Honor Awards
Each year Preservation Zebulon honors local citizens and/or the properties and their owners who are active in the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of the architectural environment in Zebulon, North Carolina.
Preservation Merit Awards
Preservation Zebulon honors local citizens and the properties and their owners who are active in the preservation, restoration, or rehabilitation of the architectural environment in Zebulon, NC.
- Preservation: Significant participation in the rehabilitation, restoration, and/or adaptive use of structures, sites, historic districts, and/or streetscapes, that are sensitive to their historical integrity.
- Leadership: Significant accomplishments in preservation that reflect sustained efforts, high standards, and integrity.
- Promotion: Increasing visibility and/or awareness of Zebulon’s historic resources.
- Philanthropy: Financial assistance to a preservation project through gifts of money or provisions of special financing.
- Research: Significant research or writing published or otherwise, available to the public, that contributes or may contribute to preservation or restoration.
Presented since 2021, a maximum of two (2) Awards of Merit are given each year. These Awards of Merit give deserved recognition to individuals or organizations that have demonstrated a genuine commitment to historic preservation through extraordinary leadership, research, philanthropy, promotion, and/or significant participation in preservation.
2025 Winners
Merit Award Winner – Ryan Harper
Ryan Harper, Producer, has earned this award for promotion of history in the area. Ryan has produced eight shows on Preservation Zebulon activities, including home tours, mill visits, our historic district, and other events for East Wake TV. His eight shows are played throughout eastern Wake County on Spectrum Cable channel 22 and on social media with 20,000+ followers, which increases visibility and awareness of Zebulon’s area history.
Merit Award Winner – Tim Richardson
Zebulon native Tim Richardson wins this award for preserving history through his rich collections of country store memorabilia and service station artifacts, which he has amassed over 50 years of acquiring from local sites. He has also restored these antiques and built two “shops” on his property to showcase his collections, thus keeping local history alive for future generations. Owner of a 1957 Chevy and a 1952 Chevy truck, Tim loves to share their history with all.
PAST MERIT AWARD WINNERS
Honoring those active in the restoration and rehabilitation of the architectural environment, or for the research and promotion of preservation and history in the Zebulon area.
2024 – Michael Pippin and Waylon Deans
2023 – Tom Hendrickson and Tony Williamson
2022 – Jim & Becky Perry, Nelle Estes Carroll
2021 – Ruth Allen Moss and Brian Bullock
Historic Rehabilitation Awards
The Preservation Zebulon Historic Rehabilitation Award, Zebulon’s most prestigious preservation award, is presented to the owner(s) of historically significant properties around Zebulon (individually listed properties on the National Register of Historic Place, contributing structures within the Zebulon Historic District, and properties listed on the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office Study List) who have completed certified historic rehabilitation projects to their contributing structure. These property owner(s) best promote the heritage of Zebulon’s greatest architectural assets by exhibiting the highest qualities of historic preservation through adherence to national preservation and restoration guidelines. An Award is presented to each property owner who has successfully completed a certified historic rehabilitation project within the 12-month period prior to their receipt of the award.