CWPT Presents Annual Awards For Preservation
(August 2010 Civil War News)

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) announced its 2010 Preservation Awards during the recent annual conference in Lexington. During the ceremony, CWPT President James Lighthizer stressed the need for cooperation among like-minded groups and individuals together with the assistance of thoughtful government officials.

The Brian Pohanka Preservation Organization of the Year Award was given to the Kentucky Historical Society. Lighthizer said the award embodied the late Pohanka’s belief “that with dedication and vision, an organization, no matter how small, can make a tremendous difference in the way that American history is understood and remembered.”

The society, which was founded in 1836, had a prominent role in observing the Lincoln Bicentennial and now is leading commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial. Its facilities in Frankfort include the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Old State Capitol and the Kentucky Military History Museum at the Old State Arsenal.

Other winners of 2010 Preservation Awards are:
Carrington Williams Battlefield Preservationist of the Year Award: To Kurt Holman, park manager at Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, for his outstanding dedication to preserving and interpreting the site of the largest Civil War battle fought in Kentucky.

National Preservation Leadership Award: To Congressman Ben Chandler of Kentucky, a cosponsor of legislation to reauthorize the Civil War Battlefield Preservation Program. He serves on the Appropriations Committee, which last year endorsed $9 million for battlefield preservation.
State Preservation Leadership Award: To Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear in recognition of his outstanding commitment to historic land preservation and his leadership in Sesquicentennial planning.

National Park Service Preservationist of the Year Award: To Woody Harrell, Superintendent of Shiloh National Military Park. He has overseen land acquisition, creation and opening of the Corinth Unit interpretive center and was a driving force in creating the Park Service’s Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System (www.itd.nps.gov/cwss).

Preservationist Teacher of the Year Award: To Bobby Housch of Emory H. Markle Intermediate School in Hanover, Pa., who, in addition to inspiring students, is editor of the “Gettysburg Daily” (www.gettysburgdaily.com).

Discovery Trail Site of the Year Award: Historic Washington State Park in Arkansas was honored as the top site on the Civil War Discovery Trail, a network of more than 600 historic sites in 32 states, following the success of its Park Day clean-up effort. Boy Scouts scraped, cleaned and painted some 300 feet of picket fence and 10 local businesses donated lunches.

Reenactment Unit of the Year Award: To the Columbia Rifles, with whom CWPT has worked to host historically accurate encampments on several battlefield properties.

Civil War Round Table of the Year Award: To the North Carolina Civil War Round Table for its commitment to excellence and battlefield preservation. The group recently made major donations to acquisition efforts at Bentonville, N.C., Chancellorsville and the Wilderness, Va.