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Former HAPC chair wins prestigious education award

By Nadya Korytnikova, For The Miami Student

Each year, the State Historic Preservation Office in Columbus presents The Public Education and Awareness Award. This year, during the 33rd annual Preservation Award Luncheon, Oxford's very own Laura Henderson was honored.

Henderson served on Oxford's HAPC from 2004-14 and was Chair of Commission in 2014. Before her retirement, she was registrar and collections manager for the Miami University Art Museum.

According to the State Historic Preservation Office, this award is honored to a person who has taken a huge role in maintaining historic preservations in their region.

The recipient of this award is required to take part in service, educational programs and many other activities that increase public awareness of important historical sites.

"I hope that [this recognition] will go beyond a personal achievement," Henderson said, "and not only encourage people to continue and expand the programs, but bring public attention to Oxford as a caring community that respects and preserves its rich culture and historic architecture."

Awards are presented in two categories: Public Education and Awareness, and Preservation Merit.

Henderson was one of three recipients in the state to be honored for Public Education and Awareness projects. The award is for increasing interest in historic preservation.

Originally from New York, Henderson earned degrees in art and historic preservation. Prior to coming to Ohio, she worked in several museums and served on a city planning commission. Henderson's earlier career involved dealing in Asian art and antiques, decorative arts and jewelry. She also worked in interior design.

Upon moving to Oxford in 2001, Henderson volunteered to serve for HAPC, a commission which is responsible for maintaining the original look of the city by protecting historical structures and sites.

"Laura and I volunteered in HAPC," HAPC Vice-chair Kim Peterka said. "We would volunteer to work on projects and bring up ideas in the meetings held in the Municipal building."

In 2004, during Henderson's first term in the preservation commission, HAPC was subject to criticism from the community. The organization not only was required to protect the historical look of older houses in the area, but also enforced strict design rules to buildings in order for them to fit into the historical look of the town.

Overtime, Henderson helped to change the community's perspective of the HAPC. She organized annual guided tours of Oxford's historic sites and created a new historic brochure for Oxford residents.

"We advised people within the town that if they are going to build a new structure to think about how it would be compatible within the landscape of Uptown Oxford," Peterka said.

Throughout her career in HAPC, Laura took on many roles in preserving Oxford to its original look. In 2004, she suggested the creation of a historic marker program put into place to honor historically marked buildings in order to showcase their historical significance.

Some of these buildings include First Presbyterian Church, built in 1810, and the Serpent Mound and Wilson-Huston houses. These historical structures are located Uptown.

In 2008 she created guideline-walking tours, which take people through Oxford historical sites. This project has been very successful. During the first month, at least 30 people came to each tour to learn more about the history of the town.

In 2009, Henderson participated in the "This Place Matters" program, which encouraged people to protest and preserve historical places that matter to them.

It is because of Henderson's efforts that the public has been made more aware of Oxford's historical importance and the need for its preservation.