Oil City, PA — The Oil Region Alliance will celebrate the winners of the Historic Preservation Awards Wednesday, May 4.
The in-person event, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Christ Episcopal Church at 16 Central Ave., Oil City, beginning at 6 p.m. and will include hors d’ oeuvres, a tour of the church, and a presentation of certificates to the winners.
“After canceling 2020’s event because of the pandemic, I’m pleased that we are holding the Oil Region Historic Preservation Awards in person for 2022,” said event organizer Jennifer Burden, Oil Region Alliance Heritage Program Manager. “It’s important to recognize and celebrate historic preservation efforts throughout the Oil Region.”
Nominations were accepted in March and voted on by a panel of judges representing the following sponsor organizations: Crawford County Historical Society, Franklin Preservation Association, Friends of Drake Well, Inc., Heritage Society of Oil City, Oil City Main Street Program, Oil Region Alliance, Titusville Historical Society, Titusville Renaissance, Inc., Venango County Historical Society, and the Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry.
The 2022 Oil Region Historic Preservation Award Winners are:
Hidden Heritage publication for Historic Appreciation, nominated by the Heritage Society of Oil City
Grove Hill Cemetery Publications and Tours for Historic Appreciation, nominated by the Heritage Society of Oil City
St. Titus Roman Catholic Church for Preservation Stewardship, nominated by the Titusville Historical Society
The Brundred Carriage House for Reconstruction by Roberta and Gerald Kahler and Elizabeth Giuseffi, nominated by Ron Gustafson of Gustafson General Contracting
Lynn Cressman for Historic Appreciation, nominated by Titusville Renaissance, Inc.
Olive Vault, Homegrown Kitchen, and Coffee in Between for Preservation Stewardship of their building at 1247 Liberty St., Franklin, nominated by Venango County Historical Society
Barr’s Insurance for Preservation Stewardship for its building at 257 Seneca St., Oil City, nominated by Oil City Main Street Program.
The Oil Region Historic Preservation Awards is part of the ORA’s celebration of Historic Preservation Month, held each May. The program recognizes appropriate preservation, restoration, and rehabilitation projects, as well as individuals and groups committed to historic preservation. It creates an advocacy for historic preservation and enhances a regional historic preservation ethic within the Oil Region National Heritage Area.
The region includes all of Venango County, the Borough of Hydetown, the City of Titusville, and Oil Creek Township in Crawford County.
Eligible structures must be within the Oil Region and at least 50 years old. Eligible projects include interior and exterior work in public buildings and exterior work in privately owned buildings. Once an individual or project has received an award, it is not eligible again for another five years.
The evening will begin with hors d’oeuvres at 6 p.m., a tour of the building/sanctuary at 6:45 p.m., and the awards ceremony at 7 p.m. There is no cost to attend the award ceremony, but pre-registration is appreciated. E-mail jgorman@oilregion.org to register.
The program has presented more than 150 awards since 1997.
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