The Roanoke Valley Preservation Foundation (RVPF) is giving nine awards to celebrate projects and people in the Roanoke Valley.
Among them is Judith Barnett of Fincastle, who was recognized for her educational work to provide an African-American exhibit in Fincastle.
For 18 years, the RVPF has celebrated preservation of structures, environmental and educational projects and lifetime achievement. Awards are presented in the fall and endangered sites are recognized in the spring.
RVPF President Alison Blanton said this year’s award recipients are “exciting because they reflect the broadening range of historic preservation projects as we celebrate recent renovations in Salem and Vinton, in addition to the City of Roanoke, as well as an exhibit of African-American history in Botetourt County.”
Barnett was recognized for the extensive research by her late Ed Barnett and herself of African-American communities, schools, churches and families in Botetourt County. She prepared an exhibit that has been displayed in the Fincastle Library and Botetourt County Historical Society Museum. A slide show of the exhibit is on display at the museum.
Also, using a grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, the Barnetts worked as the County-Wide League to do oral interviews and scan yearbooks, notebooks, records and other documents for years. They documented the names of hundreds of African-American families.
The other award recipients and categories presented by the RVPF are:
- Preston Place, Salem, for stewardship
- Boxley Building, Roanoke, adaptive reuse
- Jefferson Center main entrance, Roanoke, restoration
- Roland E. Cook school building, Vinton, adaptive reuse
- Old Persinger Cemetery, Roanoke, stewardship
- Ride Solutions, Roanoke, education
- Springwood Cemetery, Roanoke, stewardship
- Ann Rogers, Roanoke County, advocacy
