Department of Historic Resources
Contact: Randy Jones
Department of Historic Resources
(540) 568-8175
Randy.Jones@dhr.virginia.gov
U.S. Secretary of Interior Honors
DHR Architectural Historian Calder Loth
–Through his role at the Virgnia Department of Historic Resources, Calder Loth has shaped Virginia’s preservation programs and gained international recognition for his outstanding scholarship and educational outreach--
RICHMOND – Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne yesterday (December 4) presented Calder Loth, a senior architectural historian with Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources, the first annual “Secretary of the Interior Historic Preservation Award.”
Calder Loth, who has worked with the Department of Historic Resources and its predecessor agency since 1968, received the award during a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Interior’s headquarters in Washington.
As one of four government employees working in historic preservation in the nation to be honored, Calder Loth received his award in the category designated for an employee within a state historic preservation office (SHPO), a function of the Department of Historic Resources in Virginia. Every state has a SHPO, as required by the National Historic Preservation Act passed by Congress in 1966.
“These awards are the equivalent of an Emmy award in the field of historic preservation,” Secretary Kempthorne said during the ceremony in his office. “The ingenuity and dedication of these individuals are inspiring.”
The Secretary’s award recognizes Calder Loth’s “career spanning four decades” as an architectural historian. “Calder Loth has shaped the direction of historic preservation programs from survey and National Register listings to rehabilitation tax credits, review and compliance, and preservation easements. He has inspired generations of preservation professionals,” according to Secretary Kempthorne.
“Calder has played an integral role in Virginia’s historic preservation easement program for the entire life of this nationally recognized protection program. The state of Virginia holds over 450 historic preservation easements today and operates one of the most successful easement programs in the country,” the Secretary noted.
Calder Loth was nominated for the award by DHR Director Kathleen S. Kilpatrick.
“Through his public lectures, books, articles, and service on various foundation boards, Calder Loth has, in many respects, has been the voice of preservation in Virginia for over 40 years,” said Kilpatrick.
“He has also played a vital role in educating our citizens about ‘architectural literacy’ and mentoring countless professionals within the field of historic preservation. His broad depth of knowledge is encyclopedic and has garnered esteem internationally,” she added.
As a long standing member of the Virginia Art and Architecture Review Board, Calder Loth has served as an advisor in the restoration of the Governor’s executive mansion, the Virginia State Capitol, and, most recently, James Madison’s Montpelier estate in Orange County.
In addition to numerous scholarly articles, Calder Loth is the author, coauthor, or editor of many books, including The Virginia Landmarks Register, The Making of Virginia Architecture, Virginia Landmarks in Black History, and Lost Virginia: Vanished Architecture in the Old Dominion.
The Secretary of the Interior historic preservation annual award program was created to recognize the outstanding contributions of the employees of federal, state, and tribal preservation offices and certified local governments in the area of historic preservation.
Secretary Kempthorne established the award to implement a longstanding statutory mandate for a cabinet level of recognition in Section 110(h) of the National Historic Preservation Act. The Secretary’s award is distinguished from other historic preservation award programs in that it focuses on the accomplishments of individual employees and not on programs or projects. The award also recognizes the contributions of employees at multiple levels of government.
Award winners are individuals whose contributions surpass the expected scope of their positions, and whose creativity and expertise have significantly fostered the overall goals of the National Historic Preservation Act.
More information on the annual award can be found at http://www.doi.gov/initiatives/preservation.html.
From Secretary Kempthorne’s office’s press release:
Calder C. Loth: State Historic Preservation Office Category
In a career spanning four decades, Calder Loth has shaped the direction of historic preservation programs from survey and National Register listings to rehabilitation tax credits, review and compliance, and preservation easements. He has inspired generations of preservation professionals. Calder began his career as a newly minted Master of Architectural History from the University of Virginia in 1968 with the equally new Virginia Landmarks Commission. Over 40 years, Calder has grown with what is now the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, working with property owners, preservation professionals, scholars, and public agencies in all aspects of the national historic preservation program.
A respected Senior Architectural Historian for Virginia, Calder has played an integral role in Virginia’s historic preservation easement program for the entire life of this nationally recognized protection program. The state of Virginia holds over 450 historic preservation easements today and operates one of the most successful easement programs in the country.
Calder is a long standing member of the Virginia Art and Architecture Review Board. His expertise has shaped the preservation and renovation of many buildings including the Virginia State Capital and the historic executive mansion. He continues to give back to the preservation community as a staunch advocate and widely published author for “architectural literacy” giving lectures to museums, universities, and professional societies worldwide.
