[May 23, 2013] Auburn Preservation League presents first awards at reception Wednesday Tweet May 23, 2013 (Opelika-Auburn News - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- The Auburn Preservation League hosted its seventh annual reception and first annual Preservation Awards on Wednesday night, recognizing several entities in the community for their preservation efforts. Members of the preservation league and several special guests gathered at the home of Cecil and Cissy Yarborough for a dinner and awards reception. "There are a couple of reasons why we started these preservation awards," said Jason St.Clair, president of the APL. "The main reason was we wanted to recognize people who have already preserved their houses, just to kind of promote it, so recognizing them would encourage other people to do it and we can start a chain throughout the years." Four awards were presented at the event: two to churches and two to individual homeowners for their preservation efforts in the community. All four winners were given bronzed plaques for mounting on the exterior of their buildings. The two churches recognized were the Auburn First Baptist and Auburn United Methodist churches, both of which were originally constructed in the 1830s at the intersection of Gay Street and Magnolia Avenue. "The land from each church was from Judge John Harper, a Methodist who moved and settled to the area that would become known as Auburn," St.Clair said. "He wanted somewhere for his family and friends to go to church ... The Methodists still remain at the same site to this day and have built four different buildings through the years. The Baptists, 10 years after building, moved down a block to (Thach Avenue) where they currently are now." St.Clair presented plaques to representatives from both churches. He said the most unique thing about both churches is they have touches thousands of lives -- of students, adults and children in the area. "They both made modifications in their buildings and adapted and preserved landmarks that we all enjoy today," he said. The two homeowners recognized for their preservation efforts were Dr. Bobby Dees and Beverly Webster. Dees' renovated home was built in about 1887 and is located on Moore's Mill Road. "Ten years ago, all you could see was the architectural tin roof when you passed by it," St.Clair said. "The lot and the house were completed covered with just about anything you can name ... People who saw the house thought it was falling in. Others stopped by and asked him where he uncovered it or even where he moved it from." St.Clair said Dees also restored the yellow home on Glenn Avenue near the Veterans' Memorial with the wrought-iron fence. He said Dees has the dedication and vision for preservation. The second home was built in the early 1800s, St.Clair said, and it included one especially interesting room. "The house was restored and remodeled in the Creek Revival style popular in the area ..." he said. "An addition once known as the bridal room was added. The six Webster boys were born and raised (in the home) and the bride's room was their bedroom." St.Clair said both homes and their owners are examples of the efforts to preserve Lee County history the league hopes to encourage. ___ (c)2013 the Opelika-Auburn News (Opelika, Ala.) Visit the Opelika-Auburn News (Opelika, Ala.) at www.oanow.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]