Everett's 'Quiet Award' Honors Local History Keepers

During Everett’s early boom years around the turn of the last century, William F. Brown decided not to demolish an early settler’s cabin.

Instead, the engineer and surveyor, who laid out much of Everett’s east side, sought to preserve it as a part of the city’s history.

Ultimately the cabin was torn down and rapidly forgotten.

Yet his spirit for preservation lives on with every lovingly restored house or commercial building.

Since 1977, the Everett Historical Commission has selected outstanding examples of historic preservation for its William F. Brown Awards.

The semiannual awards “seek to increase awareness of local history and to promote historic preservation,” said Jack O’Donnell, a longtime historical commission member who will emcee the awards ceremony on Saturday, May 4.

In previous years, the Everett Historical Commission hosted the William F. Brown Awards at a quiet ceremony with the awardees and the Mayor of Everett handing out the awards. Due to budget restrictions, the Historical Commission was not able to make provisions for the event this year. In a strong effort to keep this nod to historic preservation alive and make Everett residents aware of the event, Historic Everett stepped in to combine efforts and funding.

Scott Bader, Everett City Council President will be present to hand out the awards. Bader lives in the Delta Neighborhood, a neighborhood with many of our cities former mill worker cottages and homes still standing.

This home, was saved from the wrecking ball and turned into a six-room apartment // Courtesy Andrea Tucker

Co-chairs Andrea Tucker and Paul Popelka, along with city staff liaison Karen Stewart, have organized this year's event. Tucker is a board member of Historic Everett and is a Commissioner on the Everett Historical Commission and Popelka is a Historic Everett board member and recently retired from the city of Everett Planning Department.

A powerpoint presentation will project images of the homes, buildings and people who will be honored at the event.

Awardees and their families or friends often attend and are invited to speak and relay details of their preservation efforts.

This years' lifetime achievement awardee is Larry O'Donnell. Larry has been a leader in historic preservation, is an author and has lead guided tours in our historic neighborhoods and waterfront.

We look forward to seeing everyone at the 2019 William F. Brown Award Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. at the Weyerhaeuser Room at the Everett Transit Center on Smith Avenue. This is a free event and refreshments will be served.