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Legacy Award Winners
 2007:
Robert W. Harms and John T. Goff
The Legacy Award is presented annually by Preservation North
Dakota for exceptional achievement in preserving the historical, architectural
and cultural environment of North Dakota. Individuals and groups that have
made significant contributions to furthering preservation may be nominated
to receive recognition. The accomplishments of those honored should serve as
an example of exceptional merit for others.
The Preservation North Dakota 2007 Legacy Award was presented
to Robert W. Harms and John T. Goff, Attorneys
at Law, who took up the cause of defending the "Save the Jail" citizen action
group in their battle against the government of Cass County. John Strand and
Netty Berger were asked to help present the award.
Attorneys Robert W. Harms of Bismarck and John T. Goff of Fargo will soon
be in front of the ND Supreme Court vigorously and selflessly defending citizens'
rights to advocate for preservation of historic public buildings without fear
of retribution by their very own elected officials.
This is the second time to the ND Supreme Court. The heretofore unheralded
and unparalleled contribution of time, knowledge, professional services, and
principled and complex legal challenges, represents no less than $150,000 in
unpaid legal fees. They were doing it for principle. They were doing it for
citizen preservationists.
The "Save the Jail" citizens group advocated saving, preserving and reusing
the National Historic Register listed Cass County Jail and Sheriff's residence.
The group evolved through time but included numerous civic, business, community
leaders, and citizens. The citizens' effort beginning in April 2001 escalated
to national prominence when in 2003 Cass County sued them for $39,000 damages
over delays in demolition of the sheriff's residence upon the issuance of a
Temporary Restraining Order against Cass County by the presiding Cass County
District Judge.
This, after a second Attorney General Opinion begged the answer to a legal
question whether demolition was part of construction project or not, and whether
it should be voted on by the people before commencing. The first Attorney General
Opinion sought by the Save the Jail Group resulted in two hearings by the North
Dakota Historical Society Board, delaying demolition of the buildings more
than the six days of the Temporary Restraining Order resulting in this "strategic
lawsuit against public participation" or SLAPP suit.
Ultimately, most SLAPP suits are not legally successful. Nevertheless, while
most SLAPP suits do not succeed in court, they "succeed" in the public
arena. This is because defending a SLAPP, even when the legal defense is strong,
requires a substantial investment of money, time, and resources. The resulting
effect "chills" public participation in, and open debate on, important
public issues. This chilling effect is not limited to the SLAPP defendants
-- other people refrain from speaking out on issues of public concern because
they fear being sued for what they say
John Goff and Robert Harms have championed the rights of preservationists
to participate in public activities without fear of reprisal and retribution,
especially by their own government officials. They spent an entire week in
trial in June 2005. There were numerous hearings before that and the Supreme
Court appeals since then.
They never really expected to get much money out of the citizens group they
represented. They paid out of their pockets for court filings, court transcripts,
publication services, legal research, travel, paralegal staff, secretarial
support, and never once blamed the citizens who were already over their heads
in a legal and unprecedented quagmire. They consistently and graciously supported
those citizens and said what the county was doing was wrong and they were committed
to defend citizens' rights.
 Both attorneys stopped billing the citizens group some time ago. And they
are still carrying on with the battle, without fanfare, without pay, just for
principle. Meanwhile, over $75,000 has been paid by taxpayers to the biggest
law firm in the state representing the biggest county in the state over the
damages suit for $39,000 they brought against the citizens.
If strategic lawsuits against public participation become less likely in North
Dakota, it is due to the community service provided to the preservation community
by John T. Goff and Robert W. Harms.
Accepting the awards was Robert W. Harms of Bismarck, ND.
 2006:
Ronald (Ron) L. M. Ramsay
The Preservation North Dakota 2006 Legacy Award was presented to Ronald
(Ron) L. M. Ramsay. Steve Martens, colleague and author of the nomination,
was asked to announce the award.
Ramsay has made significant contributions to furthering preservation in
North Dakota and the northern Plain region by his groundbreaking research
over the past 35-years. He has been a strong influence on dozens of
architecture students who have gone on to successful careers as
preservationists. His involvement with the academic side of preservation
research is matched by his tireless advocacy and public education
activities. Since coming to Fargo in 1971, Ron has been the primary "go to
person" contacted by architects, media interviewers, and citizens groups in
identifying historical architects, and for his informed insights into
changes in the built environment and the architectural profession over time.
