North Carolina’s highest award presented for the preservation, restoration, or maintenance of landscapes,gardens, streetscapes, or grounds related to historic structures. The award is made possible by the family of the late Minnette Chapman Duffy of New Bern, whose leadership contributed to the reconstruction of Tryon Palace. This years recipients are:

Walter Clark and Johnny Burleson (Lansing)

After Walter Clark and Johnny Burleson purchased the Swansie Shepherd House near Lansing in Ashe County, renovating the structure was only the beginning of the project. Walter and Johnny acquired all the land around the house and placed conservation easements on the 88-acre farm, permanently protecting the whole viewshed. They also resurrected the heritage blueberry plants and apple and peach trees on the property. Now, each summer hundreds of people come to Old Orchard Creek Farm to pick their own organically grown blueberries and apples. You can taste their blueberries on the plates of the finest local restaurants and in local wine. Old Orchard Creek Farm is an outstanding example of landscape preservation – making the seamless connection between historic fabric and nature.

The Stedman Incentive Grant assists a non-profit organization in the rescue of an endangered historically and architecturally significant property. Initiated in 1975 by the late Marion Stedman Covington of Greensboro in memory of her father, this $5,000 grant is now funded annually by the Marion S. Covington Foundation. This year's recipient is:

Louisburg College (Louisburg)

Louisburg College is undertaking a restoration campaign to repair and preserve its historic campus buildings, including Old Main—a four-story, fifty-room brick Greek revival building constructed in 1857. Preservation professionals, neighbors, and alumni advised that repairing the existing windows would be the better alternative than replacement windows—economically, environmentally and aesthetically. With the help of the Stedman Incentive Grant, Louisburg College plans to repair more than 450 windows and reglaze more than 6,000 panes of glass. Once repairs are complete, the sash will be scraped, primed, and painted inside and out. Louisburg College plans to train students, volunteers and contractors on the proper techniques for glazing and repairing the historic windows. Preservation North Carolina will help conduct on-site training. The board, staff and alumni of Louisburg College are recognized for their commitment to restoring their irreplaceble campus buildings.

North Carolina’s highest award presented to working professionals who demonstrate an outstanding commitment to historic preservation as part of their job responsibilities. The award is given in honor of Robert E. Stipe of Chapel Hill, retired educator in the field of historic preservation and mentor to a generation of preservation professionals.This year's recipient is:

Dan Becker (Raleigh)

For twenty-one years, Dan Becker has served as the Executive Director of the Raleigh Historic Districts Commission. This commission has a reputation for developing quality guidelines and taking an imaginative and proactive attitude toward new legislation and methodologies. This high standing would not be possible without Dan Becker’s visionary and steadfast leadership. He works to educate city staff in other departments about Raleigh’s rich heritage and the responsibility of city government to preserve and protect it. He was also instrumental in the development of a national training project called CAMP—Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program. Dan’s involvement in national preservation efforts has helped bring resources and expertise to Raleigh and North Carolina, while exposing the rest of the nation to the practices, professionalism and insight of one of our state’s best-run preservation commissions.

This award is the highest honor presented to a North Carolina business showing vision and creativity in promoting the protection of the state's architectural resources. The award is named in memory of L. Vincent Lowe, Jr., of Wilson, a longtime friend and supporter of historic causes in North Carolina. This year's recipient is:

Self-Help Ventures Fund (Durham)

Self-Help Ventures Fund, a non-profit financial institution, started its commercial real estate development program in 1991 with a mission of catalyzing downtown revitalization across North Carolina. It works in challenging markets with historic buildings other developers typically would not consider. Self-Help makes long-term commitments by renovating and holding buildings after completion, staying involved with tenants and the community at large. Its impact on downtown revitalization can be seen statewide. Its preservation projects include the 1920s Public Service Building in downtown Asheville, the former First National Bank building and the 1909 Temple Building in Durham, and the 1918 Peoples Building in Rocky Mount. Self-Help is also contributing to preservation in a residential context, currently working with the City of Goldsboro, the Downtown Goldsboro Development Corporation and Preservation North Carolina to help revitalize Goldsboro's historic neighborhoods. Self-Help has created significant revitalization momentum in downtowns across North Carolina.

