Brewster Launches Historic Preservation Awards

BREWSTER – Do you have an old home you’ve restored, or perhaps you admire a historic structure or building in Brewster that has been brought back to life? 

In conjunction with the nation’s 250th birthday, celebrated last weekend, three local groups have decided to honor local exemplars with the inaugural Brewster Historical Preservation Awards. 

The Brewster Historical Commission is seeking nominations for the awards. The call opened July 1 and will close Aug. 31. The awards are co-sponsored by the Old Kings Highway Historic District Commission and the Brewster Historical Society.

 “I have talked with [Town Manager] Peter [Lombardi] and they are willing to modestly fund plaques which would be put on the houses we choose,” Historic Commission Chair George Boyd said at the group’s May 28 meeting.

The award is to recognize property owners who have shown exceptional stewardship of buildings or land, restored or reused the properties.

A property has to be 75 years old or more to qualify as historic, meaning it must have been built before 1951. While much of the discussion by the historical commission revolved around homes, the structure could be a town building, a commercial business, a landscape, streetscape, vista or an archeological site. The focus is on exterior preservation and updates that maintain historic integrity. 

Judging will be based on historical and architectural significance, sensitivity to history, craftsmanship and use of historically accurate materials and impact on the town’s fabric and neighborhoods. 

Nomination forms are available at the historic committee’s page on the town’s website.