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Past Heritage Awards
2002
Outstanding Leadership Heritage Award: Deanna L. Tribe, Ohio State University Extension, South District.
2003
Community Heritage Award:
Paul Coscenza, Chillicothe Parks and Recreation Department
Heritage Site Award:
Lorle Porter, Anne and John Glenn Museum, New Concord
Citizen Heritage Award:
John Knouse, Hawk Woods, Athens County
Life Long Achievement Heritage Award:
Ora Anderson, Athens County
2004
Life Long Achievement Heritage Award:
Ida Mae Stoneburner, Athens County For her unwavering dedication and commitment to the heritage in her community and her inspiring leadership by example.
Emmett Conway, Ross County For his gifts of wisdom, teaching and recording the heritage of the Ohio’s Hill Country Region.
John Ray, Athens County For contributions to his community through his professional work and through his personal commitment, dedication, and sacrifice to public service.
Outstanding Leadership Heritage Award:
Carol Kuhre, Athens County For her efforts in establishing Rural Action
Doug Cannon, Perry County For his dedication as Mayor of Crooksville Ohio in valuing, promoting, and preserving the heritage in the community.
Citizen Heritage Award:
Henry Burke, Washington County For his efforts of continuing to tell the story and preserving the history of the Underground Railroad
Thomas and Charlotte Bell, Harrison County For their selfless efforts in giving a spark to the sense of community, promote the importance of heritage preservation as a link to economic improvement in Deersville Ohio
Education Heritage Award:
Cave Lake Center for Community Leadership, Pike County For providing education opportunities to youth and for valuing and preserving the natural environment
Community Heritage Award:
Harrison County Coal and Reclamation Historical Park, Harrison County For the selfless and dedicated efforts to protect and preserve the history of the coal mining industry.
Business Heritage Award:
Karen’s Kitchen, Perry County For the dedicated entrepreneurial spirit in preserving the authentic sense-of-place in the community of New Straitsville Ohio.
The Athens Farmers Market, Athens County For setting an outstanding example of promoting Sustainable Agriculture and maintaining the authentic Sense-of-Place and promoting community pride throughout the community.
Built Environment Heritage Award:
The Tecumseh Theater, Perry County For ongoing efforts of dedication and sacrifice to protect and preserve a valuable heritage resource in their community
Greenfield Exempted Village Board of Education, Highland County For the historic preservation of the architecturally inspirational Edward Lee McClain High School.
Athens County Commissioners, Athens County For their historical wisdom and political courage by repairing and restoring the Athens County Courthouse.
McConnelsville Opera House, Morgan County For the efforts of dedication and sacrifice to protect and preserve a valuable heritage resource in their community.
Markay Theater/Southern Hills Arts Council, Jackson County For the historic preservation of the landmark theater in Jackson Ohio
Natural and Built Environment Heritage Award:
Marietta Tree Commission, Washington County For work of protecting and preserving the natural environment in the context of the Built Environment.
Natural Environment Heritage Award:
Marietta Area Recycling Center, Washington County “Friends of Recycling”, for the many years of selfless dedication of promoting recycling and setting an example for protecting the natural environment.
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2005
OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP HERITAGE AWARD
Robert McInturf
For approximately 20 years, Robert McInturf has served as president of the Morgan County Historical Society and Museum in McConnelsville Ohio. The society got its start when Mrs. Evelyn True Button (1875-1975), great granddaughter of General Robert McConnel, bequeathed her 1836 Federal Home to the society to become a house museum. Donations of artifacts, either too large or inappropriate for display in the house led Robert to realize the need for a museum. He oversaw fund raising approximately $400,000 and the purchase of a large turn of the century two story Dover Store Building. The dream was realized due to Robert’s efforts in 2001 with the grand opening of the Morgan County Historical Society Museum—one of the finest museum facilities in the State of Ohio. In addition, Robert is responsible for moving and preserving the 1877 one room Rock Hollow School to Malta. The historic school building, originally located on a country road, was subject to vandalism with no neighbors in sight. Thanks to Mr. McIntruf the old school remains as an important part of the Morgan County’s heritage and our regional history.
Dr. Robert “Doc” Richmond
Dr. Robert N. Richmond came to Morgan County as the new veterinarian in 1961 and still has a full time practice. He wasn’t long in getting involved in the Morgan County Historical Society which started as a small nucleus of interested people and has now become the owner of the original Now & Then Shop, the Button House, and the newly opened Historical Society Museum and several other buildings. He has been president and is currently on the Board of Trustees. One major project was moving the Rock Hollow one room schoolhouse from its country location to a new location in Malta and there have been many other projects over the years. In 1988 the Civil War Encampment Days was started, became a part of the Historical Society for a few years and then was taken over by the Morgan County Re-enactors Association, Inc. with Dr. Richmond as president. This has been a continuous 3 day weekend event in Malta and McConnelsville since that time with emphasis on education as well as tourism. Dr. Richmond has also been very active in the Opera House Theater in McConnelsville which has been in continuous operation since its beginning in 1890. For the last several years he has been president of the Board of Trustees and instrumental in improving the inside of the theater, opening up the original orchestra pit with new railings and making a handicap accessible ramp. In addition to the weekly movie 4 times a week, there has been an effort to provide all kinds of entertainment from blue grass to dance recitals and professional musicians brought in from other places. This “Gem of Morgan County” as he calls it draws people from all over the area. In addition, Dr. Richmond is also president of the Kate Love Simpson/Morgan County Library Board, a member of the Airport Authority for Morgan County Airport, the Malta-McConnelsville Rotary Club, the Chamber of Commerce, and an active member of his church.
