2011 HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS  

A Dozen Recipients Recognized During National Historic Preservation Month 

In honor of National Historic Preservation Month, the Burlington County Freeholders today approved the presentation of special recognition awards to a dozen local residents and organizations for their outstanding contribution to the preservation of the County’s rich history.

Administered by the Burlington County Library System, the 2011 Burlington County Historic Preservation Awards Program recognizes projects completed between Jan. 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2010. A selection committee comprised of Burlington County Historian Joseph M. Laufer and fellow historians Paul W. Schopp and David Kimball recommended the recipients for the awards in two categories: Historic Preservation Recognition and History Recognition. A formal awards presentation will be scheduled for an upcoming freeholder meeting.

In the category of Historic Preservation, the recipients include:

First Place for Preservation/Restoration – Arneytown Tavern, 13 Chesterfield-Arneytown Road, North Hanover. Owned by James and Lisa Durr and previously listed as one of New Jersey’s most endangered historic structures, the tavern is now used as a residence. The property has been rehabilitated and restored to structural soundness and the exterior has received a complete aesthetic and historically accurate renewal. Interior work is now underway.

Honorable Mention for Preservation/Restoration – The Miller’s House, 272 Church Road, Medford. Built in 1785 and associated with Kirby’s Mill, the house purchased by Thomas and Mary Ann Rende in 1992 has undergone many changes over the years. The rehabilitation of the structure represents a combination of non-traditional and non-period architecture with attention to the historical form, features and character of the original structure as appropriate.

First Place for Adaptive Use/Rehabilitation– Zurbrugg Mansion, 531 Delaware Avenue, Delanco. Owned by Grapevine Development and John Rahenkamp, the 1911 Georgian revival home is the keystone of Delanco’s riverfront historic district. Creative planning and funding under the leadership of local resident and developer Rahenkamp in partnership with Randy Cherkas and Grapevine Development brought it to its present status as a 27-unit, independent lower-income senior residence and home of the Historic Preservation Advisory Board. Saved from demolition, the now rehabilitated site is listed on both the national and state registries of historic places.

First Place for Preservation Planning– Borough of Fieldsboro and Mayor Ed Tyler for the planned rehabilitation of White Hill Mansion, 217 4 th Street, Fieldsboro. A waterfront restaurant in recent years and the home of the Field family from 1761 until 1802, the mansion was once doomed for demolition. Thanks to a New Jersey Historic Trust grant, a preservation plan is now being developed and an archaeological dig will soon begin. Planned uses for this important piece of Burlington County history include banquets, educational events, historic reenactments and tours.

First Place for Archival Records/Documentation - Elaine Reichenbach for the Mount Holly Gazette microfilm project. A weekly newspaper published from 1986 until 1997, the Mount Holly Gazette covered Eastampton, Hainesport, Lumberton, Mount Holly and Westampton. Publisher Bob Reichenbach’s widow, Elaine, donated a nearly complete set of Gazette newspapers to the Burlington County Library System, where it was inventoried and forwarded to a microfilm company for reproduction. Today, the issues are part of the Burlington County Library System microfilm collection and available at the County Historical Society and the New Jersey State Archives.

First Place for Preservation Leadership – Regan Young England Butera, PC Architects, 456 High Street, Mount Holly. The firm is being recognized for consistently demonstrating an awareness and familiarity with local history and incorporating it into the design and restoration of public buildings, including the Warden’s House in Mount Holly, local schools such as the Green Bank Elementary School and others facilities.

In the category of History Recognition, the recipients include:

First Place for Published History – Woodland Township Historical Society for the publication “Chatsworth – Capital of the Pine Barrens” by Ellen V. Fayer, Stan Fayer and Walter A. Brower. Part of the Images of America series, the publication includes hundreds of captioned photographs, many of which have never been published, that tell the story of Chatsworth and Woodland Township.

Honorable Mention for Published History – Ahnnalisa Regi for the preservation of historical pictures and the creation of a website. A member of the Mansfield Township Historical Society, Ahnnalisa Regi volunteered to preserve the pictures of the township’s activities in acid-free protective folders placed in a scrapbook. She also created a website for the historical society.

First Place for Achievement and Leadership – Judith M. Olsen for published history, genealogical research and the cataloguing and preservation of records. In addition to eight published books about the Burlington County Lippincott family and other related families, she authored two books about Pemberton and is completing five additional family histories. A lecturer, teacher and librarian, she organized the Pinelands Room at the BCC Pemberton Campus Library, served as the library director, and coordinated the indexing of the New Jersey Mirror. She also advises historical societies, is a leading Burlington County Historical Society board member, and a major contributor to the Burlington County Library System.

First Place for History Education – Alice Paul Institute (Paulsdale), Mount Laurel, for the “Meeting Alice” educational program. “Meeting Alice” is an on-site program that introduces fourth and fifth-grade students to Alice Paul, New Jersey’s farming heritage and Quaker ideals. During the 2009-2010 school year, approximately 780 school children from Mount Laurel, Cherry Hill, Cinnaminson, Haddon Township, Moorestown Friends School and Westfield Friends School visited Paulsdale to participate in the project.

Honorable Mention for History Education – Regina Collinsgru for “The Positive Press,” a hometown newspaper covering Riverside, Delanco and Delran. The paper’s Publisher/Editor, Collinsgru launched the publication that reports on current activities and features articles written by local historical societies in 2006. She also organized and catalogued photographs featured in the newspaper for local historical societies.

First Place for New History – Lenape Regional High School District Television (LDTV) for the documentary film “The Black Doctor of the Pines: Dr. James Still and the Legacy of the Still Family.” This 35-minute documentary on the life of Dr. James Still was a school district summer workshop project that involved 22 students. The students filmed interviews with local experts and historians at the historical sites related to Dr. Still’s life located in Shamong, Southampton and Medford. They then assisted in the editing of the film, which premiered at a public showing to more than 100 residents including descendants of Dr. Still. The documentary also aired on LDTV and throughout Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. Copies of the film are also available for purchase.