Lowell National Historical Park News Release
Release date: Immediate
Contact(s): Phil Lupsiewicz
Phone number: 978-275-1705
Date: April 29, 2016
Release code: 16-25
2016 Excellence Awards Recognizing
Community Contributions in
Historic Preservation and Cultural Heritage
Lowell, Massachusetts. Lowell National Historical Park and the Lowell Heritage Partnership are pleased to announce this year’s winners of the Community Excellence Awards in the fields of historic preservation and cultural heritage. For the tenth year, the Park and Partnership are recognizing contributions to the city of Lowell in the realms of preservation and heritage as part of National Preservation Month. These two award categories represent the important nature of the Park’s dual mission to “preserve and interpret the nationally significant historical and cultural sites” in Lowell. This year, award winners will be celebrated at the Park’s annual reception, which also marks the kick-off for Doors Open Lowell 2016, on Thursday, May 12, at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum.
Celeste Bernardo, Superintendent of Lowell National Historical Park, said “we invite the community to join us to recognize the special heroes in the cultural and revitalization efforts that are so important to the National Park and our city.” Lowell Heritage Partnership president Paul Marion added, “When we recognize extraordinary persons, businesses, and organizations for preserving and celebrating our heritage, we are saying we value these efforts. Our history is what makes us special.”
This year’s award recipients include:
Excellence in Historic Preservation
Winn Companies for Counting House Lofts: Rehabilitating 102,000 square feet of the Hamilton Manufacturing Company’s Storehouse and Countinghouse along Jackson Street, Winn Companies created fifty-two residential units. Winn Companies has successfully completed several other Lowell mill-to-residence projects including The Apartments at Boott Mills, Boott Mills West, and Loft27. These projects each blend the historic industrial aesthetic with contemporary residential amenities.
Excellence in Cultural Heritage
Richard Howe, Jr. for Lowell Walks: The Lowell Walks series saw tremendous participation, beginning as a series of engaging walks through downtown Lowell investigating the City’s many layers of history. Coordinating and presenting the walks, each event weaves a new narrative, told by local specialists at the locations that convey the stories best. Audiences regularly exceed one hundred as word spread of these distinctive offerings. Lowell Walks is underway for its second season in 2016.
Asian American Cultures Festival
The Center for Asian American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Lowell partnered with Flying Orb Productions, Angkor Dance Troupe, UMass Lowell Music Department and the Lowell Cultural Council to present the Asian American Cultures Festival. The 2015 and 2016 programs brought the Cambodian traditions of live music together with dance performances, incorporated film, and the expressive stories took center stage at the multi-media programs of “Kingdom of Kambuja” and “Memory Box.”
Leadership in Cultural Heritage
Martha Mayo for over forty years as special collections librarian at the University of Massachusetts Lowell with an emphasis on Lowell’s history and as a partner to many at the Center for Lowell History since 1989. Martha’s civic contributions extend to the Lowell Historical Society, Lowell Historic Board, Brush Art Gallery, and Lowell Heritage Partnership.
Award recipients will be acknowledged during the park reception and kick-off for Doors Open Lowell 2016 on Thursday, May 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, 115 John Street. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Phil Lupsiewicz at phil_lupsiewicz@nps.gov or call 978-275-1705.
For more information about Doors Open Lowell 2016 and a schedule for open sites and special tours, visit www.DoorsOpenLowell.org. For information on the Lowell Heritage Partnership, visit www.LowellHeritagePartnership.org. For more information about programs and offerings at Lowell National Historical Park, please visit www.nps.gov/lowe or call 978-970-5000.
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