Stephanie Rouse
Stephanie initiated the idea of the Patchwork Jewels of Monroe County in March 2004 after learning about the quilt barn project in Adams County. Stephanie identified partners, coordinated the effort, leveraged funding, and formed a committee with representatives from the Monroe Arts Council, Monroe County Historical Society, four area quilt shop owners/quilters and the Monroe County Tourism director who saw the project to its completion with the production of a beautiful brochure highlighting the quilt barn project. Most quilt patterns were chosen to relate to the history of Monroe County and to showcase Appalachian heritage. The painter for the project was Scott Hagan who painted all of the Ohio Bicentennial Barns. The quilt squares were painted directly on wooden barns and range in size from eight to fourteen feet. The main objective of the project was to bring people into the county, and now thanks to Stephanie and her vision for her community, anyone who can ride in a vehicle can enjoy the project but they also visit other focal points, eat, shop and some even stay over night. This has an impact on Monroe County’s economy.
Dr. Richard Wetzel
Besides being a busy and distinguished professor of music at Ohio University Dr. Wetzel has been the mayor of Chesterhill since 1983. He has also been quite busy as an active citizen in his community for many years. He has been instrumental in the creation of a community park on land where an old school building once stood. A hands on community effort with many volunteers. He organized a restoration committee for the Union Hall Theater building that was built in 1908 in a joint effort (a union) between the village and township. It had been unused and in disrepair for many years. The beautifully constructed building is currently going through a step-by-step restoration. Recently a grant was acquired that made it possible for heating and air conditioning to be added. What was once an idle second floor theater is now a very active part of the community of Chesterhill and surrounding township being used to show films for children, to accommodate library functions and theatrical events including the recent appearance of an Elvis Impersonator. Because of his leadership and hands-on efforts to move walls and dirt, the community library which is house on the first floor was expanded to become one of the busiest libraries in the area. Dr. Wetzel also serves on the board of the non-profit Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill. He is truly an inspiration in his community and often the spark that gets things going in a positive direction.
LIFELONG ACHIEVEMENT HERITAGE AWARD
Delmar Burkitt
Delmar was born in his grandmother’s house in rural Pike County, Ohio and has been a life-long resident. His career in education was mostly with the Waverly City Schools where he served as teacher, principal, elementary supervisor, assistant superintendent, substitute bus driver, treasurer and Drama Club Advisor. He directed eleven productions with the Drama Club, two of which he authored, and since retiring has written two more for them. To honor Ohio’s bicentennial, Delmar wrote, directed and produced “The Waverly Trilogy” which was staged at Pike Heritage Foundation, Inc. (Museum) for the historical and financial benefit of the museum. The cast and crew presented 22 performances, 21 of which were sold out. Everyone connected with this endeavor was a volunteer, with approximately 60,000 hours volunteered by community members throughout Pike County. The museum realized a financial gain of $19,788. This activity also brought many new people to the museum to learn the history and heritage of Pike County. Delmar always brings out the best qualities of the people with whom he is associated. He is currently writing, directing and producing a drama recounting the story of a murder in what is now the small village of Omega, near Waverly. Proceeds again are directed to the Pike Heritage Foundation, Inc.
ARTS AND OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP HERITAGE AWARD
Lora Lynn Snow
In February 1987, Lora Lynn Snow conceived of forming a professional orchestra in Gallia County and basing its performances in the Ariel Theater in Gallipolis Ohio. She spearheaded the restoration of the historic opera house, which had been abandoned, and was the moving force behind the creation of the Ohio Valley Symphony. She later expanded her efforts to helping establish the After School String Project, the Ohio Valley Youth Orchestra, the Ariel Dancers and the Ariel Players. In recent times, she has worked tirelessly to have the entire building, which housed the Theatre, purchased by Ann Carson Dater. Mrs. Dater is formerly a resident of Meigs County. This purchase opens up unprecedented opportunities for the performing arts in Ohio’s Hill Country. Lora Snow has been a catalyst for the continuing evolvement of the Ariel Ann Dater Performing Arts Centre.
