The Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc. (HFFI) celebrated outstanding contributions to historic preservation during its 71st Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, March 14, 2026. The event honored individuals, businesses, and organizations for their exceptional efforts in safeguarding the Fredericksburg area’s unique cultural heritage and historic built environment.
The awards highlight a range of projects and lifelong commitments that protect the city’s architectural legacy, from rehabilitating historic homes to restoring iconic signage and conserving key structures.
Among the honorees were recipients of the E. Boyd Graves Excellence in Preservation Awards:
– James Scully, for the rehabilitation of the historic duplex at 240–242 Charles Street.
– Jewels Jarrell Stover, for the historic tax-credit rehabilitation of the circa-1821 dwelling at 507 Caroline Street.
– Jarrell Properties, for the restoration of the iconic mid-century Goolrick’s pharmacy sign, a beloved landmark in downtown Fredericksburg.
The Preservation Spark Award was presented to Betty Westerlund and Naomi Hoehn of Town & Country Elite Realty for their rehabilitation work on the historic house at 1315 Charles Street.
Chris Whitman of Habilis Construction earned the Award for Excellence in Craftsmanship for his meticulous conservation, repair, and restoration of the sandstone quoins at the Lewis Store, one of Fredericksburg’s oldest and most significant buildings.
Blanton Massey received the President’s Award for his dedication to preserving stories and places tied to the DeBaptiste family, a prominent family of free Blacks in the region’s history.
Hamilton Palmer was honored with the President’s Exceptional Service Award for his decades of support for historic preservation and the rehabilitation of significant resources in downtown Fredericksburg.
Professor Michael Spencer of the University of Mary Washington’s Historic Preservation Department was awarded the Dr. Edward D. Alvey, Jr., Education Award. Spencer was recognized for his professional excellence and generous assistance to organizations, including Washington Heritage Museums, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, the George Washington Foundation, and HFFI, in maintaining some of the area’s most important historic structures.
A Special Recognition Award went to the Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia and the University of Mary Washington Historic Preservation-Special Collections Library for their work in preserving, digitizing, and sharing historic insurance records dating back to 1794 from the state’s oldest insurance company.
The HFFI Board of Directors expressed deep appreciation for these recipients’ unwavering commitment. “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 organization stated.
These awards underscore ongoing efforts to maintain Fredericksburg’s vibrant historic character amid modern development.
For more information about the Historic Fredericksburg Foundation, Inc., including membership and upcoming events, visit hffi.org.