As a research consultant he has personally authored several National
Register nominations on behalf of architectural firms undertaking
preservation projects (including the Great Northern Freight Warehouses,
Fargo's AOUW Lodge Hall, Lisbon's St. Aloysius School, and Fargo's Northern
Pacific Depot). His intimate knowledge of historic architecture and the
foibles and personality traits of historic architects throughout the state
of North Dakota enables him to treat historic architects almost as members
of his extended family. He is the foremost expert on the life and work of
architects George and Walter Hancock.
 Ramsay
has published and presented extensively on architectural history and preservation
themes. Early in his teaching career Ron led a team of students in authoring
the book Fargo-Moorhead: Guide to Historic Architecture, sponsored by the F-M
Board of Realtors. Ron Ramsay has increased public awareness of historic architecture
and the roles of architects historically. As a lifetime member of the Society
of Architecture Historians, Professor Ramsay is a consummate researcher, whose
knowledge is well respected by scholars nationally. He has been an Associate
Fellow of the Center for Great Plains Studies; Omaha, NE since 1992, and was
recipient of the prestigious deMontquîn Prize for Colonial American History presented at the 1995
National Planning History Conference for his paper "The Crooked Straight and
the Rough Places Plane". In 2000 he made the keynote lecture presentation to
Wisconsin American Institute of Architects on the topic "Historical
Development of the Architectural Profession on the Northern Great Plains"
and he recently made a presentation on architect Cass Gilbert for the
Minnesota Society of Architects in Duluth. Ramsay is justifiably proud of
his dedicated and tireless work "on the chicken salad circuit", where he has
led walking tours and traveled to many North Dakota communities to spread
the gospel with his infectious enthusiasm for historic architecture and
preservation regionally.
Broadly educated at University of Delaware; University of Texas at Austin
(M. Arch. 1992), Columbia University (1970-1971), and University of Oklahoma
(B. Arch. 1970), Ron has introduced architecture history to more than 3000
students in his university courses, and he has led ten international study
tours focused on European architectural history.
Ramsay has served as a volunteer and board member to many preservation
organizations, including:
- Fargo Historic Preservation Commission (former member).
- National Register of Historic Places, N.D. State Review Board (former
member).
- National Trust for Historic Preservation; Board of Advisors (1973-79).
- Society of Architecture Historians (former Board member).
- Preservation North Dakota (former Board member and current advisory board
member)
- Fargo Heritage Society (former Board member)
- Plains Art Museum (former Board member)
- Plains Architecture (founder & current director)
Professor Ramsay has been curator of five important gallery exhibits
celebrating historic architecture:
- "In the Architect's Eye: 100-Years of North Dakota Architecture" (N.D.
Centennial project exhibited at the Plains Art Museum in Moorhead, N.D.
Heritage Center in Bismarck, and N.D. Museum of Art in Grand Forks),
- "The Life and Architecture of Milton Earl Beebe" (Rourke Gallery, 1990),
- "Seeking Connections/Comparing Visions" (with Steve Martens, for the
Plains Art Museum, 1997-98),
- "George Hancock: North Dakota Pioneer Architect", sesquicentennial exhibit
(1999), and
- "The Architectural Work of Joseph Rosatti" (Spirit Room Gallery, 2005).
 Ramsay has long been fascinated with liturgical architecture and with the
personalities of architects who designed churches historically. He has
extensively researched the design collaborations on North Dakota's
Fieldstone Episcopal Churches and has built a collection of more than 200
historic postcards that illustrate the history and evolution of the Akron
Auditorium church plan. He created "A Biographical Dictionary of Great
Plains Architects"; an interactive website devoted to the history of
development of the architectural profession on the northern Plains before
1930. In 2004, Ron co-authored a chapter on "Great Plains Architecture" for
the book Regional Cultures of the Great Plains. Ron is also collaborating on
the book Buildings of North Dakota, which was the subject of a presentation
to the 2004 Preservation North Dakota history conference in Grand Forks.