Christine Far/Village Productions
Christine Far was trained in dance and has had the opportunity to perform in many of the fine places in the world, from New York to Paris and beyond. However, Christine has chosen to devote her talents to people right here in Ohio’s Hill Country. Christine has worked with local citizens and has helped them achieve starring roles in numerous local dance productions and recitals. Christine has worked with boys and girls, moms and dads, preschoolers, teenagers, their parents and others and has helped these people discover their own hidden talents. Village Productions, centered in the old Grange Hall in Amesville, Ohio, has been the setting for many of these fine performances. Village Production has had to depend on the creative talents and the volunteer support of local community members and has staged professional quality performances of the Nutcracker during the holidays and has had her troupe perform on stage at the Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT HERITAGE AWARD
Hocking Valley Scenic Railway
The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway (HVSRy) was established in 1972 at Nelsonville, following abandonment of a section of rail, then known as the Hocking Division, by the Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad. The rail line between Nelsonville and Columbus was originally built in 1869 and went through several ownerships and name changes before its acquisition by the C&O when it was named the Hocking Valley Railroad. The rail yard at Nelsonville was 32 tracks wide and was, at one time, one of the busiest in the country, serving the more than 50 coal mines operating in the area, as well as salt mines and the thriving brick-making industry. The Hocking Valley Scenic Railway is a 501C-3, all volunteer, non-profit organization. It now operates over 12 miles of track extending from Hocking College to near Logan. From May through December, trains run twice each day, Saturday and Sunday, for the enjoyment of the general public. The volunteers run the trains, are responsible for maintenance and restoration of the vintage equipment and also maintain the track and structures. Most of the very active members are retirees often referred to as the “Geezer Gang”. During the past several years, the scenic railway has transported in excess of 20,000 visitors annually and has been ranked #1 by both the Athens County Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Hocking County Tourism Bureau in website inquiries. In 1999, the Hocking Valley Scenic Railway, with the assistance of a grant from the State of Ohio, erected a new, three track engine house. There are now five diesel engines in the HVSRy stable including a WWII Whitcomb engine which is believed to have seen service in Italy. It was a restoration project that presented many challenges. The large steam engine, #33, could not be operated because of federal regulations requiring that the boiler be rebuilt and it was traded to the Ohio Central Railroad for another diesel engine. A much smaller steam engine is in the early stages of restoration. Also being restored is a relatively modern B&O passenger car which, will provide high back seats, rest room and air-conditioning.
Toronto Beautification Committee
Since its formation in 1984, the Toronto Beautification Committee (TBC) has served the city of Toronto, Ohio, population 6000. An all-volunteer organization, this committee has developed 12 city owned parcels of weed-infested land into parks, green spaces and pedestrian oriented pockets of pride from one end of the city to the other. Both entrances to town are graced with beautiful “Welcome to Toronto” signs, and each city site has a captain who is responsible for organizing their own volunteers for maintenance, seasonal decorating and general appearance. Funds for site improvements and maintenance are raised through annual corporate sponsorships. Although the committees’ city budget allocation has been eliminated, the group of more than 20 volunteers has continued to renew their commitment and sought alternative funding through geranium and planter sales, private donations and grant money. In 2004, TBC restored a 1919 WWI Beaux Arts style statue and worked to have it placed on the National Register of Historic Places. They went on to completely renovate the Veterans Victory Pavilion honoring all who have served our country. The park and pavilion offer the visitor a place to rest and serve as a gathering place for civic, patriotic and celebration events. No city funding was sought or used. In July 2005 the committee launched Operation Sparkle, a program to keep the community clean. Volunteers and volunteer organizations are assigned specific areas of the community and are responsible for maintaining them free of litter. This committee has become a model for communities all over Jefferson County; ordinary citizens are taking responsibility for the appearance, spirit and future of the community where they live.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND ARTS HERITAGE AWARD
Stuart’s Opera House
Stuart's Opera House is the cornerstone of the Nelsonville Historic Art District. It is lovingly restored theatre that reflects its glory days in 1879 through 1924 when it was home to vaudeville, melodrama, and minstrel shows. Stuart's closed and sat empty from 1924 through 1976. In '77 a group formed a non-profit and started bringing the theatre back to life when a devastating fire nearly destroyed the building in 1980. Seventeen years later, in 1997, the opera house re-opened its doors and is once again home to local, regional, national and internationally acclaimed performances. Stuart's Opera House now hosts over 75 events a year and is Southeastern Ohio's favorite place to experience live performance. Please join us! Stuart’s Opera House, 34 Public Square, Nesonville, 740-753-1924, 222.stuartsoperahouse.org Check the website for updated performance schedules as dates are constantly being added.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND BUSINESS HERITAGE AWARD
Big Chimney Baking Company
In 1997 Matt Rapposelli and his wife Robbin Dewey established Big Chimney Baking Company located in Cannanville at a location which was the abandoned Cannan Coal Company, a property that had been split up between various owners since its operation from 1907 – 1930s. They were able to acquire the properties one by one with the vision of preserving many of the old buildings and giving them a new and useful life. The current property consists of the old company store, the shower and locker house, the payroll office, water tanks, and the 5 acre dammed water reservoir that supplied water for the mine operation which was steam powered, and of course the old chimney which still stands but is doomed for demolitions sometime in the future because of its deteriorating condition. It is their hope that some day a replica of the old chimney will be built on the same location to commemorate its existence and to help tell the story of the Cannanville Coal Company Town. Matt and Robin have collected many historical photographs of the mine in operation and recorded some oral histories from several of its former employees and their family members. The retail bakery, café and catering operation supply bread and pastries to the community surrounding Athens and specialty foods for large and small gatherings. They operate with 3-5 employees, some of whom are interns from local high schools and Hocking College. Their effort to secure and preserve the old company property as a historical site and give it a new life has taken a lot of hard work but it mostly has been an act of love, creating a sense-of-place enjoyed by their growing clientele, and connecting them to a grateful Cannanville community.
