John Wesley Powell Prize Nominations

John Wesley Powell Prize
Historic Preservation and Historical Display Projects

The Historic Preservation and Historical Display Prize annually honors distinction by an individual or principal collaborators for a single historical display/interpretation project, or historic preservation project completed in the last two years. The award is given for any form of interpretive historical presentation including, but not limited to, museum exhibits, interpretive media products, or programs; or to any project involving the preservation of records, artifacts, buildings, historical sites, and other historical entities. The prize rotates annually between projects of historical display/interpretation (awarded in odd years) and those of historic preservation (awarded in even years).

The Powell Prize commemorates the explorer and federal administrator whose work demonstrated early recognition of the importance of historic preservation and historical display.

Submission Guidelines for 2019 Prize – Historical Display/Interpretation

Eligibility
The prize will be conferred on a project created by any agency or unit of the federal government. Nongovernmental organizations, including federal contractors, who performed eligible activities on behalf of a unit of the federal government will also be considered. Projects may be renominated, as long as the renomination includes a description of any updates since the original nomination.

Eligible projects include, but are not limited to, the following:

Historical Display/Interpretation (odd years)

• Exhibits – in museums, cultural centers, and other public venues;
• Public Interpretive Programs – lecture series, walking tours, oral history projects, outreach activities, educational offerings, workshops, etc.;
• Major Initiatives– anniversary projects, agency initiatives, commemorative projects;

 Preservation Activities (even years)

• Restoration projects dedicated to preserving historic properties,
• Major programs that contribute to larger historic preservation efforts. 

Evaluation Criteria:

Nominations and supporting materials should specifically address the following criteria:

1. Exemplary practices that serve as models for future federal activity.

2. Significant value in furthering history in and of the federal government.

3. The quality of historical research and interpretation resulting from the use of archival material, material culture, oral history, or any other appropriate form of documentary evidence.

4. (When applicable) A high level of technical expertise in the field of historic preservation including rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction, and preservation projects that are in line with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties.

Submission Process:

The award is made solely on the basis of the materials submitted to the Powell Prize Committee.

1.  Nominations should be submitted through Google Forms (at http://www.shfg.org/page-18274). The deadline for submission of all materials for the 2019 cycle is Friday, November 16, 2018.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have issues submitting through Google Forms from a government email address, please try using a personal account. If you continue to have issues, contact Mattea Sanders at msande27@gmail.com to obtain a physical mail address. 

2. Nominations should be submitted in the form of a written narrative not to exceed 1,000 words and a separate explanation of how the project succinctly addresses the evaluation criteria of less than 500 words.

3. Supporting visual materials of key aspects of the activity or project, appropriately labeled. These materials may include: photographs (digital or hard copies), plans, elevations, brochures, or newsclips (all submitted material becomes the property of SHFG). Supplemental materials should be emailed to msande27@gmail.com with the title of the project in the subject line. 

If you have questions, please contact one of the panel members:

Alexandra Wenzl
Historian, Region 6 Program Manager, U.S. Forest Service
awenzl@fs.fed.us

Virginia Parks
Cultural Resources Team, Region 1, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
virginia_parks@fws.gov

Caridad de la Vega, Historian
National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service
caridad_de_la_vega@nps.gov