rehabilitation of Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church Parsonage
Rockville, Montgomery County

Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church is located in the oldest section of Rockville and is Rockville’s oldest African-American church.   It is locally designated and also listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the West Montgomery Avenue Historic District.  The property includes the 1858 Church, the 1912 parsonage, a garage, and the 1947 house used for church administration. It represents the important role that the church and minister played in the social and educational life of African-Americans in Rockville. 

The parsonage was built by the congregation in 1912, to provide a home for their minister.  Stylistically, the parsonage is a simple two-story sidehall/parlor residence with a shed roof and a stucco finish to match the church. In 1999, the building served as a women’s shelter, when one of the occupants set fire to it.  The February fire damaged the front wall and roof of the building, while water damage contributed to ruination throughout the building.  The money provided from fire insurance was insufficient to cover the rehabilitation costs and the Church applied for permission to demolish the structure. 

Since 1999, there have been numerous hearings, meetings, applications, and discussions to decide the future of Cordelia House.  The Church was unable to move forward with rehabilitation as they lacked sufficient funds.  The City was reluctant to agree to demolition of the historic structure because of its significance to the City’s heritage.

In 2007 Michael Schwartzman, of Ross Development & Investments, was involved with the Rockville Town Center development, which has created a vibrant downtown once again for the City of Rockville.  He passed the parsonage building on a daily basis, and felt that something should be done about this “eyesore.”  He approached Pastor Wood as a neighbor to see if Cordelia House could be repaired.  Working together, they were able to collect the necessary funds to support the rehabilitation project.  The congregation now uses the building for small meetings and for an office for their Pastor. 

Pictured above are Nettie Clark, Michael Schwartzman, Rev. Jane Wood, and Max van Balgooy.

Project Excellence

Click here for a list of past recipients of Project Excellence Awards

Restoration of B&O Locomotive #57 "Memnon"

B&O Railroad Museum
Baltimore

The B&O Memnon #57, built in 1848, is the only early American freight locomotive in existence, the only original American locomotive from the 1840s, and sole remaining engine built by the New Castle Locomotive Works in Delaware. Memnon was designed by Ross Winans, once the B&O’s Master of Machinery (1835-1843) and manufactured by the New Castle Manufacturing Company on a sub-contract from the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1848 and entered service in July, 1848. It was withdrawn from service in 1892 and refurbished for display and exhibition. It was stored at the Martinsburg roundhouse with many of the B&O’s historic pieces and fell into a state of disrepair and was restored in preparation for the 100th anniversary of the B&O Railroad known as the Fair of the Iron Horse in 1927.

During the President’s Day snowstorm of February 16 & 17, 2003, portions of the roundhouse roof collapsed on Memnon, damaging the locomotive. This restoration project returned the Memnon to its 1927 appearance. Memnon was the first historic steam engine damaged in the roundhouse roof collapse of 2003 to be fully restored. This project was the first project completed in the museum’s new Restoration Shop. The shop was created to restore the equipment damaged in the roof collapse and to provide the location and build the skills necessary to maintain the museum’s vast collection. The completion of this project was a major achievement for the B&O’s restoration staff and facility and serves as a model for all subsequent locomotive preservation projects. The research, documentation, detailed preservation and conservation work, and final report were instrumental in securing a second Save America’s Treasures grant that will fund the restoration of the four remaining steam locomotives severely damaged by the roof collapse.

Click here to learn more about the B&O Railroad Museum

 

Rehabilitation of the John Eyler Farmstead

Robert & Jeanne Srour
Sabillasville, Frederick County

The restoration of the John Eyler farmhouse is truly a project that for anyone else would surely have resulted in demolition.  Built in 1810, this “L” shaped, gable roofed, brick house was allowed to deteriorate to such an extent that the NE corner had collapsed and a tall man could walk through the hole.  And, that was the good portion of the house.  The lower fireplace had collapsed on the interior.  The integrally joined two brick “boxes” that formed the “L” shaped shell of the building were split and cracked into 13 free standing panels.  The one modified section of the house where a framed expansion took place in the 1880s had rotted into such a poor state it was unsafe to walk into these two late 19th century rooms.  The termites had savaged the main summer beam supporting the first floor, a small fire had damaged one end of the summer beam and carpenter bees had made so many condominimiums for their community the soffits, fascias and rakes all the way around the roof of the house were damaged with thousands of bored holes throughout the wooden components.  The chimney tops had all partially collapsed. 