BUILT ENVIRONMENT HERITAGE AWARD / HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Clermont County Park District
After a yearlong renovation process, the Clermont County Park District has restored the historic powerhouse at the Chilo Lock and Dam #34 on the Ohio River in Chilo. The restored powerhouse now houses a visitor center and museum. The exhibits and displays found throughout the visitor center illustrate the theme “Living and Working with the Ohio River”. The Park District pursued several grants in order to make this park a reality. This wicket dam was completed in 1925 and actually operated until 1964. The powerhouse and accompanying houses had not been used for many years. The Park District had first established a 39 acre park and nature preserve with a wonderful view of the river on the grounds surrounding the abandoned buildings. Visit www.co.clermont.oh.us/parks for more info on the Clermont County Park District. Greater Milford Area Historical Society The Greater Milford Area Historical Society, Inc. owns and operates the historic Victorian Italianate Promont House Museum. The house was built in 1865-67 and was occupied by Governor John M. Pattison, the 43rd Governor of the State of Ohio, and his family. Pattison was the only person from Clermont County to ever serve as Governor. The Promont House is listed on the National Historic Registry and has been restored to the splendor of the Victorian life style. GMAHS offers education, research material, special programs and exhibits for the Greater Milford area community. Also visit www.promonthouse.org for more information
COMMUNITY HERITAGE AWARD
Haydenville Historic Preservation Committee, Inc.
The Haydenville Preservation Committee is a small group of volunteers that began meeting May 1994. The group organized to preserve the memories of the town of Haydenville, and to instill a pride in the rundown community. The Haydenville Preservation Committee became incorporated in 1997, continuing the original goals of preserving the history and heritage, plus encouraging pride in the town that was the “Last Company Owned Town in Ohio”. In 1997 the committee obtained a dilapidated company house to use to benefit the Haydenville community. This house was donated to the group by the late Quentin and Linda Cadd. It was decided that memoirs, photos, written history, samples of some of the brick, block and tiles, and copies of old newspaper articles could be shared with the public in a Museum/Community Center. The 1995 Historic Haydenville Calendar was developed to help raise funds for the organization. Old photos have been donated from as far away as Florida and the state of Washington to add to the collection owned by the Preservation Committee. This shows us that many past residents have a love of Haydenville. This fall the group put out their first attempt at a Haydenville Booklet with information and pictures of the areas' past. Beginning in the spring of 1995 Committee members started clearing brush, cleaning up illegally dumped trash, and mowing the overgrown and forgotten Haydenville Canal Lock (#17) and planting trees nearby. Years of hard work and determination has created and maintained a unique Community Park. All mowing is done by committee volunteers. Picnic tables, grills and trash receptacles have been provided by the Committee for the enjoyment of all visitors. The group also sponsors community gatherings, youth activities, recycling drives, and provides 10 trash receptacles throughout town and pays for weekly trash pick-up. They are always looking for good community projects. From 1999 through 2004 the Haydenville Preservation Committee welcomed the Annual Haydenville Chautauqua. The Haydenville Preservation Committee is a small group of regular members, and is struggling to raise funds to complete the Museum, pay utilities and monthly trash pick-up throughout town, provide youth activities and promote projects to improve the community. You can contact the Haydenville Preservation Committee at P.O. Box 101, Haydenville, Oh. 43127.
Monroe County Office of Economic Development
The Monroe County Office of Economic Development with the inspirational guidance of Stephanie Rouse and her committee commissioned Scott Hagan in 2004 to paint quilt squares on 20 county barns now known as “Patchwork Jewels of Monroe County.” The barns are part of a self-driving tour throughout the county that bring people into the county to enjoy the beautiful quilt murals and visit other focal points, eat, shop and stay over night. This has and will continue to have an impact on Monroe County’s economy and was the whole reason behind this project. The beautiful corresponding brochure includes a map and directions to all the barns as well as the name of the quilt square and a list of other points of interest in Monroe County such as historical markers, recreational areas and covered bridges The project was made possible through various public and private sponsors including the Monroe County Economic Development office, the Governor’s Office of Appalachia, the Ohio Arts Council, Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District, along with 20 other individuals, corporations and businesses. The Multicultural Genealogical Center, Chesterhill Ohio The Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill is a non-profit organization created to document the contributions of multicultural and multiracial families to the social, cultural, political, religious, educational and economic development of the Ohio River Valley. The Center collects written and electronic records that document the lives, histories, and genealogies of families in the region whose ancestries cross racial and cultural boundaries. It also educates members, visitors and the public about the lives, roles and contributions of those families and traditions to American society through community and educational programs. Working cooperatively with organizations, universities, agencies and libraries, the center members gather, share and preserve information and historic documents pertinent to the region. In addition, the Multicultural Genealogical Center recently purchased and is restoring a 1860s house in Chesterhill which is to be used as a meeting place, a place to archive documents and establish a library and research center. Donations and volunteers are greatly appreciated.
