Pat White named Preservationist of the Year

MT. PLEASANT — As history preservation enthusiasts flocked to Mt. Pleasant last week for the Preserve Iowa Summit, Mt. Pleasant’s very own unofficial historian Pat White received the Martha Hayes Preservationist of the Year Award.

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The summit brought attendees from all over the state to downtown Mt. Pleasant for a variety of breakout session, mobile workshops, and hands-on education training in addition to a keynote address from The National Trust from Historic Preservation’s Senior Vice President Brent Leggs.

“I thought the summit was a huge success,” event volunteer and Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission member Mary Elgar said.

The event was a coordinated effort between the Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission, the City of Mt. Pleasant, and Iowa Economic Development Authority’s State Historic Preservation Office. A standout moment of the three-day summit included Pat White receiving the Preservationist of the Year Award.

It only seemed fitting that a Mt. Pleasant individual would receive this award at the summit held in the very town Martha Hayes spent her life. This award is presented in honor of Hayes for her significant work in the preservation of Iowa history, especially that which pertained to her home of Mt. Pleasant. Hayes was a founding member of the Iowa Historic Preservation Alliance now known as Preservation Iowa which presented this award to White at the Preserve Iowa Summit last Thursday evening.

With a long history of her own in the Mt. Pleasant Community and a love of Henry County History, White appeared an obvious choice for the nomination, which the Preservation Iowa organization presents to an “individual or group that has championed historic preservation planning, policy or activities in Iowa.”

“We just thought since Martha had been one of Pat’s mentors, the summit was in Mt. Pleasant, and Pat had been part of the planning committee, we just thought that was the perfect time for her to get that award,” Elgar said.

White could not express her full gratitude upon receiving the award.

“It was an absolute shock,” White said. “My mind was so focused on all the other activities and things that have been going on during the summit.”

In fact, White had such little idea that she would receive this award that she nearly missed the announcement and made her husband, Kent, nervous as she left the Heatilator auditorium to deal with a bit of a coughing fit.

“I got this tickle in my throat and I start coughing and coughing and after a minute or two I tell Kent I have to go out into the hallway,” White recalled.

She reentered the auditorium just in time, though, as her husband geared up to go fetch her and friend texted her that she needed to return.

“So, I was standing in the back and the room, and can I see the Preservationist of the Year award and I see my name up there,” White said. “And I didn't think too much about it because I helped write the little biography about Martha, which was shown first. Then they announced my name and that is when the tears started flowing and people clapped and everything.”

According to an initial letter of nomination, which Elgar and fellow commission member Deb Savage later had to shorten due to character restrictions on the application, “Pat is a dedicated volunteer for the Henry County Heritage Trust & Museum, Henry County Historic Preservation, the Mt. Pleasant Historic Preservation Commission, the Henry County Pioneer Cemetery Commission, Main Street Mount Pleasant and serves as an adviser to all the small museums in Henry County.”

In this letter, which Elgar calls a Valentine to White, the two women outline the great impact White has made in the historic preservation of Henry County.

“She is the unofficial ‘Mt. Pleasant historian,’” they stated. “Her skill set matches the needs of all these groups. Her financial acumen makes her the logical choice to be the Treasurer for many organizations and projects. She is a meticulous organizer. Not only is she the curator for the Mt. Pleasant and Henry County records, she has helped design the museum-quality exhibits at the Henry County Heritage Trust in the former Saunders School building. Her concise and informative grant applications have been funded to benefit several nonprofits in Mt. Pleasant and Henry County. Her cheerful disposition allows her to thoughtfully engage with volunteers and families seeking genealogy information from all corners of the United States.”

White’s work in Henry County historic preservation includes serving as one of the first members of the events committee at Harlan-Lincoln House and continuing work with this historic sight in the interim after Iowa Wesleyan University closed and before Harlan-Lincoln House became it’s own nonprofit entity.

She also served as a member of the leadership team for the Union Block Renovations which raised $3.9 million to renovate the landmark building on the north side of the Mt. Pleasant square. White researched the history of this building with the award namesake Hayes.

White also assisted in moving and renovating the Van Allen House next to the Saunders School following a donation of the home. She helped establish the Henry County Heritage Trust and Museum after a donation from the Jared Hills family in 2007.

Working alongside numerous volunteers, White’s leadership in Henry County preservation also touched the Lewelling Quacker Museum in Salem as she played an instrumental role in correcting misinformation concerning Lieutenant Adam Kimple.

Most recently, White’s passion served Henry County’s preservation efforts as she worked alongside many to preserve much of the history of Iowa Wesleyan and open the Iowa Wesleyan Archives Room in the Henry County Heritage Trust and Museum this year.

“This was an appreciation for all of the things [Pat White] has done for nearly 25 years,” Elgar said of nominating the well-known and much-appreciated historian Pat White for this award.

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com