Historic Preservation Month is almost at an end, and as such, Benton County is hosting a number of educational events and giving awards to newly minted county landmarks.
Throughout the month of May, Benton County and the City of Corvallis are hosting educational events alongside the Corvallis-based nonprofit PreservationWORKS. This year’s theme is, “More Than Ever, This Place Matters,” – encouraging those in Benton County to commemorate parts of the community that build character and are of importance to the history of the area.
The celebration will include awards presented to historic resource advocates, homeowners, and business owners who’ve redeveloped, renovated, and constructed historic buildings while keeping their past alive.
According to a press release issued yesterday from the county, the City of Corvallis is honoring the following recipients:
- Casey family home – 3256 NW Van Buren Avenue; owner – Patrick Casey Family; category – New Construction in a National Historic District.
- Corvallis Soda Works – 648 SW 2nd Street; owner – Ken Pastega; category – Commercial Redevelopment.
- Emily Pernot House – 222 NW 7th Street; owner – Debra Mark; category – Historic Renovation – Residential.
- Fairbanks House – 316 NW 32nd Street; owner – Eldon and Meda Younger (TR); category – Historic Preservation – Residential.
- H.E. Selby Rental House – 235 NW 31st Street; owner – Robert Meinke & Kelly Amsberry; category – Façade Improvements and Maintenance.
- George Rohrmann – Individual Award for Historic Preservation and Education.
Benton County is honoring the following recipients:
- Larry Landis for 20 years as a volunteer member of the Historic Resources Commission and for his longstanding and continuous endeavors in historic preservation and education;
- Jay Sexton and Toni Hoyman for reinvigorating the Willamette Grange, and for raising funds for and organizing the restoration of the grange building;
- Adrienne Fritze and Mark van der Pol for creating Spectres of Benton County; and,
- Rosalind (Roz) Keeney for her unrelenting efforts to preserve the Van Buren Bridge.
PreservationWORKS is also honoring Dave Eckert for his work on cultural landscape preservation in Corvallis and Benton County.
Both the city and the county will jointly honor the Benton County Historical Society for promoting historic preservation and community education with the construction of the downtown Corvallis Museum.
The award ceremony will occur on Thursday, May 26, from 6 – 8 p.m. at the Corvallis Museum, and will be open to the public. Those who would like more information can contact Inga Williams with Community Development at 541-766-6027 or inga.williams@co.benton.or.us.
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