In celebration of Historic Preservation Month, the Commissioners of St. Mary’s County (CSMC) and Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) presented the annual Historic Preservation Awards.
Established in 1999, these awards recognize outstanding achievement and excellence in the field of historic preservation in St. Mary’s County.
The CSMC and Historic Preservation Commission are pleased to announce the 2024 recipients:
Service Award: Presented to Eve Love and John Cook their contributions to local historical preservation through their research and resulting book, ‘Before the Base,’ which provides a snapshot in time of the farms, businesses, and communities that were acquired in 1942 for the development of the Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
Service Award: Presented to Father Francis Michael Walsh for his contributions to local historical preservation through his book, ‘The Story of the Saint Indigoes Mission 1634 – 1994,’ which chronicles the history of the Catholic Jesuit Mission in St. Mary’s County, following their story from settlers into the modern era.
Project Award: Presented to Paul Choporis for his contributions to local historical preservation through the conservation and re-purposing of the old “Honey Lane” restaurant and bar, originally established in 1946 in Lexington Park.
Awards were presented during the CSMC business meeting on May 14, 2024. Photos of the awards ceremony are available online at: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBqiDs; video is available on our YouTube Channel at: www.youtube.com/@StMarysCoGov.
The HPC invites all residents to attend or watch their upcoming historical lecture on Southern Maryland Tobacco Barns, which will take place on May 30, 2024, at 6 pm in the CSMC meeting room, located in the Chesapeake Building at 41770 Baldridge Street in Leonardtown. This lecture will air live on SMCG TV Channel 95 and on the SMCG YouTube channel. Residents can learn more about the St. Mary’s County Historic Preservation Commission and this event on our website at: www.stmaryscountymd.gov/hpc.