EDUCATION HERITAGE AWARD
“A FOREST RETURNS”
Ora Anderson, Jean Andrews, and Steve Fetsch The film “A Forest Returns” created by producer / director Jean Andrews and fellow producer / film editor Steve Fetsch is a winning documentary; a superb portrayal of environmental change in Southeastern Ohio that uses a masterful combination of techniques -- including "first person" interview footage carefully linked with rare photographic images from the Ohio Hill Country past, and comparative views of the "same" landscapes today. Skillfully blending Ora Anderson’s eyewitness account with historical material and contemporary scenes, producer Jean Andrews has captured an important slice of Ohio’s New Deal experience. Jean Andrews won “Best Documentary” at the Second Appalachian Film Festival in Huntington in June 2005 for her MA thesis film. Jean also won The Best of Festival Selection (Student Film Maker Category) at the Berkley International Film and Video Festival, October 2005. The 29-minute film uses local newspaper editor/reporter Ora Anderson to recount the tale of the CCC coming to southern Ohio in the 1930s to create a forest where denuded land stood. It shows the desolation caused by a century of clear-cutting and strip mining and the current beautiful woods. “A Forest Returns” supports this insight by telling this little told story using Ora Anderson's lovely narrative and an impressive array of visual documentation. This video is about the Wayne National Forest, the only national forest in Ohio. Its story is told by 93-year-old Ora Anderson, former newspaperman, lobbyist, conservationist, and bird carver, who was involved in the project, as a newspaperman and citizen, from its inception. His words are accompanied by imaginative video work, wonderful archive photographs, and soothing original music lyrics by Bruce Dalzell. It is a wonderful tribute to one of the great programs of the much maligned New Deal era. It also allows the remarkably articulate Ora Anderson, who personally planted 30,000 trees, to shine as a storyteller.
EDUCATION AND ARTS HERITAGE AWARD
Bruce Dalzell
“A FOREST RETURNS” and Musical Heritage Bruce wrote and performed all of the original music for the DVD, ‘A Forest Returns’. Bruce has been instrumental in the development, support and encouragement of local musical talent for more than 25 years in Southeastern Ohio. A singer, songwriter, solo performer, and member of a band, Bruce has long been a part of the establishment of the regional music scene. Bruce helped develop a cd for Passion Works from ATCO Sheltered Workshop and they use it as a fund raiser and to help raise awareness about the many and varied talents of citizens challenged with mental disabilities. As a piano tuner Bruce has been instrumental in the salvage and relocation and reuse of many a heavy old keyboard and helped keep these priceless pieces of our music heritage in operation and out of the dump. Bruce has hosted many an open stage program over the decades and has helped give many individuals the opportunity and the encouragement to perform and discover their own talents and in doing so has played an important part in the development of a regional heritage of music and musicians.
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT HERITAGE AWARD
International Paper Foundation
David Martin at the Loveland Regional office of International Paper has worked with the GMAHS to help preserve the historic trees here at the Promont House Museum. We have recognized 10 very large old trees which have been measured and evaluated by arborists and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. With the help of David and IP, we will be able to have some work done on the trees to try to keep them healthy and happy for many more years. The IP Foundation has a special interest in educating children. It is our intention to create a site map with the location of the trees indicated and information about each tree. We will give this information to our visitors including the Milford School District second graders who visit the Promont House as part of their history curriculum.
SERVICE TO OHIO’S HILL COUNTRY HERITAGE AREA AWARD
Lois Campbell
There’s a lot of “behind the scenes” work, clerical and support assistance necessary for the operations of any organization. This has been even more important for OHCHA that has been dependent on volunteer leadership, organizational support, and direct and indirect financial assistance in recent years. OSU South Centers Office Associate Lois Campbell has provided much service to OHCHA through her work as a support person for Extension Specialist (and OHCHA Chair) Deanna Tribe. Lois has utilized her creative formatting, organizational and clerical skills in preparing fliers, brochures, booklets, mailings, and other materials that inform the membership and public and cause the organization to look professional. One of her last big heritage-related projects was the lay-out and formatting of the “Ohio Appalachia Activity Book.” A resident of Oak Hill in Jackson County, Lois has recently left her job with OSU Extension to spend more time with her family, husband Ty, and her quilting hobby. This “support service on loan” has continued through the 2005 Gathering by Mary Gulas who has assumed Lois’ work position in Piketon.
