25th Historic Preservation Merit Awards-2015

May Is National Preservation Month!

Please join us as we congratulate The Rockland County Executive's Historic Preservation Merit Award Recipients for 2015:

• Maria Nakazawa: Margaret B. and John R. Zehner Award for contributions to the county's history and for underscoring the value of historic preservation to the community.
• Brian Jennings, history librarian, New City Library: Preservation Leadership Award for individuals, groups, and government agencies that display outstanding leadership or continuing contribution to the preservation of historic resources in Rockland County.
  
• Eileen and David Feikens: Preservation/Restoration Award for their restoration of the Demarest House in West Nyack.
  
• Andrea Caccuro and Nelson Diaz: Adaptive Use Award for the S. C. Blauvelt House (a.k.a. Casa Hudson) in Haverstraw.
  
• Christopher DeGennaro: Rescue Award for the historic DeCamp Court Cemetery in Stony Point, with honorable mentions to:
  
• Stony Point Boy Scout Troop 61
• Town of Stony Point Supervisor and Board (Geoff Finn, Karl Javenes, Tom Basile, James Monahan, Jim White)
• Sons of the American Revolution-Stony Point Chatper: Barry Brooks, President
• Stony Point Historical Society: Susan Filgueras, President
• Genealogical Society of Rockland County: Les Baisley and Marie Koestler

with Special Commendations going to

• Dr. Kathleen Keefe-Cooperman, for her research on Rockland State Hospital.
  
• James Vincent Cassetta, author of Pearl River, Images of America series (Arcadia Publishing) 

All of the awards made by the HSRC in 2015 underline the positive effects of preservation on the community. For example, in one instance, the excellent restoration of a historic house once used as a club headquarters and then as a daycare center will significantly improve the features of a historic location in Haverstraw. In another, a once forgotten cemetery has been respectfully uncovered and can now contributeto a village’s rich history. 

Please join us in congratulating the award recipients. For information on attending the awards ceremony and country supper, which will be held on the grounds of the Jacob Blauvelt house on Sunday, May 17, 2015, click here.

In addition to celebrating achievements in historic preservation, we are pleased to announce a new feature of the awards program: the HSRC will work with members of the Rockland County Preservation Board and the county’s municipal historians to identify Rockland’s most endangered places. The 2015 list will be unveiled at the country supper. 

"This new effort to identify endangered places in Rockland and to widely share information about them is critical,” says Clare Sheridan, who chairs the HSRC's Historic Preservation Awards Committee. “Our hope is that with a strong, coordinated and unified group of many voices, we can increase the chances of preserving these places.” 

History of the Rockland County Executive's Historic Preservation Merit Awards Program

Since 1991, the Historical Society of Rockland County has presented over 65 awards to public agencies, private individuals, community-based and religious organizations in recognition of their preservation efforts in the County. The Committee also supports continued, critical action to help save Rockland County's environmentally sensitive areas and endangered architecture. Instituted to preserve the rich historical heritage of the County, the annual program celebrates each May with a declaration of "Rockland County Preservation Week" by the County Executive, a festive country supper and awards ceremony.
 
With a rapidly growing population of newcomers to the area, one challenge has been to help the public understand the value of preservation as well as being involved in their community. Addressing this challenge, the HSRC’s Preservation Awards program has:
awarded preservation efforts of individuals and groups

• increased awareness of our historic resources
• helped local communities to recapture history and pride of place
• advocated for the purchase of endangered sites for the public good
• attempted to unite all five townships in the support of historic preservation
• The awards, made by the Society for preservation efforts on homes, businesses, municipal locations, and structures both modest and grand, help to get out the word that it is in everyone's interest to restore and retain the richness of the past. The process is self-fulfilling, and it helps to unify and inspire a community.
  

For more information on the award process or to find out how to attend the Rockland County Executive's Historic Preservation Merit Awards Country Supper, contact the Historical Society of Rockland County at 845-634-9629 or info@rocklandhistory.org.