The Ruth Coltrane Cannon Award is North Carolina’s most prestigious preservation award presented for outstanding achievement of statewide significance in historic preservation in North Carolina. First presented in 1948, the award is named for Ruth Coltrane Cannon, the president of the North Carolina Society for the Preservation of Antiquities from 1945 to 1956, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to preservation. This year's recipient is:

DeWayne Anderson (Winston-Salem)

DeWayne Anderson has had a long and distinguished career in the field of historic preservation and community development. A trained architect and urban planner with more than forty-six years' experience, DeWayne has worked to revitalize downtowns, create affordable housing, and expand economic opportunities in rural and metropolitan communities. In 1992, DeWayne Anderson received PNC’s Vincent Lowe, Jr. Business Award for his impressive record of achievement. Fifteen years later, DeWayne continues to undertake one successful historic rehabilitation project after other. The body of his preservation work in North Carolina is simply without equal. As founder and chairman of The Landmark Group in Winston-Salem, he has spearheaded development, construction and management of 77 real estate developments in eight states, and the rehabilitation of 83 National Register properties. DeWayne’s personal and professional commitment to preserving the past as a way to build the future has helped him rise to the top among leaders in the field of historic preservation.

Each year, Preservation North Carolina presents the Gertrude S. Carraway Awards of Merit to individuals and organizations that have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to promoting historic preservation. The awards have been given since 1975 and are named for the late Dr. Gertrude S. Carraway of New Bern, a leader in the successful effort to reconstruct the state’s colonial capital, Tryon Palace, in New Bern.

Mary Betty Kearney (Snow Hill)

Mary Betty Kearney has long been involved in preserving Greene County’s history. In the 1980s she spearheaded efforts to restore the 1928 steeple of Calvary Memorial United Methodist Church and worked to secure funding for Greene County’s architectural survey. In 2000, she helped to incorporate the Greene County Arts and Historical Society. When the Benjamin W. Best House, a significant 1840s farmhouse in rural Greene County, was threatened with destruction in 1997, Mary Betty and her husband, Ossie, bought it and relocated it to an appropriate site. The house, now part of a bed-and-breakfast inn and working farm, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Kearneys have donated an easement on the property to PNC, protecting it in perpetuity.

Claudia and Jim Bulthuis (Troy)

Claudia and Jim Bulthuis have used their resources and energies to help transform the small historic downtown of Troy, the county seat of Montgomery County. In 2000 they bought Claudia’s family home, the 1893 Blair House, and completely renovated it into a lovely bed-and-breakfast inn. Next, Claudia and Jim fixed up the oldest home in town, the 1830 Arscott House. With the partnership of the Town of Troy, Montgomery Community College, and local artists, Claudia and Jim’s renovation of the 1909 Hotel Troy will bring Troy a downtown learning center focused on the arts. Claudia and Jim have lent their time, expertise and historic properties for a wide variety of civic affairs. Their unwavering enthusiasm and vision has brought a new vitality to some of the town’s most significant buildings.

Hilda and Earl Poplin (Mount Gilead)

In the early 1980s, Hilda and Earl Poplin began their journey into the world of historic preservation with a complete restoration of the McElwee House in downtown Statesville. In the late 1980s, they transformed the historic Heath House in Monroe into another showplace. In 1999, the Poplins retired to Hilda’s hometown of Mount Gilead in Montgomery County and took on the renovation of Hilda’s childhood home, the 1897 Haywood Hotel. It was the first full-scale restoration of a historic home in Mount Gilead. Since his election as Mayor of Mount Gilead in 2003, Earl now promotes historic preservation as a tool for revitalizing the local economy. He was instrumental in getting the downtown listed in the National Register to make tax credits available for property owners. A local historic district has also been set up to further protect Mount Gilead’s historic resources.

The Historic Shelby Foundation (Shelby)

In early 2006, the Historic Shelby Foundation became aware of several houses that were under foreclosure. Taking a large risk, the Foundation bought a house in one of the city’s most depressed neighborhoods. After countless hours of volunteer work—demolition, cleaning and hauling, as well as donations of materials, labor, and skilled services—the house was rehabilitated. Two Gardner-Webb University Divinity School students needing affordable housing moved into the house last winter and began community outreach, making contacts within the neighborhood and hosting youth activities. The results have been dramatic. The improvements in appearance, neighborhood cohesiveness and community-wide support all serve to demonstrate that historic preservation can be an important tool for neighborhood revitalization.

Goler Community Development Corporation (Winston-Salem)

From the turn of the century until the 1960s, the Goler-Depot Street area in Winston-Salem was a vibrant, predominantly African American community. Unfortunately, racial and social turmoil, middle-class flight to the suburbs, public disinvestment and urban renewal broke the back of this neighborhood. Since its inception in 1998, Goler Community Development Corporation has acquired property in the Goler-Depot Street area with a vision of revitalizing it into a safe, diverse, mixed-income neighborhood. Goler CDC is executing a $100 million revitalization plan to restore the area to its former vibrancy. Projects include a community arts park, a 79-unit affordable apartment building for seniors, and the renovation of the old Brown & Williamson Building into 77 luxury gallery lofts. The Winston-Salem Journal calls it “downtown revitalization at its best.”