Citizen Heritage Award
Gifford Doxsee (Athens County)
Gifford Doxsee has served as a founder and long-time member of the board of the Athens County Historical Society and Museum. No longer a board member, Gifford continues to serve on various committees and as a representative of the Society to other organizations and government. He has been an active contributor to the newly opened Glenford Dugan Athens County Military Museum in Nelsonville. A prisoner of War in Dresden, Germany during World War II, Gifford finds time to talk with students and many other groups about his experiences and participates in state and national POW support organizations. Gifford was a long time member of the Ohio University Ecology and Energy Conservation Committee and helped direct energy conservation on campus reaching back into the early 1970’s. Gifford has volunteered his services as a Rural Action board member and has made generous financial contributions toward that organization’s goals of sustainable living. Gifford has also been a strong supporter and active member of the Multi-Cultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill, Ohio. Gifford has given his time to work with inmates at the Chillicothe Correctional facility. Gifford has been a long time supporter and contributor to Ohio’s Hill Country Heritage Area’s efforts. Gifford Doxsee is indeed a model citizen that sets a good example and inspires others. Like many of his generation his is a hard act to follow.
Historic Preservation Heritage Award
Ripley Heritage, Inc. (Brown County)
Ripley Heritage, Inc. was established in 1975 in preparation for the U.S. Bicentennial. In 1976, this all-volunteer non-profit became the management agent for the Ohio Historical Society to manage and operate the historic Rankin House, a National Historic Landmark and an important stop on the Underground Railroad in southern Ohio. From 1825 to 1865 John Rankin, a Presbyterian minister and educator, sheltered and helped feed more than 2000 slaves escaping to freedom with as many as a dozen escapees being hidden in the home at one time. Ripley Heritage, Inc. also manages the Ripley Museum and all of its artifacts and has been a very visible part of the historic preservation efforts in Ripley, Ohio. They remain and inspirational group whose work with historic preservation and conservation is noted throughout the region and serves to benefit all Ohioans and American citizens. Ripley Heritage, Inc. is an example of a small group of citizens taking responsibility for protecting and promoting local heritage within their own community and for visitors from well beyond Ohio’s Hill Country.
Education and Agricultural Heritage Award
Sorghum Festival-Dr. John Simon (Scioto County)
Sorghum making began on the John Simon farm in 1982 when the old local sorghum maker, Elbert Hackworth who had been making it since 1915, taught him how to do it. The Sorghum Festival has continued for 25 years on John Simon’s 5th generation family farm. Sorghum is 100% natural syrup made from the sorghum cane – nothing added – and it was the leading sweetener in America in the mid 1800’s. Preservation of this part of the hill country heritage is supplemented with traditional Appalachian acoustical string music, crafts, pumpkin and squash picking, apple-butter making, wagon rides pulled by Percheron horses, basket weaving, quilts, kids games, and making of grapevine wreaths, traditional toys, furniture and soap. Mr. Simon also offers fieldtrips for school children at his farm. John Simon is preserving many aspects of Ohio’s hill country heritage through his annual festival and is preserving an important part of Ohio’s historic landscape and agricultural heritage. Much would be lost without inspired folks like John Simon and the people who participate in the Sorghum Festival.
Conservation and Business Heritage Award
Glass Refactory (Brown County)
A non-profit business joining together the old and the new – old time skills and craftsmanship of glass work with the new fashioned inspiration of business and individuals involved in environmental sustainability. Recycled glass bottles salvaged from the waste stream are hand-crafted into sun catchers, artistic pieces made and designed to specifications and used by groups and organizations to promote their efforts. As a non-profit business, both economically and environmentally responsible to their community, they serve four Appalachian counties in Ohio’s hill country. The Glass Refactory is part of a recycling program that provides both income and recycling opportunities to area residents. This is an inspiration for government and business leaders to support the establishment of more and varied sustainable and environmentally friendly business opportunities.
Natural Heritage Preservation Award
Highlands Nature Sanctuary (Ross County)
The Highlands Nature Sanctuary, organized in 1995, bought land in Ohio’s Hill Country in a solo attempt at nature preservation. Their mission is to buy and save a sizeable fragment of the Eastern Deciduous Forest in one of the most populated places on the continent and, in a way that may serve as a model to inspire others. The Highlands Nature Sanctuary enlists the support of volunteers and donors to advance their mission to bring back old growth forest to Ohio, create a refuge of zoological diversity, and save the best of the remaining botanical treasures in south-central Ohio along the Arc of Appalachia. With the inspiration of Larry and Nancy Henry the Highlands Nature Sanctuary has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and purchased for long term protection the breathtakingly beautiful 7 Caves, a hundred year old historic park, and more than 40 other properties in and around the scenic Rocky Fork Gorge. This monumental undertaking and history making endeavor would not have been possible without the foresight and courage of extraordinary citizens like Larry and Nancy Henry and their cadre of supporters.
