Awards
Over the years, the AOI has bestowed awards on a number of distinguished District business and recognized them through AOI's Business Legends Award.
In 2006, AOI awarded then-Mayor Anthony Williams the first Governor Shepherd Award for Civic Improvements.
AOI's 1905 American La France Steam Pumper Fire Engine has received numerous awards at Steam Expositions, open houses and fairs.
On October 25, 2008, the AOI itself was the recipient of the "Legacy of Educational Excellence Award" from the Trustees of the Military Road School Preservation Trust and Black Heritage Society.
AOI President Bill Brown pictures with MRSPT Chair Ruth Barbara Johnson, Patricia Tyson and Malcolm Beech, Sr. of the BHS
Philip W. Ogilvie Award
One award which the AOI is proud to present each year is the Dr. Philip W. Ogilvie Award for Academic Achievement. The award is presented in memory of one of AOI's past presidents who championed historic studies and promoted tourism education. Each year a $500 scholarhip is award for highest academic achievement to a graduate student in George Washington University's Accelerated Masters of Tourism Administration program.
AOI Receives Federation of Citizens Association's
Sustained Civic Activism Award
At the Federation's Centennial Gala held at the Ft. McNair Officer's Club on Wed., May 12, 2010, AOI President Bill Brown was presented with the Federations' award for Sustained Civic Activism. The award reads, in part, "We salute the members of the Association of the Oldest Inhabitants, those fierce guarians of the history of the District of Columbia."
Federation President Carroll Green and Immediate Past-president Ann Renshaw are pictured with AOI President Bill Brown.
Recent News:
Read AOI's Testimony Before the D.C. City Council's Committee on Libraries, Parks & Recreation regarding the "Musuem for the District of Columbia Act of 2009" would provide reliable funding for the Historical Society of Washington, D.C.
And... AOI's Board of Director's Resolution commending AOI President Bill Brown:
AOI Calls Attention to the Centennial Year of the Building Height Act
In June 2009, the AOI membership passed a resolution calling for the recognition of 2010 as the Centennial Year of the 1910 Building Height Act. The resolution was sent to 14 government agencies, historic preservation groups and city officials requesting they include/consider the importance of the Building Height Act in any conferences, panels or programs they had planned for 2010. We received positive responses from a number of organizations but most replied that while they recognized the importance of the centennial, they currently had no plans for programs which might incorporate the subject into their agendas; however, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the National Capital Planning Commission has recognized the Building Height Act by providing an historic perspective to it on the home page of their web site (www.ncpc.gov). Their links provide not only a narrative but a 3 minute video as well. To view these, use one of the following links:
Click here to link to the NCPC Web Site or
Click here for NCPC's Building Height Act discussion or
Click here to view NCPC's video on the Building Height Act
We hope that the Building Height Act may be featured at a discussion session during the 2010 Washington History Conference in the fall of 2010.
Click here to read AOI's Resolution
AOI Joins Coaltion to Save the Franklin School
January 7, 2010
Mr. Neil O. Albert, City Administrator
The John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mr. Albert:
As the January 19th deadline draws near for submissions to the RFP for development of the Franklin School, the Association of the Oldest Inhabitants of the District of Columbia strongly recommends that the Franklin School building be returned to the inventory of the District of Columbia Schools for future educational use.
Many of our members attended the D.C. Public Schools and some were school administrators who worked in the Franklin School building. Since we had the opportunity to walk through the building last month when it was opened by the Office of Economic Development for potential developers, we have developed an enhanced appreciation for the building not only for its architecturally historic significance but for its grandiosity of design and the obvious potential it has if kept in the public domain. This building cries out to be a charter school, a teachers’ academy, an international/diplomatic service educational facility or some other worthwhile academic institution. Its location near Metro Center makes it ideal for such potential uses.
The AOI looks forward to see what the developers and other interested parties submit in their proposals on January 19th; however, as the District’s oldest civic organization – founded Dec. 7, 1865 – the AOI membership strongly encourages you, the Executive Branch of the DC Government and our elected officials to return this property to the DC Public Schools’ inventory and actively consider serious proposals for its continued use as an academic venue. The historic nature of the building, its designer and its place in the history of the District of Columbia calls for it to have a distinguished and well deserved future in the city and for its citizens.
Sincerely,
William N. Brown, President
Franklin School Exhibit Opens at the Historical Society
An exhibit featuring the Franklin School and its architect Adolf Cluss opened at the Historical Society on July 28 and will run through Sept. 26th. The exhibit was curated by Cindy Janke, produced with the assistance of Franklin School Coalition members and funded by a grant from the DC Humanities Council, the AOI and others.
AOI members present at the opening included L-R: Steve Ackerman, Jerry McCoy, Nelson Rimensnyder, Sherwood Smith, Cindy Janke & Dr. Joe Browne. AOI President Bill Brown kneeling. Not pictured: Bill Rice... he was behind the camera.
For more information on the exhibit, see the Franklin School Coalition web site above.
Shepherd Statue Commemorative Plaque Installed!
On Thursday, Sept. 2, 2010, R.S. Kinnaird Memorials of Thurmont, MD installed AOI's commemorative plaque at the base of the Governor Shepherd Statue which stands on the N.W. corner of the John Wilson Building at 14th & Pa. Ave., NW. Years in the making/fabrication, the plaque completes AOI's efforts to have the statue returned, lighted and explained (interpreted). Now visitors will no longer have to ask, "Who was Shepherd?"
John Kinnaird and Edgar Portillo lower the plaque into place.
The completed, installed bronze on granite plaque.
The Governor Shepherd Statue never looked so good!