The Prairie Landscape

The Studs Terkel Humanities Service Award - 2006


The Scripps Park Historical Preservation Committee

Nominated By The Honorable Ronald Shepherd


Rushville


The Scripps Park Historical Preservation Committee

Mr. Kim Funk, Ms. Jacque Rebman, Ms. Bebe Reische, and Ms. Carol Walker

The all-volunteer Scripps Park Historic Preservation Committee was established to renovate two cottages constructed in 1924 by Ellen Browning Scripps, regarded as the first columnist and the first foreign correspondent and the soul of the Scripps newspaper empire, as a memorial to her sister E. Virginia Scripps. The committee collected thousands of dollars to restore the cottages, contacting several descendants of the Scripps family. They got local businesses to donate electrical work and appliances including a stove, water heater, furnace, and air conditioner. In addition, the committee members contributed their time to work alongside Scripps Park Board Members, obtaining various bids for the renovation work, overseeing projects, picking out new cabinets and flooring, etc. The first cottage has been completely renovated and is currently being rented to guests visiting Rushville. The cottage not only bring revenue to Scripps Park, but they also allow the community to feel pride in its newly-restored historical landmark.

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