Preservation Zebulon honored Tony Williamson with its Merit Award and bestowed its Historic Rehabilitation Award on Tom Hendrickson during the nonprofit’s “Zebulation” awards banquet on Nov. 2. Williamson won the Merit Award for his efforts to bring history and preservation into the community through leadership of the Little River Historical Society, for his leadership in getting the Zebulon Record digitized and for his multi-year work to preserve the architectural integrity and beauty of the Horton Kimball House, according to Preservation Zebulon Executive Director MaryBeth Carpernter. The Horton Kimball House was built by Sidney Horton in the Wakefield community near Zebulon. Williamson bought the historic property in 2017.
Hendrickson won the Historic Rehabilitation Award for his work to renovate the R.J. Whitley Building at 113 N. Arendell Ave. Erected in 1917, the 4,750-square-foot building is within Zebulon’s National Register Historic District and the downtown business district’s core. The renovation included installing a new roof, restoring the storefront, adding a pressed tin ceiling, wood flooring and a freight elevator and installing a new subfloor. The second floor was repurposed for office space and existing plaster walls on botch floors were restored. Americans with Disabilities Act compliant upgrades were made, and new mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems were installed to reflect the original architecture. The window and doorway casing were preserved and new energy-efficient and historically appropriate windows were installed, Carpenter said. Original masonry and decorative elements were cleaned, preserved and protected. The project provides space for the Creative Cup coffee shop, offices, gathering space and art classes downtown and serves as a significant gathering spot in the downtown corridor.