Arts and Education Heritage Award
Portsmouth Murals, Inc. (Scioto County)
The Portsmouth floodwall murals, initiated in 1992 with the inspiration of local resident Dr. Louis Chaboudy and his wife Ava, is an impressive expression of the history and heritage of the people, the industry and the character of the city of Portsmouth and the surrounding region. A committee of volunteers has transformed the city’s floodwall into a beautiful outdoor gallery of 52 twenty foot high images that extend more than 2,000 feet along Front Street and the Ohio River. Floodwall beautification is an ongoing endeavor of Portsmouth Murals, Inc. – a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. Additional murals are in the works for another section of the floodwall. This enormous effort is supported by funds from public and private grants, fundraising events, and corporate and individual contributions. The result is a heritage treasure that allows many to help and engenders pride throughout the community. The floodwall mural is a very visible reminder of our past and an inspiration to us all for the future.
Historic Preservation & Education Heritage Award
Miner’s Memorial Park-Big Muskie Coal Bucket American Electric Power (Morgan County)
Built in 1969, the “Big Muskie”, once the world’s largest earth moving machine, could move 39 million pounds of earth and rock every hour. In 1999 the Big Muskie was dismantled for scrap and high explosives were used to blow off its 5 inch thick cables. Fortunately, Muskie’s owner, American Electric Power, turned the remaining giant bucket into the centerpiece of en educational display informing visitors about Big Muskie, surface mining and reclamation, and to memorialize the men and women who helped mine and reclaim the land. Today the bucket sits on a rise, overlooking the beautiful valley that it once mined and destroyed, which has been renamed “Re-creation Land”. The gigantic Big Muskie bucket is an important but very small part of an industry that had enormous impact on the lives of the people and the land of Ohio’s Hill Country.
Historic Preservation & Education Heritage Award
Old Fort Steuben Project, Inc. (Jefferson County)
Amid the smokestacks of modern steel mills, the traffic of semi-trucks and automobiles along State Route 7, and the flow of barges carrying raw materials up and down the Ohio River stands a gateway that will lead you back 200 years: Historic Fort Steuben, an 18th century fort reconstructed on its original site in what is now downtown Steubenville. Fort Steuben, named after George Washington’s great drillmaster, Baron von Steuben, was built in 1787 by the 1st American Regiment to protect government surveyor in the Ohio wilderness as they laid out the first seven ranges of the Northwest Territory Dubbed “The People’s Project” by one of its founders, Old Fort Steuben was initiated by and for the people of Steubenville. Their efforts at fundraising and construction, planning and advertising, and maintaining this unique site have given the community an educational attraction that welcomes hundreds of schoolchildren, senior citizens and visitors from far and wide. Old Fort Steuben stands as a tribute to the initiative and loyalty of concerned local citizens and as an example for other cities to follow. Historic
Preservation Heritage Award Chester
Courthouse (Meigs County) Chester / Shade Historical Association
Built in 1823, the Chester Courthouse is Ohio’s oldest standing courthouse. As the current home of the Appalachian Heritage Center, the Courthouse is a repository of local history, genealogy, folk lore and artifacts. The Chester – Shade Historical Association, who oversaw the Courthouse’s restoration between 1995 and 2001 currently administers various educational, historical, period skills, cooking, crafts classes and programs at the courthouse. The Courthouse, which offers a gift shop and rotating display is often the site for community activities, research programs, mock trials, and serves as a community meeting house. This beautifully restored historic building is the work of many citizen volunteers who are very proud of their heritage and of this historic Ohio landmark’s presence in their community. Their community’s effort stands as a symbol of the pride they take in being stewards of the legacy of Ohio’s pioneers.
Arts and Historical Preservation Heritage Award
Artisan Center at Maple Creek (Clermont County)
The Artisan Center at Maple Creek was established to provide traditional artists with a permanent location to display, promote and demonstrate their crafts and to provide clients with a beautiful, unique location where they can find traditional handcrafted work for their homes, families and friends. With these thoughts for inspiration the owners restored an historic log barn to create a large gallery to house the artisan center. It is the perfect place to meet artisans and watch them demonstrate their crafts and browse the gallery for one-of-a-kind gifts. The Artisan Center offers classes in blacksmithing, broom and basket making, pottery, cabinetry, glasswork, textiles, woodworking and other skills. The success of their efforts is a tribute to their entrepreneurial spirit and their recognition of heritage as a basis for the foundation of their business venture.
Historic Preservation Award
Dennison Depot Railroad Museum (Tuscarawas County)
The Dennison Depot, built in 1873 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stands as a proud symbol of Dennison’s vast railroad heritage. Purchased by the Village of Dennison in 1984, the depot has been restored by a strong grassroots volunteer group and reopened in the memory of the many railroad employees, servicemen and women, and travelers who passed through its doors. Exactly halfway between Columbus, Ohio and Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania made it the ideal location for a large railroad facility with a history which includes its vital role in the disbursement of troops during World War II who enjoyed the coffee and food offered in a Salvation Army Servicemen’s Canteen and earned it the nickname “Dreamsville, Ohio”. The museum now houses a museum, restaurant and gift shop opened year around and continues to offer hospitality and welcome visitors after a nearly $1 million renovation. Again, the work of volunteers and the importance of this structure to its community has preserved another part of Ohio’s Hill Country heritage for us all.
