Recognition awards Delphi Preservation Society presented awards at its recent annual meeting. Accepting awards were (l-r): Hank Ivey for Times Past Restorations, Historic Commercial or Public Building Award for former Masonic Temple; Anita Werling, the Atkinson, Sanders, Rodriguez Leadership Award; Betty Allen, St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Historic Church Award; Loren Hylton, Wilson Bridge, Historic Site or Structure Award; Al Auffart, Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal Association, The Charles E. Gerard Historic Archive Award. Not pictured are Lynn Corson and Janet Ayres, Baum-Shaeffer House, Historic Residence Pre-1920. Photo provided Greg Norman, president of the Delphi Preservation Society (DPS), presented six Recognition Awards at the annual meeting of the Society held May 21 at the Wabash & Erie Canal Interpretive Center.

The Baum-Shaeffer house, owned by Lynn Corson and Janet Ayres, received the Recognition Award for Historic Residence Pre-1920. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Italianate brick home was built in 1855 by Carroll County pioneers David and Eliza Baum. It is a fundamental part of Carroll County's history. Corson and Ayres have spent more than two decades restoring the house and barns on the property. Ironically, they were unable to accept the award in person because of work underway to repair extensive damage to the property and granary barn after a storm and flash flood a few days before.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church received this year's Historic Church Recognition Award. Construction on the gothic church began in 1860 from brick baked at Donovan's brick kiln in Pittsburg. Chapel additions were designed to blend with the historic architecture. Accepting the award for St. Joseph's was Betty Allen.

Times Past Restorations LLC received the Recognition Award for an Historic Commercial or Public Building. Now housing Times Past Antiques and Art Gallery, the building is remembered as the Masonic Temple. Originally constructed between 1868 and 1875, it was purchased in 1878 by John Henry Swegman who ran it as the Occidental Hotel for many years. In the early 1890s it was operated as a sanitarium and spa with mineral water piped in from an artesian well and spring in the area. By 1894 the baths were closed and the building became the Iona Hotel.

The Masons purchased the building in 1913 and made extensive changes to the Italianate structure. The award was accepted by present owners Hank Ivey and Kevin Kologinsky who have dressed up the facade with an eye-catching color scheme.

Receiving the Historic Site or Structure Recognition Award was the Wilson Bridge on CR 300N in the Deer Creek Valley Rural Historic District. Rehabilitation of the bridge was completed in 2008 and is painted in "merlot." Named for Isaac Wilson, the through truss iron bridge was built in 1898 by the Lafayette Bridge Company. The bridge location is also known as Carrigan's Ford and Royster's Ford. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Loren Hylton, president of the Carroll County Board of Commissioners, accepted the award.

The Carroll County Wabash & Erie Canal Association became the first recipient of the Charles Gerard Historic Archival Award named in memory of the Delphi historian who died in 2005 from ALS. The Canal Association has taken a proactive, structured approach to developing and maintaining an archive of artifacts, written, photographic, and other materials related to the era of the Wabash & Erie Canal in Carroll County and throughout the canal system. Through the efforts of the Association, interactive and interpretive exhibits in the center and along the trail system bring to life the canal experience to young and old alike. Al Auffart, vice president of the Canal Association board, accepted the award.

Anita Werling was honored with the Atkinson, Sanders, Rodriguez Award for Leadership in Preservation, named for the founders of the Delphi Preservation Society. Past president of DPS and now chair of the Opera House Advisory Board, Werling was recognized for having become "the face of DPS...spending countless hours each week devoted to our causes." In particular her dedicated efforts toward the Opera House restoration project and Opera House Gallery were cited.

On the business end of meeting, the membership re-elected Bethanny Cougill, Joe Kitchel and Dick Traeger for threeyear terms on the board of directors. Norman outlined organizational changes made by the board during 2008-09 to provide separate focus for the Opera House Restoration project. Accounting changes were made to separate Opera Houserelated income and expense from those of the Society's general funds and other designated funds.

Reporting on Opera House activities, Werling highlighted the tuck pointing of the City Hall building last summer and the work underway to restore the prismatic glass transoms, two of which will be reinstalled soon.

U.S. Aggregates was recognized for its sponsorship of the facade balcony. Joe Mayfield presented the Society with a check for $5,000 which will support further restoration activities.

Also announced was the grand opening of The Opera House Gallery of Contemporary Art set for June 19. The gallery will feature Carroll County artists Rena Brouwer, Terry Lacy and Alan Mc- Connell with a portion of all sales going to support the Opera House Restoration project. The gallery space at 109 S. Washington will also be used to promote Delphi Preservation Society activities and fundraising efforts.

Featured speaker Bonnie Maxwell reported on publishing opportunities that are underway. A new reprint of Helm's History of Carroll County was described with the offer that proceeds would accrue to DPS. Also presented were two book publishing opportunities with Arcadia Press that would focus on photographic and postcard collections from the collections of Charles Gerard donated to the Society. The first book proposed will be a pictorial history of the Delphi Courthouse Square and the buildings that will be included in the district nominated for the National Register of Historic Places.

The second Arcadia publication would include postcards of Carroll County from Gerard and several other collectors in the area. Maxwell reported on editions of Gerard's essays "Mystique of Deer Creek" and "First Research on the Lathrope and Ruffing Opera House" that are being prepared to offer in local gift shops.

Finally, a cookbook being prepared by Carol Wellnitz will include recipes from DPS members and photographs of many Delphi residences.

For further information about the Delphi Preservation Society or the Opera House restoration, contact Greg Norman at 574/967-4008 or Anita Werling at 765/564-2169 or email info@delphipreservationsociety. org.