George Luebbers, Fenton Historical Society Receives OTF DAR Medal

Since 1890, the mission of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) has been to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. The Historic Preservation Committee, established as a national Committee on March 1, 2008, seeks to honor the nation’s heritage, focus on the future, and celebrate America.

George Luebbers, principal officer of the Fenton Historical Society, has recently been awarded the NSDAR's Excellence in Historic Preservation Certificate and Medal by the Olde Towne Fenton (OTF) Chapter, honoring his long-standing commitment and leadership. Through his leadership, enterprise and resourcefulness and the help of Society members, the Swantner House became the Fenton Historical Society Museum that opened to the public in 1997.

Being slated for demolition, the Fenton Historical Society purchased the Swantner House from the City of Fenton in 1995. With the house sitting empty and neglected for approximately 10 years, the Society had their work cut out for them. From the stone foundation in desperate need of tuck pointing, to the multiple layers of flooring and wall covering that needed to be removed, to the roof which needed replacement, the extensive restoration process began in 1996. Through the hard work and monetary support of individuals and businesses, the renovations to the main floor were completed and the Society proudly opened its doors to the community in October 1997.

In 1998, the Society received the Adaptive Reuse Award from the St. Louis County Historic Buildings Commission for “sensitive adaption of properties to new uses”. Mr. Luebbers did much of the renovation of the Swantner House himself, as well as the organization and display of museum artifacts. The museum’s first floor rooms are currently open to the public. They display local artifacts, picture boards of local history, early clothing, and a model of the historic city.

The Olde Towne Fenton Chapter, NSDAR applauds Mr. Leubbers for being the Fenton Historical Society’s chief ambassador of goodwill. By presenting Mr. Luebbers with NSDAR's Excellence in Historic Preservation Certificate and Medal, OTF celebrates Mr. Luebbers leadership in giving the community a focal point, reminding the community that they have a meaningful hometown history.

Annual memberships in the Fenton Historical Society are $12 individually, $18 per family, or $25 for businesses and/or corporations. For more information, visit: http://www.fentonhistory.com. Currently, you can visit the Fenton Historical Society Museum on most Wednesdays or Saturdays from 10am till 2pm or by appointment. Please call 636-326-0808 for a private tour.

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The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution was founded in 1890 to promote historic preservation, education and patriotism. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 177,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world's largest and most active service organizations. DAR members are committed to volunteer service having served more than 12.5 million hours in communities throughout the world during the past three years. To learn more about the work of today's DAR, visit www.DAR.orgor connect with DAR on social media at facebook.com/TodaysDAR, twitter.com/TodaysDAR and youtube.com/TodaysDAR.

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