Perhaps Ron Ramsay's most lasting achievement will be the impact he has had
by stimulating a preservation ethic among others. In his 2004 preservation
conference presentation at the Fargo Theater, NDSU alumnus Doug Burgum
acknowledged that, "my enthusiasm for historic buildings was in large part
sparked by the time I spent in Ron Ramsay's 'Architectural History' survey
course." Senator Byron Dorgan has written glowingly of Ron Ramsay's
"long-term dedication" to the historic built environment. Many of his former
students have gone on to careers specializing in important preservation work
regionally, nationally, and even internationally. As a mentor and an
advocate for historic preservation in North Dakota, Ron Ramsay has truly
made a difference in valuing and preserving historic architecture.
Accepting the award was Ronald (Ron) L. M. Ramsay.
2005: Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission
The Preservation North Dakota 2005 Legacy Award was presented to the Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission. On April 19, 1997, the Red River crested at 54 feet in Grand Forks inundating the community with water. Simultaneously, fires leveled portions of the historic downtown. Within the week, the men and women of the Commission were consulting with state and national authorities to protect and preserve Grand Forks' irreplaceable history. The Commission began meeting several times a week and for long hours. When the Army Corps of Engineers proposed a dike line that would demolish more than a hundred historic homes and businesses, Commissioners asked challenging questions and pushed for innovative answers. Their actions resulted in the relocation of the dike line, which saved downtown businesses and riverfront homes, and a program to relocate historic homes that would be outside the protection of the dike.
The Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission has been instrumental in saving and developing rehabilitation funding for the Metropolitan Opera House, in relocating the Campbell House and keeping it on the National Register, in relocating one of the oldest surviving buildings in Grand Forks — a "boomtown" storefront structure on S. 3rd St., and in relocating or saving-in-place more than 100 historic homes. When the Army Corps of Engineers proposed demolition of the former St. Michael's Hospital, the Commission vehemently resisted; they instigated discussions and encouraged partnerships that resulted in saving the building in place and at a much lower cost than demolition.
The Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission believed in Grand Forks, its historic neighborhoods, and its comeback. It proved this by devoting thousands of volunteer hours to the effort; in fact, over $14,000 worth of volunteer time within the first five months alone.
The community has been well served since 1997 by the following Commission members: Dave Beach, Laura Bergman, Beth Bouley, Madelyn Camrud, Tracy Doe, Al Dostert, Chuck Flemmer, Marsha Gunderson, Gordon Iseminger, Ted Jelliff, Adele Kupchella, Melinda Leach, Randy Lee, Rolf Ottum, Ken Polovitz, Fred Schneider, Dale Sickels, Sandy Slater, David Thompson, Lonny B. Winrich, former Coordinator; Peg O'Leary, current Coordinator.
Accepting the award were Grand Forks Historic Preservation Commission Chairperson Marsha Gunderson and Coordinator Peg O'Leary.
2004: Barbara McCormick
The Preservation North Dakota 2004 Legacy Award was presented to Barbara McCormick for her dedicated efforts to the restoration and preservation of the architectural heritage of Devils Lake. Barbara McCormick is a regional representative of the Local History Council, a statewide organization of historical societies in North Dakota. She is involved with the Lake Region Pioneer Daughters Museum located in a historic building at Fort Totten and has assisted with the development of the Totten Trails Inn, an adaptive reuse of one of the historic buildings at Fort Totten. She just recently ended 11 years of service on the board of the Lake Region Historical Society, located in the historic Post Office Building in downtown Devils Lake. She is currently chairperson of the Devils Lake Historic Preservation Commission. While serving on this commission she has written the National Register nominations for the Masonic Temple, the Carnegie Library and assisted with the nomination for Central School, and the Episcopal Church of the Advent and Parish Hall --all important buildings in Devils Lake. Barbara is an active member of the board of Museums in North Dakota, and has served as president in the recent past. Barbara has worked with the development and reuse of the historic Ramsey County Sheriff's Residence as a museum. She was a member of the Devils Lake Public Library board, and hopes to receive word soon of her acceptance as a Daughter of the American Revolution. Barbara has worked tirelessly with local, state and national efforts to accomplish and promote these projects
Barbara has demonstrated foresight in the realization that historic preservation is a way to carry on community traditions and shape the cultural identity of future generations. Barbara has done more than her fair share to insure that an incredible legacy of community, history and ancestry, is preserved.
Accepting the award was Barbara McCormick.