High Point Museum (High Point)

On the night of December 10, 2004, lightning struck the Hoggatt House, and fire destroyed the roof, supporting rafters and upper floor. Thought to have been built in 1754, the Hoggatt House was believed to be the oldest structure in High Point. In 1973 it had been relocated to the High Point Museum Historical Park. Now, museum president Barbara Taylor was determined to preserve the building and use the restoration process to learn more about its history. John Larson of Old Salem and restoration contractor Carl Kessler devised an approach to clean the surface of the logs, while research by Dr. Daniel Miles of Oxford Dendrochronology Laboratory revealed that the structure dated to 1801 with an 1824 addition. On April 1, 2006, the restored Hoggatt House, newly interpreted to its proper date, was reopened to the public. The High Point Museum made the best of a tragic situation, preserving a fine example of piedmont vernacular architecture while increasing our understanding of this unique structure.

Salem Academy and College (Winston-Salem)

The Single Sisters House, built in 1785 and expanded in 1819, is one of the most significant buildings in the history of women's education in the United States. With assistance from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Save America's Treasures Fund, Salem Academy and College has restored it to active use. The renovated building includes an interpretative space that tells the story of the Single Sisters, women whose strong faith, leadership, and community service helped build an educational institution that has thrived for more than 230 years. Careful paint analysis and historical research was undertaken to understand the changes that had taken place to the building over time before any damage was done, and the restoration was carefully conducted to protect original fabric. This sensitive and creative rehabilitation has reinforced Salem Academy and College’s commitment to the preservation of its historic resources.

Town of Apex

In the summer of 2003, the Town of Apex adopted revisions to its Unified Development Ordinance regulating the demolition of historic structures. This ordinance provides some of the strongest protection of historic resources in North Carolina. The ordinance discourages demolition of historic structures by requiring a waiting period of 48 months before the town will accept an application for new development on a site. It does not apply to single family residences, but does apply to all site and subdivision plans, including parking lots, that require a town-approved development plan. This ordinance is already serving as a model for other communities to protect endangered historic resources in a time of rapid growth in North Carolina. Preservationists in several other towns are considering similar legislation.

City of Wilmington
Affordable housing and historic districts are often seen as being at cross-purposes, but the City of Wilmington, in collaboration with the Historic Wilmington Foundation, the Wilmington AIA Chapter, the Bellamy Mansion Museum and the Affordable Housing Coalition of Southeast North Carolina, has shown how the two can be compatible with Saving Spaces, a design competition for economical infill housing units in Wilmington’s historic districts. Twenty-one designs chosen by a jury included everything from interpretations of traditional style to imaginative concepts of contemporary ideas. These designs represent the values sought after in future infill housing—affordability, quality, efficiency, sustainability and harmony with the existing historic neighborhoods. The competition increased public awareness of modern design and demonstrated how good new design could be successfully incorporated in historic neighborhoods.

David Maurer (Raleigh)
Since 1993, architect David Maurer has provided an innovative approach to urban restoration and adaptive-use projects. He is a believer that restoration and rehabilitation of historic buildings will help preserve our connection to the past. David’s work on both historic and new buildings can be seen all over Raleigh, including the J. M. Norwood House in City Market, the 1905 Wesley A. Putney House and the Bonomo Residence. His website, http://www.tightlinesdesigns.com/, offers dozens of prototypes for historically sensitive, affordable urban infill. He has also worked on the renovation of five historic buildings in downtown Smithfield, including the Capital Department Store. David’s personal and professional commitment to quality design demonstrate how good design in historic preservation and new construction can go hand in hand.

Occidental Life Insurance Company Building (Raleigh)
The Occidental Life Insurance Company Building, constructed in 1955, was the first major office building in Raleigh to be built in the International style. The 68,000 square foot building is a steel-frame structure sheathed with elegant limestone panels and green-tinted windows. Outdoor terraces integrate the building into its beautiful oak-shaded site. Despite its landmark status, the vacant Occidental Building was threatened with demolition. Billie Redmond, president of TradeMark Properties, brought together investors, tenants and designers to revitalize the building. Raleigh architect Michael Weeks of Weeks Turner Architecture guided the sensitive renovation to showcase the quality of the original design and materials, such as terrazzo flooring, travertine walls and mahogany paneling. Thanks to Billie Redmond’s vision, this magnificent mid-century modern Raleigh landmark has been preserved.