Historic Preservation Awards of Merit Ceremony

Four Historic Preservation Awards of Merit will be presented at an awards ceremony on Wednesday, May 31 at the Kalamazoo Non-Profit Advocacy Coalition (KNAC) at 315 W Michigan Ave. The ceremony will start at 5:30 p.m. in the Clough Room on the first floor.  

The awards honor people or projects that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to preserving local history in Kalamazoo. They are presented annually in May, which is recognized as Historic Preservation Month.  

Kalamazoo’s Historic Preservation Coordinator will welcome guests to the event and provide remarks about the awards and preservation in Kalamazoo. A video will be shown recognizing each award winner, before the person or project representative is presented with the award and given the opportunity to give remarks. Past winners include the Kalamazoo State Theatre, a book on the history of the Oakwood neighborhood, and the KNAC building where the ceremony will be held (formerly the First Baptist Church). Information on 2022 award winners is available here.  

“The Awards of Merit highlight the work that private citizens are doing to maintain the historic character of our city,’ explained Luis Pena, Kalamazoo’s Historic Preservation Coordinator. “There’s so much fascinating history in Kalamazoo and it's inspiring to see the ways our community is working to make sure it is not lost.”  

The awards ceremony is open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend to learn about these projects and historic preservation work in the city. Light refreshments will be served.