The Oil Region Historic Preservation Awards Nominations Open

The awards program was created to: recognize projects that represent appropriate standards of preservation, restoration and rehabilitation; acknowledge individuals and groups for initiatives, services, or commitment to the preservation of historic structures; to create an advocacy for historic preservation through a greater public awareness of the built environment; and to enhance a region-wide preservation ethic in both the public and private sectors.

Sponsors of the awards are:

• Crawford County Historical Society

• Friends of Drake Well

• Oil City Heritage Society

• Historic Franklin Preservation Association

• Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism

• Titusville Historical Society

• Titusville Renaissance Inc.

• Venango County Historical Society

• Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry

Each sponsoring organization pays a small fee and also provides a judge for the team which reviews submitted nominations (especially “before” and “after” photographs or other documentation), examines the relative merit of each nomination in relation to the eligibility criteria, and decides which nominees should receive awards.

Awards may be presented in the following categories:

• Adaptive Reuse – A process that adapts buildings for new uses while retaining their historic features.Rules:

• Enhancement Projects – Restoration and/or rehabilitation of exterior elements and appropriate use of colors, signs, awnings, and other exterior amenities.

• Preservation Education/Initiative – Service or commitment by an individual, group, or business which promotes the preservation of the built environment.

• Preservation Stewardship – Sensitive long-term care of an historic structure.

• Reconstruction – Restoration or substantial rehabilitation of an historic building.

• Residence – Restoration or rehabilitation of historic single or multifamily residences.

• Structure – Restoration or rehabilitation of an historic resource that is not a building. Example: bridges, fountains, gardens, statues, etc.

Rules

• Any individuals and structures in the Oil Heritage Region are eligible. This includes all of Venango County, the City of Titusville, the Borough of Hydetown, and Oil Creek Township in Crawford County.
  Eligible structures include commercial, residential, industrial, public, religious, or other properties.

• Structures must be at least 50 years old. They need not qualify for “National Register” listing but must be of recognized historical or architectural value. Interior work in public buildings and/or exterior work is eligible.

• Construction or enhancement projects must have been completed in the last five years to be eligible.

• Once a project has received a Historic Preservation Award, it is not eligible to receive another award for five years.

• Awards are announced in April and presented in May, which the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has designated as Preservation Month.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, awards were not given in 2020.

Nominate someone here.