During Everett’s early boom years around the turn of the last century, William F. Brown decided not to demolish an early settler’s cabin.
Instead, the engineer and surveyor, who laid out much of Everett’s east side, sought to preserve it as a part of the city’s history.
Ultimately Brown’s effort was futile. The cabin was torn down and forgotten.
Yet his spirit for preservation lives on with every lovingly restored house or commercial building.
Since 1977, the Everett Historical Commission has selected outstanding examples of historic preservation for its William F. Brown Awards. The semiannual awards seek to increase awareness of local history and to promote historic preservation, said Jack O’Donnell, a longtime historical commission member who will emcee Saturday’s awards ceremony.
“Sometimes you have to go the extra mile if you want it to look right,” said O’Donnell.
This year, Margaret Riddle, an Everett Public Library historian, is getting a Brown award for a lifetime of achievement in Historic Preservation.
Other winners of the 2008 William F. Brown Awards include:
Patty Lohse for her historic 1910 Craftsman at 2211 Grand Ave.
Jim and Mary Dean for the triplex that they’ve converted back to a single-family home at 3222 Grand Ave.
Jim and Karen Staniford for their Grand Leader commercial building at 1508 Hewitt Ave.
Richard Smith and Anthony Wellnitz for the Craftsman with a new four-color paint job at 1731 Lombard Ave.
Patsy Lee Carlson for her remodeled house at 2221 McDougall Ave.
Jesse and Angelina Hopson for their house at 1601 Oakes Ave. The couple removed aluminum siding from the house and did other work to save the integrity of the house’s architecture.
Andy and Kaye Hall for the newly renovated Challacombe, Fickel &Precht funeral home at 2727 Oakes Ave. Hall’s architectural firm, Botesch, Nash and Hall, is now in the building.
Don and Mary Westley for their well-maintained house at 1818 Rucker Ave. The Westleys have lived in the home since 1952.
Jon and Wendy Iseman, the new owners of the restored house at 2504 Wetmore Ave.
Steve Hagar for Houses on Donovan Lane. Hager saved 11 Donovan homes from demolition to make room for a hospital expansion by moving them to a new street, Donovan Lane.
If you go
What: William F. Brown Awards
Day: Saturday
Time: 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: The Weyerhaeuser Room at Everett Station, 3201 Smith Ave.
Cost: Free
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