Nominate Local History Leaders For Montana Historical Society Award

It's the season! Right on the heels of our call for nominations for the Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year Awards I received this call for nominations. It is a great opportunity to honor someone from your community who deserves recognition as a local heritage keeper.

The Montana Historical Society Board of Trustees is seeking nominations from across the state to receive their 2016 Heritage Keepers Awards at the 43rd annual Montana History Conference in Hamilton this September.

“When you visit communities across the state and ask a question about local history, inevitably, the person you ask will direct you to someone he or she knows will have the answer,” MHS Trustees President Bob Brown said. “That ‘go to’ history person is the one we want to be nominated.”

The Heritage Keepers Award honors exemplary work, commitment, and effort in identifying, preserving and presenting the history and heritage of Montana for current and future generations. Nominations must be submitted by March 15.

Nominations can include living individuals, or a group that has significantly contributed to the ongoing preservation and/or education of Montana history with a statewide, regional or community focus.

That can include written history, preservation of artifacts and historic properties, education programs or other things that enrich the history of the area. Documents, photos, letters of support and other evidence of the person or group’s efforts can be submitted.

Two Heritage Keepers Awards will be presented, one from the eastern part of the state and one from the west. The full 15-member Board of Trustees from across the state will vote on the winners.

Find the nomination form here and the list of past awardees here.

For more information or to submit the nominations contact Joy Lewis at 406-444-1799 or email at jlewis@mt.gov.