New Bedford Homeowners Recognized by the
New Bedford Preservation Society

In 1997 the New Bedford Preservation Society established the Elm Award to recognize those individuals or organizations that have done an outstanding job in either the ongoing maintenance, preservation, restoration or adaptive reuse of their historic property.  This year’s Elm Awards were presented at the New Bedford Preservation Society’s recent Plaque and Elm Award Ceremony held on May 13 at the downtown New Bedford library. Recipients were John Aevazelis (91 State Street); Blair and Jessica Bailey (329 Hawthorn Street); Lucy Bly (290 Sawyer Street); Community Action for Better Housing (the old Touraine/Waverly Hotel at 1162/1168 Acushnet Avenue); Sheila A. Giscombe (353 Pleasant Street); Marc and Jennifer Leblanc (341 Wood Street); Henry S. Mastey (20 Rotch Street); Patricia Mcguire (214 Maple Street); Mark C. W. Montigny (94 Hawthorn Street); F. Lee Nason (498 Cottage Street); Debra Rodrigues (257 Chestnut Street); and James Tomasia II (73 Mount Pleasant Street).

Wood Street Before	Wood Street After
Mt. Pleasant Before	Mt. Pleasant After

The society was pleased to award a plaque to Steven and Jacqueline Naja for their 1916 home at 24 Hussey Street, designated as the Mary E. Bacon House. The Preservation Society has been awarding plaques since 1976. Recognizing the diversity of the city’s neighborhoods, the society has recently developed a more inclusive, multi-tier marker program that reinforces the collective memory of many diverse people, past and present, and which builds understanding and neighborhood pride. The Historic Marker Program now consists of three distinct marker types: Level 1 and 2 markers that denote style, based on values of architectural significance, and a third marker (Level 3) that denotes a significant person or event having been associated with the property.

The program concluded with the presentation of the society’s prestigious Lifetime Preservation Award to Jean and Arthur Bennett for their many years of significant contribution to the preservation community in New Bedford.

Society president Mark P. Fuller highlighted the awardees in a PowerPoint presentation which featured the honored properties as well as a look back at the many significant architectural treasures which no longer exist in the city. As May is National Preservation Month, it was an appropriate tribute to those who have accomplished much in preserving this city’s great architectural heritage.  

In addition to the Historic Marker Program, other society projects include New Bedford Re-Leaf, the production of Historic District Walking tour brochures, Summer Afternoon Walking Tours, Historical Cemetery Tours, Semi-annual House Tours, and other programs.

The society has plans to host a “Lawn Bowling” event on Saturday afternoon, June 5, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Hazelwood Park Festival and on June 26 (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) a tour of the South Side of the historic Oak Grove Cemetery. To learn more about these and other society programs, call 508.997.6425 or visit nbpreservationsociety.org