Congratulations to the recipients (see image above for names) of this year’s awards for exemplary work in historic preservation and cultural heritage conservation, including this blog’s executive editor, Dick Howe Jr. Well over 100 people attended the reception and ceremony for the honorees. This event has become one of the highlights of the year on the history front. Linked to the popular Doors Open Lowell program, now in its 12th year, the awards ceremony is an opportunity to call a time-out from the good work being done every day in the city so that a few outstanding persons and organizations can be recognized for excellence. It is important to encourage people to “do the right thing” when it comes to taking care of our distinctive place and special stories. Lowell National Historical Park Supt. Celeste Bernardo hosted the gathering in collaboration with the City of Lowell and Lowell Heritage Partnership.

Kudos to Sue Andrews for her fine work in organizing the awards event and for Lowell Historic Board Administrator Steve Stowell for making Doors Open Lowell one of the best preservation-advocacy programs in the Northeast.  One of the reasons Doors Open is a success is because it’s fun to visit the fascinating historic places on the list each year. Supt. Bernardo gave a well-deserved shout out to the Park’s Asst. Supt. Peter Aucella for his brilliant and tireless effort this year (and the past few years) to protect the Pawtucket Falls Dam from attempts by the local hydro-power company to alter the historic character of this unique structure that is fundamental to Lowell’s genesis story.