DES MOINES – From an archaeological site in Woodbury County to a historic school in Davenport, 11 projects in seven communities were honored with Iowa’s highest awards for historic preservation during this year’s Preserve Iowa Summit. The annual conference is presented by the State Historic Preservation Office, which is part of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs. During the awards ceremony on Thursday, the State Historical Society of Iowa Board of Trustees awarded two projects in Des Moines and two in Davenport with a Preservation Project of Merit Award, which recognizes projects that exemplify the best practices of historic preservation, meet federal standards, and make use of state tax credits for historic preservation.

The historical society also honored successful efforts to stabilize a prehistoric site on the Little Sioux River near Anthon and to rehabilitate historic facades on the Winterset square. In addition, the nonprofit group Preservation Iowa presented its Preservation At Its Best Awards in five categories during the same ceremony. These annual awards honor properties and educational efforts that meet the highest standards of preservation practices. The awards in western Iowa are as follows:

State Historical Society of Iowa – Preservation Project of Merit Awards:

Certificate of Merit – Winterset Facade Rehabilitation Project, Madison County

This five-year project, completed in 2020, resulted in exterior improvements to 17 buildings in the Winterset Courthouse Historic District in Madison County.

Excellence in Archaeology and Historic Preservation Award Recipient: Dixon Site Riverbank Stabilization Project, Woodbury County
This award recognizes the best archaeology or preservation project at the local or state level.

This Dixon Site project, located on the Little Sioux River near Anthon, put an end to riverbank erosion at the site of a prehistoric Oneota village and successfully stabilized Iowa Highway 31. The award recognizes the project’s many contributors, including the Iowa Department of Transportation and eight Native American tribes, for their collaborative work in accordance with state and federal laws concerning historic preservation.

Preservation Iowa – Preservation at its Best Awards:

Best Community Effort Award Recipient: Hoff Family Arts and Culture Center/McCormick Harvesting Company Building, Council Bluffs

Pottawattamie Arts, Culture and Entertainment (PACE) spearheaded the transformation of this historic warehouse. The new center opened in spring 2020 and features a theater, culinary arts kitchen for food entrepreneurs, teaching kitchen, exhibit gallery, dance studios, artist studios, classrooms and more.