ORA accepting Historic Preservation nominations

From staff reports

The Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism is accepting nominations through March 31 for its Historic Preservation Awards.

“These awards are a celebration of building preservation, education and heritage efforts,” said event organizer Jennifer Burden, the ORA’s Heritage Program manager. “Every year we look forward to seeing what great work is happening in the region and shining a spotlight on it.”

The awards are part of the Alliance’s celebration of Historic Preservation Month, held each May. The program recognizes appropriate preservation, restoration and rehabilitation projects, as well as individuals and groups committed to historic preservation.

The program also creates an advocacy for historic preservation and enhances a regional historic preservation ethic within the Oil Region National Heritage Area.

The region includes all of Venango County, the Borough of Hydetown, the City of Titusville and Oil Creek Township in Crawford County.

Any person or group may submit a nomination for a Historic Preservation Award. Eligible structures must be within the Oil Region and at least 50 years old.

The eligible projects include interior and exterior work in public buildings and exterior work in privately owned buildings. Once an individual or project has received an award, it is not eligible again for another five years.

Nomination forms and lists of past winners are available at the OilRegion.org Historic Preservation Awards page, oilregion.org/heritage/historic-preservation-awards

Digital “Before & After” photographs are required with each nomination. They can be sent to jburden@oilregion.org, noting “Historic Preservation” in the subject line.

Nominations must be submitted by Friday, March 31, to jburden@oilregion.org or Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism at 217 Elm St., Oil City, 16301.

The awards ceremony will take place Thursday, May 18, at Christ Episcopal Church in Oil City. There is no cost to attend the ceremony, but pre-registration is appreciated by emailing jgorman@oilregion.org.