2003: Tonset Church Historical Society
The Preservation North Dakota 2003 Legacy Award was presented to Tonset Church Historical Society for their dedication to the restoration and preservation of Tonset Church after the tragic fire that almost took the entire church as it burned the steeple to the ground. In June of 2002, the building was struck by lightening during a summer storm.
They have not only demonstrated foresight in the realization that historic preservation is a way to carry on community traditions and shape the cultural identity of future generations, but also believe that without reminders of where we have come from, we will not know where we are headed. The group's motto in tackling what seemed like insurmountable odds as they took on the project was "Now it's OUR turn." With a little assistance, and a lot of dedication, they have insured that an incredible legacy of community, history, and ancestry is preserved.
Accepting the award were Sam and Linda Thomas, Ody and Bernice Berg, and Shirley McEvers.
2002: Dr. Ellen Chaffee
The Preservation North Dakota 2002 Legacy Award was presented to Dr. Ellen Chaffee of Valley City State University, Valley City, ND and former President of Mayville State University, Mayville, ND.
Dr. Ellen Chaffee was selected for her preservation advocacy on college campuses. She has led the efforts for historic preservation/renovation of buildings at VCSU (Old Main and the President's House) and also several structures at Mayville State University. Dr. Chaffee has been instrumental in sharing her understanding of how historic buildings and their irreplaceable architecture continue traditions, and help develop academic values in the modern world. She has demonstrated foresight in the realization that preservation is not just a way to preserve a building or provide space for classrooms, but as a way to carry on traditions and shape the cultural identity of future generations.
Accepting the award on behalf of Dr. Chaffee was Janice Stowman of Valley City, ND.
2001: Father William Sherman
The Preservation North Dakota 2001 Legacy Award is presented to Father William Sherman of Grand Forks. Father Sherman was selected because of his understanding and research into how buildings and architecture reflect ethnic traits; and how these buildings in turn continue traditions, and help develop values and beliefs in the modern world. He has demonstrated foresight in the realization that preservation is not just a way to preserve a building, but a way to carry on traditions, and shape the cultural identity of future generations.
William Sherman grew up in Oregon and North Carolina, but came to North Dakota during World War II and fell in love with the beauty of the land and the people. He was ordained in the Catholic Diocese of Fargo in 1955, and then after short stays in other parishes, served seventeen years at St. Mary's Cathedral in Fargo. He has been at St. Michael's Catholic Church in Grand Forks for more than twenty-five years.
Now, some would consider religious duties a full time job, but Father Sherman was interested in Sociology — Sociology "heavy in history" as he describes it. He earned his B.A. from St. Johns University, Collegeville, MN in 1951 and his M. A. at the University of North Dakota, Grand Forks in 1965. "Professor" Sherman joined the faculty at North Dakota State University, Fargo in 1967. He was not only interested in the peoples who settled the plains of North Dakota, but also felt that the reasons they stayed were just as important, if not more so. He taught Sociology of Religion and Great Plains Sociology. His major interest is in German/Russian and Ukrainian history. "Professor" Sherman says "I was drawn to the settlement history of the Dakota prairie because it is such a short history, only a hundred years old, therefore I was actually able to visit with some of the original homesteaders over the years." He believes North Dakota is blessed, as a "garden of diverse ethnic groups." He officially retired from active teaching at NDSU in 2000.
Father Sherman co-wrote the National Register of Historic Places Nomination for St. Michael's Catholic Church, Grand Forks. After the disastrous Red River Flood of 1997, he was instrumental in the recovery and painstaking restoration efforts at St. Michael's. He researched, recruited and lead the charge to ensure that restoration was done - not remodeling. He also made sure that the restoration was well done -- all of this after losing much of his personal research and records when his own office flooded.
Again, many of you would think that with religious duties and the responsibilities of a being a college professor, there would be little time for anything else. However, Father Sherman in his "spare time" has managed to research, author, edit and collaborate on numerous publications, including:
- Prairie Mosaic: An Ethnic Atlas of Rural North Dakota
- Plains Folk: North Dakota's Ethnic History
- Scattered Steeples: Fargo Diocese, A Written Celebration of its Centennial
- African Americans in North Dakota: Sources and Assessments
His current projects include: Syrian/Lebanese in North Dakota and Eastern European Folk Housing in North Dakota.
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