CWEnder Bob Duffy receives Landmarks Association Award

This past Saturday, September 23, the Landmarks Association of St. Louis honored journalist Bob Duffy with the H. Meade Summers, Jr. Award for his contribution to the cause of historic preservation in the St. Louis region. The late H. Meade Summers, Jr. led the formation and funding of many of Missouri’s major preservation organizations, and spearheaded the rehabilitation of some of the state’s most prominent landmarks.

The honoree worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch for 32 years, principally on the music and arts page (though Duffy says he was known around the newsroom as the writer to call on to write an article about just about anything).

The annual event, which was held this year at the Portland Place home of Anya Drozdova (not photographed), drew a record 220 attendees. Drozdova’s home, it was noted by Landmarks devotees, was designed by architects Eames and Young and is located in the Portland/Westmoreland Historic District.

Photo courtesy of Alison Hillman of BTP by Alison

In his remarks, Landmarks Association Executive Director Andrew Weil praised Duffy for his involvement in historic preservation through his columns on architecture.

Photo courtesy of Alison Hillman of BTP by Alison

The Landmarks Association Benefit Committee included: back row: Katie Graebe, Christina Altholz. middle row: Kate Douglas, Sally Pinckard, Amy Altholz, front row: Sarah Duffy, Jean Larson Webb, Shelley Donaho, Scott McIntosh

Photos courtesy of Alison Hillman of BTP by Alison

Upon receiving the award Bob Duffy thanked the board and staff of Landmarks as well as the memory of the late preservationist H. Meade Summers, Jr., saying that “he was humbled and proud to be given the award that bears his name. ”

Duffy continued: “Before 1958 (when the Landmarks Association was founded), all efforts at historic preservation of valuable architectural and historical properties were ad hoc, and lucky for us and the region those efforts were largely effective.

Times had changed after World War II having to do with the place occupied by history and historic and valuable buildings. Greed was part of the problem, so was bad urban planning with its mighty bulldozers, along with bad taste and galloping hubris. More and more our built heritage was threatened or despoiled.

In ’58, a committed group of citizens came together to organize what has endured for nearly 70 years and has worked to protect a remarkable inventory of treasures, still earning their keep on St. Louis’s streets.

However, week before last the Mullanphy Emigrant Home was finished off in a fire, following years of deliberate neglect and after years of attempts to save it. Landmarks, of course, was among those who fought for years to save the the building, which was on the National Register of Historic Places. In spite of efforts to save that building, our region would be very different if the vigilance of Landmarks had not endured and presented itself as a formidable organization.

We need to heap additional praise on its staff of stalwarts: our executive director Andrew Weil; our preservation specialist Katie Graebe; and operations manager, Zachary Schultz, all installed at our new headquarters at 1805 South 9th Street in the Soulard neighborhood.

The Board of Directors list is varied and distinguished and its members and officers are worthy of special commendation. One current board member in particular is former executive director extraordinary, Carolyn Hewes Toft. Her mentoring of me and the news tips she provided, without question, helped me and helped to bring preservation and design ideals in St. Louis to the fore. Special commendations are mightily deserved for former chief Toft.

Also worthy of thanks and praise is Anya Drozdova, who opened her doors and her heart for this historic evening.

I once wrote in the Post-Dispatch: ‘When faced with saving an old, sturdy, usable building and replacing it with a parking lot, preservation is not only the desirable choice but also the obvious and logical one.’  I am proud to be part of the efforts to keep the parking lots and headache balls at bay.”

To learn more about the important work of the Landmarks Association including information on membership, visit the website. For more on Bob Duffy’s interesting career and contributions to the St. Louis community, here is an article that appeared in the  June 2022 issue of CWEA Griffin.