Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc., Announces 2026 Preservation Awards
Annual awards honor outstanding contributions towards historic preservation.
By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele
The Historic Fredericksburg Foundation on Saturday announced the 2026 recipients of the organization’s preservation awards, which recognize outstanding contributions towards maintaining Fredericksburg’s historic built environment.
“We are pleased to honor these exceptional individuals and organizations for their unwavering commitment to preserving Fredericksburg’s rich history, architectural legacy, and cultural landscape,” HFFI’s board of directors said in a press release about the awards. “Their dedication serves as inspiration to us all, reminding us of the important ways that historic preservation nurtures our collective memory and challenges us to learn from the past.”
The awards were announced at HFFI’s annual membership meeting on Saturday, March 15, at the Fredericksburg branch of the Central Rappahannock Regional Library.
The E. Boyd Graves Excellence in Preservation Awards went to Jamie Scully for the rehabilitation of the historic duplex at 240–242 Charles Street; to Jewels Jarrell Stover for the historic tax-credit rehabilitation of the circa-1821 historic dwelling at 507 Caroline Street; and to Jarrell Properties for the restoration of the iconic mid-century Goolrick’s Pharmacy sign.
The Preservation Spark Award went to Betty Westerlund and Naomi Hoehn of Town & Country Elite Realty for rehabilitation of the historic house at 1315 Charles Street.
The Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship went to Chris Whitman of Habilis Construction for his work on the conservation, repair, and restoration of Lewis Store’s sandstone quoins.
The President’s Award went to A. Blanton Massey for his work preserving stories and places associated with the free Black DeBaptiste family.
The President’s Exceptional Service Award went to Hamilton Palmer for decades of support for historic preservation and rehabilitation in downtown Fredericksburg.
The Edward D. Alvey Jr. Education Award went to Michael Spencer, professor of historic preservation at University of Mary Washington, for excellence in the field. In addition to teaching, Spencer assists organizations such as Washington Heritage Museums, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, George Washington Foundation, and HFFI in caring for “some of the area’s oldest and most significant structures,” according to the press release.
A Special Recognition Award went to the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia and the University of Mary Washinton Historic Preservation-Special Collections Library for the preservation, digitization, and dissemination of invaluable historic insurance records produced for the state’s oldest insurance company since 1794.
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