The John Eyler house stands because Bobby and Jeanne Srour  never gave up, never even considered any option but saving the house. Using State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits, the Srours rehabilitated the small brick farmhouse into a vacation rental property in rural Frederick County in the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area. The project leveraged over $600,000 in private investment, much of which was spent on labor and materials supplied by local craftsmen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rehabilitation of the Radcliffe Mill

Radcliffe Investments, LLC
Chestertown, Kent County

Radcliffe Mill, one of the largest historic structures in Chestertown, Maryland, is situated on the banks of Radcliffe Creek, where a grain mill of some sort has stood since 1694. Also know as Brooks Mill, it derives at least some of its importance from its visibility as it stands at the western gateway to the town.  This multi-building project consisted of the preservation and adaptive reuse of the Mill, circa 1892 with subsequent additions, the Annex, circa 1900 and its loosely linked sister, the Seed House, circa 1960. The Mill property went through many owners and was adapted to new milling technologies as they were developed.  Roller mills were installed in the late 19th century, and were in use until the 1950’s.  At this point milling ceased and the upper floors were abandoned or used for storage. The Radcliffe Mill business of storage and sales of grain and feed continued until 1997.  Since then the mill buildings were under-utilized and their maintenance was neglected.

In 2003 the Mill was purchased by a local partnership with the intention of renovating the property to house their accounting firm and potential tenant space. Besides meeting the owner’s functional requirements, the architects set a simple objective: to make certain the integrity of the historic building was maintained. The completed project utilized State and Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credits and consists of office space in the Mill for the owner’s businesses, a restaurant/tavern in the Mill and an advertising agency in the Seed House & Annex.  By taking the time and effort to rehabilitate this historic building, the owners of the Mill have saved an historic structure, reinvigorated an important gateway to Chestertown, kept three thriving small businesses in the town limits, renovated an eyesore into a showplace, saved energy & resources by reusing an existing structure, and hopefully, inspired other business and property owners in the area to do the same

Rehabilitation of the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge

Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge
Sandy Spring, Montgomery County

With a cornerstone dating back to 1909, the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge played a significant role in the area’s African American community, particularly from the 1920s through the 1960s. Not only did the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows serve as a health and life insurance agency for its members – highly significant services before welfare and Social Security were implemented -- the group also hosted social events, from trips to places around the world to dances held at the Odd Fellows Lodge. In fact, the lodge was well-known for its dances because it was one of the few places accessible to African Americans for socializing during the era of segregation. As such, the Sandy Spring Odd Fellows Lodge played a central role in the community and was a hub for social life throughout the early to mid 1900s.  

The lodge had been abandoned for approximately 30 years, during which time the building suffered severe water damage and deterioration. The Odd Fellows Lodge Preservation Committee was established to preserve the historic building. Through capital grants from the Maryland Historical Trust, private donations and a state bond bill, the Odd Fellows Lodge Preservation Committee raised money to begin phase one of the restoration project in the summer of 2008. The Lodge will be used as community meeting space n addition to serving the needs of the Odd Fellows.

 

Rehabilitation of Frieda's Cottage

Peerless Rockville
Rockville, Montgomery County

Peerless Rockville has undertaken the restoration of the 1936 Colonial Revival home of Dr. Frieda Fromm-Reichmann to the period when this eminent psychiatrist lived and worked here. Eager to leave Nazi Germany, Dr. Fromm-Reichmann accepted an invitation in 1935 from Dr. Dexter Bullard of the Chestnut Lodge Sanitarium to practice here, on the condition that he build a house for her. From 1936-1957, Frieda’s Cottage served as her home, office, and treatment center as she worked with psychotic patients coming to Chestnut Lodge. Dr. Fromm-Reichmann was a pioneer in psychiatry, and had a reputation for her work in treating seriously disturbed mental patients with intensive psychotherapy.

Frieda’s Cottage sits on its own lot within the larger eight-acre Chestnut Lodge Historic District.  It is a Colonial Revival style cottage, designed by a Washington architect, Walter G. Peter, and built by a local builder, Franklin H. Karn.  It is one of five structures associated with Chestnut Lodge, all of which are locally designated under Rockville’s historic preservation program.  Chestnut Lodge Properties, Inc., the developer of the Chestnut Lodge property donated the Cottage as well as cash to kick-start the fundraising efforts in 2007. When Peerless Rockville took title to the house in June 2007, it had been empty for seven years.  From 1957 to 2000, the house was used both as a residence and for offices by the Sanitarium.  Maintenance efforts had been minimized to keep the building functional. Peerless Rockville used this restoration project as a teaching opportunity for the public through restoration workshops contractors, volunteer work sessions, and open houses to demonstrate progress in the restoration of this house. Peerless Rockville has returned this property to a single-family residence, which it leases to a tenant.