Historic Lexington Foundation
Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County, Virginia
Founders Awards
Historic Lexington Foundation annually presents Founders Awards to recognize individuals and institutions for significant preservation efforts. In addition to honoring the recipients, the Founders Awards have become an important tool for promoting public awareness of the benefits of historic preservation.
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Forest Oaks, near Natural Bridge, (shown above) received the Founders Award in 2018.
Below are some recent recipients of Founders Awards.
2022: Reed Beldin (with HLF VP Elizabeth Boetsch) received the award for support and Timber Grove research.
2022: Nancy and Paul Hahn spearheaded research into and a tour of slave dwellings near Brownsburg, co-sponsored wtih the Brownsburg Museum.
2022: Shawn Hamric (with HLF President Larry Wiese) for support of HLF's restoration projects in Oak Grove and Evergreen Cemeteries.
2021: Beverly Tucker, twice HLF president, author of Fuller Street books, champion of Henry Street church project.
2020, Dick Barnes, and 2019, Brownsburg Community Association for building up and nurturing the vibrant Brownsburg Museum.
2019: Mary Stuart and Russ Harlow for their extensive restoration of the c. 1898 Trinity Methodist church parsonage.
2018: Skip Ravenhorst and Seth Goodhart for restoration of the 1873 Beechenbrook Chapel at Jordan’s Point, Lexington.
2017: Janie and Will Harris for .rehabilitation of the c. 1846 Evans House in Lexington
2017: John Adamson for restoring the Hopkins House, c. 1845, in downtown Lexington.
And others . . .
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2023: Bob Keefe for producing HLF publications since 2015, including Architecture of Historic Rockbridge.
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2020: Arthur Bartenstein for leading HLF and county-wide preservation efforts, notably in our cemetery emphasis, as a professional landscape architect.
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2019: Lisa McCown for energetically and knowledgeably guiding HLF and many others through the amazing holdings in W&L's Special Collections, where she is an archivist and librarian.
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2018: Cliff DeVito and Chris Walker for their restoration of Forest Oaks, c. 1806 (see photo at top).
and ...
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Teddy and Ann Parker Gottwald for restoring The Georges, consisting of the c. 1789 Alexander-Withrow House and the c. 1809 McCampbell Inn.
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Charles Hallock for restoring the c. 1870 J.T. McCrum House on Lexington's Main Street.
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Virginia Military Institute for restoration of its historic stables.
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City National Bank for restoring the former People's Bank building in Buena Vista.
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Gene and Nancy Sullivan for restoring the c. 1889 Francis H. Smith House on South Main Street in Lexington.
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Charles and Kim Cory for renovating the Jacob Ruff House on North Main Street, Lexington.
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Hess Jewelers for rehabilitation of the old First National Bank on Lexington's Courthouse Square.
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Southern In Restaurant for careful restoration of its landmark 1886 building after the devastating fire of 2010.
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Ugo Benincasa for meticulous restoration of the 1926 R. E Lee Hotel (now the Gin Hotel) on Main Street in Lexington.
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Rebecca Wilson for restoration of the1890 Grace House on South Main Street.
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Matt and Mary Raine Paxton for renovation of the 1797 Zachariah Stone House, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Everett Gilbert for restoration of the Troubadour Theater on North Main Street, built in 1853.
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Stephanie Wilkinson and John Blackburn for restoration of an old law office as the Red Hen Restaurant in the c. 1890 Deaver Building.
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