HUDSON, Ohio – Hudson Heritage Association is one of two organizations state-wide to receive this year’s top award for public education and awareness from Ohio History Connection, Ohio’s official organization for preserving and sharing the state’s history, and the home of Ohio’s historic preservation office.

Hudson Heritage Association received the award for the redesign and update of its website, www.hudsonheritage.org. Hudson-based About350 Creative, which worked with HHA to complete the site overhaul, was named as the co-recipient of the award. Donovan Husat, co-president of HHA, accepted the award at the State Historic Preservation Office Awards luncheon held October 28 in Columbus.

Led by HHA’s marketing committee, the association worked for nearly two years to give the group a new site reflecting a new brand, with new navigation, more substantial content, links to other resources for historic preservation and new ways to engage visitors on topics of significance to the community.

The site also includes two new interactive features. The site’s “Walking Tours” section offers four tours that visitors can enjoy either at their desktop or, by using their mobile device, when actually walking the streets of Hudson. Each tour features up to 25 different historic properties, along with photos and descriptions that allow the viewer to get a true sense of Hudson’s rich architectural heritage.

The “Find a Property” section allows visitors to search for specific properties in Hudson using criteria that include the property date, name (per HHA’s marker program), location, style and material of construction. Currently, about 135 properties in Hudson can be searched and viewed, and each is accompanied by new color photography taken specifically as part of HHA’s rebranding initiative.

“We recognize the challenge of making historic preservation interesting to the general public, especially those who have grown up in a highly visual, digital world,” said Husat. “We believe our new website will go a long way to keeping HHA relevant to a new generation and will serve as an important tool in our arsenal to preserve and protect Hudson’s streetscape, historic district and architectural legacy. We are grateful for the state’s recognition of our work and for this very significant award.”

Founded in 1962, Hudson Heritage Association works to protect historic buildings, the village streetscape, and the city’s Western Reserve architectural aesthetic. It encourages the preservation of historic buildings by providing research, resources and education to homeowners who wish to maintain their historic homes and co-sponsors the city’s work with the Cleveland Restoration Society. HHA also works with building owners to help them meet historic marker requirements and identifies those buildings with the HHA historic marker. The association shares and celebrates the history of Northeastern Ohio by publishing books and newsletters, conducting workshops and field trips, and hosting monthly meetings that feature local preservationists, historians and craftsmen.