PND Seeks Nominations for Awards Programs

Preservation North Dakota seeks nominations for the annual 3 Most Endangered Places List as well as the Success Story  and Honor Awards.  Nominations are due April 15, 2012 forms are available online.

The 3 Most Endangered Places List, Success Story and Honor Awards will be announced during PND’s 19^th Annual North Dakota Historic Preservation Conference May 18-20, 2012 in Wishek, ND.

3 Most Endangered Places

Created in 2000, the 3 Most Endangered Places list includes sites which have historical, architectural or cultural significance and are in danger of demolition, deterioration, or substantial alteration due to neglect or vandalism. Being named to the list is often a first step or a much needed boost towards preserving these historic places. The list often draws public attention to historic preservation issues, sparks debate about cultural and architectural heritage preservation, and sometimes even attracts a new owner or developer to a historic site in desperate need of a new and creative solution.

Success Story Award

Each year PND also invites nominations for the annual Success Story Award.  This award is given to a site having a historical, architectural, or cultural significance, which has been restored. The work must have been completed within the last five years. The award also draws attention to historic preservation issues and demonstrates how historic places can be restored and adaptively reused for both historical and practical purposes.

Honor Awards

The Preservation North Dakota Honor Awards recognize outstanding achievements and excellence in historic preservation across the state of North Dakota in four categories; Preservation Excellence Award; Legacy Award; Volunteer of the Year Award; and the Artisan Award. Recipients are selected by the award committee from a pool of nominations submitted by peers, building owners, and the public at large.

2011 Sucess Story Award

PND’s Success Story Award recognizes irreplaceable historic, architectural, cultural and/or archaeological resources in North Dakota that have been successfully preserved through restoration, rehabilitation or renovation within the last five years. Nominations for the annual Success Story Award are accepted throughout the year.

Meridee & Keith Danks, Jr.

In 1926 builders constructed a Tudor Revival house with stucco exterior walls and half timber trim in what is now known as the Near Southside Historic District of Grand Forks.  A thatched roof was imitated by using cedar shingles and rolling them to shape curves around the dormers and along the eaves, creating a very charming and picturesque effect.

When Keith & Meridee purchased their home, they knew it needed some work. One day, a neighbor came over to tell them he had seen a squirrell dissapear into their roof, and thus began the Danks's efforts to restore this unique feature.

Keith & Meridee credit the success of their project to the excellent guidance of Peg O'Leary, Coordinator of the Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission, and the State Historical Society of North Dakota (especially Amy Munson, Grants and Contracts Officer). "It was initially frustrating to try to find someone who still worked on curved roofs in the Midwest," Meridee shared. "I found no one willing to take on the project in this area." They eventually found a company out of Florida called "Cedar Solutions" - a family owned and operated business that originated in Sioux Falls, SD.

Meridee & Keith Danks, Jr. - Grand Forks, ND

May is National Preservation Month

May is National Preservation Month, and this year's theme is "Celebrating America's Treasures."

The 18th Annual North Dakota Historic Preservation Conference took place April 29 - 30, 2011 in Jamestown. It was a great way to kick-off National Preservation Month!

In conjunction with the annual conference, PND recognized the contributions of several individuals through the Honor Awards, Success Story Award, and Ekstrom Scholarship programs at a banquet in their honor. In continued celebration of National Preservation Month, we'll be highlighting these individuals here over the next several days.

Another important aspect of PND's advocacy efforts is the annual 3 Most Endangered List, which highlights threatened places in North Dakota. We will also be highlighting these places and their importance as community landmarks.