Rivertonians receive state-wide historic preservation award

Private citizens organize successful effort to protect their community’s history

RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY – Rivertonians Roger T. Prichard and John M. Laverty, Jr., have been awarded an “Honorable Mention for Preservation Stewardship,” one of the 2024 New Jersey Historic Preservation Awards given by Preservation New Jersey, a statewide non-profit historic preservation organization.

Each year, Preservation New Jersey reviews organizations and individuals who have contributed in memorable and significant ways to historic preservation or sustained contributions to the understanding and promotion of New Jersey’s rich history.

The Award is presented to Prichard and Laverty for their work as independent citizens to form a community roundtable that generated consensus towards and the writing of a new Historic Preservation Ordinance.

The historic charm of Riverton’s National Register Historic District faces growing losses from teardown and modern renovation projects. Until 2023, Riverton lacked the zoning protections that other historic New Jersey towns have used for years to preserve the historic character their citizens love.

The award nominator recognized these long-time board members of the Historical Society of Riverton, saying “… Prichard and Laverty convened a citizens’ Preservation Roundtable to build consensus among many disparate Riverton constituencies, including business owners, landlords, local volunteer organizations, and elected leaders.”

“Roger and John brought to the table as many stakeholders as possible, distilling a town-wide understanding of ‘no more teardowns,’” said Faith Endicott, President of the Historical Society of Riverton. “It was important to recognize the risk of destroying what makes our town special. Our historic character is worth defending from further harm.”

“We put everyone in the same room as equals and let them listen to each other,” said Laverty, who served as Moderator.

Prichard observed, “We all agreed that everyone loves the appearance of this little Victorian town on the bank of the Delaware River and any work must follow the old rule: ‘first, do no harm.’”

“Riverton has a culture of respect for their vintage homes. Homeowners invest more for pride than for profit, whether long-time residents or newcomers,” he added.

Borough Council then unanimously created a first-in-Riverton Historic Preservation Commission, which elected Laverty as its founding Chair. “Yes, we need to defend our history – and – at least as important, we need to have a focus on ‘customer service,’ to help our property owners find good, affordable choices,” Laverty said.

Riverton’s new Historic Preservation Commission hopes to attract, cultivate, and champion projects which respect the surviving good work of long-ago craftspeople, protecting the property values of the many owners who have already restored and maintained their vintage properties.

Preservation NJ’s awards program: https://www.preservationnj.org/post/pnj-recognizes-2024-new-jersey-historic-preservation-award-winners

Historical Society of Riverton: https://rivertonhistory.com/

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