Historic PreservationNomination Form
Waverly Historic Preservation Awards The Waverly Historic Preservation Commission will honor up to three properties each year with a Waverly Historic Preservation Award. The award, which recognizes efforts to preserve the historical character of a structure or landscape, will consist of a framed certificate. To be eligible, a property must be at least fifty years old and within Waverly's city limits. The property may be used for either residential purposes or non-residential purposes. The award may be given either in recognition of work undertaken in the last three years or of a long-standing commitment to preservation. Private residences are judged on the basis of exterior appearance only.
The awards will be made using one or more of the following criteria:
1. Building improvements made with regard to sensitive restoration or original design (including, for example, removal of contemporary materials that compromised the original architectural intent). 2. New addition in keeping with the original structure and setting. 3. Adaptive reuse of a building that preserves the original architectural character. 4. Historic paint color scheme. 5. Historic landscape design, which displays an effort to preserve the original landscape character and setting of a building.
The public is invited to nominate properties for the Waverly Historic Preservation Awards. People may nominate their own properties. Winners will be determined by the Waverly Historic Preservation Commission. Nominations must be submitted by Wednesday, April 16 at the Waverly Leisure Services office. Announcement of winners will be made in conjunction with National Historic Preservation Month, which is held in early May of each year. Nomination forms are available at the above link. For more information, call Tab Ray, Director of Leisure Services at 352-6263. Waverly Historic Places Awards
L-R County Supervisor Steve Reuter, Waverly Historic Preservation Commissioner Les Zelle, County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Gaylord Hinderacker, Commissioner Jim Hundley, and County Supervisor Ken Kammeyer. The Waverly Historic Preservation Commission has placed the Bremer County Court House on the Waverly Historic Registry. The Commissioners presents a plaque to be placed to the Bremer County Court House. The Historic Registry recognizes places that have affected the history of the community, state, or nation. It also recognizes architectural significance. The Bremer County Court House is also presently on the National Registry of Historic Places. Past Awards
The Waverly Historic Preservation Commission had a formal presentation of the Fifth Annual Waverly Historic Preservation Awards on Wednesday, May 30 at 5:30 pm during the Historic Preservation Commission meeting in the Waverly Civic Center. The award was presented to Barth and Margery Steere, 322 First St, SE . Their home was nominated based upon the following criteria: · The most improved building with regard to sensitive restoration or original design. · New addition in keeping with original structure and setting. · Adaptive reuse of a building that preserves the original architectural character. · Historic paint color scheme or historic landscape design, which displays an effort to preserve the original character and setting of the building. · Continual preservation efforts over time, as well as recent preservation efforts. · Structure is a minimum of 50 years old.Barth and Margery Steere’s home at 322 First St. SE The original siding was ship lap but was replaced at some point before the Steere’s purchased it with cedar shingles, which the home still has today. The Steere’s were fortunate to locate the original railings in the coach house and used them to replace the screens on the porch. Some of the coach house’s foundation has been replaced as well as some of the siding and windows being repaired or replaced. The rooms in the home have remained virtually the same with only a few changes. In 1993 a sun room was added to the home. An update to the main floor bathroom was completed in 1995. In 2001 the garage was built. Each of these improvements were designed to keep with the integrity of the house. An area was discovered in the backyard that appeared to have been a good size pond. Upon removing some of the sand that had been filling in the pond area, the Steere’s noticed the cemented brick was deteriorated to the point of no repair. They decided to put in a tank and a fountain in this area of the yard. The retaining wall and steps that lead down to the river have been repaired or replaced as well. In 2003 a beautiful gazebo was added to the backyard and a courtyard was placed in the front in 2004. Nominations for the Sixth Annual Waverly Historic Preservation Awards will be accepted from the public in spring of 2008. For more information, please contact the Waverly Parks and Recreation Department at 352-6263.
is a wonderful example of history being preserved in Waverly, Iowa. The home was built in 1901 by Dr. Charles Graening. Dr. Graening used the front of the home for his office prior to moving his practice downtown. Ruth Graening, wife of Dr. Graening, stayed in the home after his death, until she was 92 and moved to Bartels Lutheran Home. The house remained empty for two years until it was auctioned off to settle the estate. The Steere’s bought the home on June 20, 1987 and are only the second owners.  Mark and Karen Lehmann 
Mark and Karen Lehmann deserve to be recognized for their efforts in the restoration and renovation of their Craftsman style home at 220 Second Avenue NW. The house was built in 1912 by William Liebau, a German immigrant who ran a cigar store on Bremer Avenue. It was originally located at 315 First Avenue NW. It is believed that the Liebau family sold the home to Edgar Kuethe. The property on which the house sat was eventually purchased by the Waverly Shell Rock School District, which intended to build a bus barn on that block. The house was purchased by Earl and Genevieve Cave and moved to 220 Second Ave NW in 1967. When the Lehmanns purchased the home in 1996, it was a nondescript old white frame house that no one would have given a second glance to. In addition to numerous interior improvements aimed at restoring the original appearance and bringing the building up to modern condition, the Lehmanns have put on a new roof, added new soffit and gutters, and replaced an old shed with a modern garage. In 2003 local contractor Ben Strickert constructed a new front porch for the dwelling that is in keeping with the home’s style and looks as though it has always been there. The Lehmanns have also repainted the dwelling with colors that would have been used on houses of this style. The end result of the Lehmanns’ work on this house is to transform it into a jewel in its neighborhood and to provide a model for how older homes might be restored. 
The David and Judy Ostrander home, located at 401 Second Avenue SW, in Waverly, is an excellent example of a house that has been lovingly restored to its former beauty. Originally built for banker A.C. Fairfield in 1876, this is one of Waverly’s oldest homes. It is grand in design with double brick walls, and large windows in the Italianate Victorian style. Every effort has been make to maintain the house’s original grandeur. Paint colors were carefully selected in keeping with the history of the home. Though the 1876 built home is no longer used as a bed and breakfast, the Ostrander’s enjoy it as a family dwelling and have added a white picket fence and arbor around the property and have added floor to ceiling bookshelves to renovate a main floor library back to its original state. The room had been used as a fifth bedroom when it was a bed and breakfast. This well-kept home is a model for historic preservation that should be recognized 
Don and Pearl Spore have worked tirelessly to restore their home at 502 Second St. NW . This beautiful home with its beautiful leaded glass windows offset by ornate molding was built in 1912. The home was in need of major repairs including removing aluminum siding, reroofing in historic style shingles, and painted in period appropriate colors. In addition the Spores fixed crumbling porches and windows. |
