ORA SEEKS HISTORIC PRESERVATION NOMINEES TO CELEBRATE AT MAY EVENT
It’s time to recognize the people and projects preserving the Oil Region’s history through the Historic Preservation Awards.
The Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism is accepting nominations through April 1.
“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.”
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.
Any person or group may submit a nomination for a Historic Preservation Award. 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.
Nomination forms and lists of past winners are available at the OilRegion.org Historic Preservation Awards page. (https://oilregion.org/heritage/historic-preservation-awards/)
Digital “Before & After” photographs are required with each nomination. They can be sent to jburden@oilregion.org, noting “Historic Preservation” in the subject line. Photographs help illustrate the nature and impact of the project work to the Awards judges and will be incorporated into the awards ceremony. Up to ten photos of the nominated project may be submitted.
Nominations must be submitted by Friday, April 1 to jburden@oilregion.org or Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism at 217 Elm St., Oil City, PA 16301.
The awards ceremony will take place Wednesday, May 4 at Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City.
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.
Sponsors of the Historic Preservation Awards are the 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 program has presented more than 150 awards since 1997.
Please contact Burden at jburden@oilregion.org or 814-677-3152 x 116 for more information.