Eglin receives award for historic building restoration

  • Published
  • By Jerron Barnett
  • Environmental Public Affairs
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFPN) --  The Cultural Resources Branch here has been honored by the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for their efforts in the restoration of one of the two Cape San Blas lighthouse keepers' quarters structures located on Eglin property in Gulf County.

According to the trust's Web site, the 2006 Florida Preservation Award recognizes significant achievement in the preservation of Florida's rich heritage, specifically the proper restoration of a structure to an earlier or original appearance, or the rehabilitation or adaptive new use.

The lighthouse and two keepers' quarters, built in the mid-1800s, are part of the branch's historic buildings inventory. The inventory is required by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966.

Mother Nature and her fierce hurricanes prompted the relocation of the two keepers' quarters in 1999. Eglin moved the keepers' quarters away from the water's edge.

That same year, Eglin sought to completely restore one of the keepers' quarters to protect the structure since it is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.

Eglin officials helped facilitate the lease of the 1.5 acres of land to Gulf County so they could receive grants from the State Historic Preservation officer in Tallahassee to help pay for the restoration of the second structure.