Education Heritage Award
Hubert Wilhelm (Athens County)
As a young post war immigrant from Germany in the early 1950’s, Hubert’s introduction to the American landscape inspired him to pursue a career as a professor of cultural geography. This pursuit brought him to the heart of Ohio’s Hill Country to teach settlement geography at Ohio University where he sought to unravel the history of the American story by studying the characteristics of the built environment in the former wilderness of southeast Ohio. The artifacts of buildings and land use helped him to unlock the mystery of its many and varied stories which he enthusiastically imparted to many students from places over his career. Dr. Wilhelm’s research and investigation of the various cultures from New England, Pennsylvania, the coastal plains, the post Civil War south, and returnees from the west coast who each brought their cultural baggage and institutionalized these characteristics as artifacts of Ohio’s landscape inspired him to dub Ohio as “America’s Cultural Hearth”. Hubert’s legacy is marked by his love of the ground truth and his enthusiasm in sharing it and inspiring or infecting others who carry on his work.
Historic Preservation & Education Award
The Greenfield Historical Society (Highland County)
The Greenfield Historical Society, formed in 1949, is non-profit and exists to further historical preservation and education in Greenfield, Ohio and the surrounding area. The Greenfield Historical Society currently owns and manages Travelers Rest, the first stone house built in Greenfield in 1812, which serves as a museum and the organization’s headquarters. The Society also owns and operates the B&O Railroad Depot, once an active transportation hub; the Samuel Smith Tannery, built in 1821, the oldest existing tannery in the state of Ohio and a stop on the Underground Railroad; Greenfield Hay and Grain, a building complex that played a major role in providing farm and hardware products to area residents for several decades; and the Old Seceders Presbyterian Church which once served as an early two-room schoolhouse. The Greenfield Historical Society has long recognized its rich heritage and has made a substantial effort to collect, preserve and interpret archival materials and artifacts indigenous to Greenfield region. They have encouraged historical research, sponsored historical programs, displays and special events, and have been concerned with the preservation of historic buildings and have cooperated with other organizations in these efforts. The Greenfield Historical Society stands as a premier example of what can be done by caring citizens and their results are an indication of the rich history that makes up the many communities throughout Ohio’s Hill Country.
Business Heritage Award
The Daily Grind Café ( Tuscarawas County)
The Daily Grind Café is a comfortable, upscale, urban feeling coffee shop in the quaint downtown area of New Philadelphia across from the Quaker discount movie theater. Located in an historic Italianate structure featuring window hoods with keystones and brick cornices built in 1880, formerly a bakery, the atmosphere inside includes an old fashioned lunch counter, an antique deli display, and comfortable seating from couch to kitchen table to café booths. The Daily Grind Café has become a popular meeting and eating place while its owners have contributed to the renovation of old buildings and the revitalization of a small town’s main street. The owners of the Daily Grind Café are dedicated to the redevelopment of the downtown to the extent that they have moved in above their business as was traditional in times past. As its reputation spreads it is becoming a stopping place and even a destination for travelers. The Daily Grind Café is an example of a local business recognizing the benefits of a community’s heritage as an asset and a strength in the development of a new enterprise. Currently, the Heritage Homes Association of Tuscarawas County is working on a historical designation for downtown New Philadelphia which has been inspired by local efforts such as those demonstrated by the Daily Grind Café.
Arts & Education Heritage Award
Morgan’s Raid Reenactment (Meigs & Vinton Counties)
Darrell Markijohn, Bob Vance & Ed Sharp The return of Morgan’s Raid Reenactment in 2006 was made possible by the tremendous efforts and contributions of local citizen volunteers and organizations, businesses, and landowners, of which there were many. The Morgan’s Raid effort included 350 to 400 Calvary and infantry reenactors from close to thirty states, some from as far away as California. The event also included the participation of more than 200 horses. This enormous endeavor required tremendous support from landowners and local people who helped feed and house both the participants and their livestock. The Buffington Island Battlefield in Meigs County is the site of the only Civil War battle in the state of Ohio. In addition to the recreation of the historic battle the reenactors performed educational activities for school children, set up a Civil War campsite and conducted a Civil War era ball. However, there would be no reenactment without the enthusiastic participation, leadership and organizational efforts of Darrel Markijohn, who represented Colonel John Hunt Morgan, and reenactors Bob Vance and Ed Sharp. The interest and commitment of these individuals and other reenactors in bringing to life the events of this historic period, attended by exceptional levels of authenticity in period garb, weapons and all other civil war artifacts employed, resulted in an historic phenomenon of great educational and economic opportunity for the region. For the reenactors’ who have come so far and for their enthusiasm in telling the story about this significant piece Ohio’s heritage and an important part of our nation’s history we present this award to say thank you.