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Hudson Heritage Association Announces 2024 Preservation Awards

The WRA War Memorial as it looks today at its location on the Academy’s Brick Row (photo courtesy of WRA). 
The WRA War Memorial as it looks today at its location on the Academy’s Brick Row (photo courtesy of WRA). 

At its Annual Meeting of Members held May 9 at Case Barlow Farm’s beautifully restored “Big Red” barn, HHA announced the recipients of three important awards established to recognize outstanding work being done in Hudson to preserve and protect its historic past.

Led by Committee Chair Phil Leiter, the Preservation Awards Committee presented awards to the Cemetery Board of the City of Hudson and Western Reserve Academy for their efforts to protect two important pieces of Hudson history: the Old Hudson Township Burying Ground on Chapel Street and the new WRA War Memorial, redesigned and reestablished on a new site between WRA’s Chapel and Seymour Hall in 2022 after first being dedicated in 1951 to the school’s alumni who had served in World War II. 

Co-President Ong concluded the program by presenting HHA’s Distinguished Contributions to Hudson Award to Catherine Reedy Hoy, known to many Hudsonites as “Katie.” 

The gates to the Old Hudson Township Burying Ground, the final resting place of many of Hudson’s earliest residents, including David Hudson and Owen Brown.
The gates to the Old Hudson Township Burying Ground, the final resting place of many of Hudson’s earliest residents, including David Hudson and Owen Brown.

Katie Hoy and her late husband George were co-presidents of HHA in 1984 when the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced its plans to convert Route 91 through downtown Hudson into a four-lane highway – a plan Hudson’s Village Council had already been working on, including plans to move the Hudson Clocktower six feet to the east to accommodate the widening of the road.  With the Hoys leading the effort, HHA immediately organized a community effort to block the ODOT plan and preserve the heart of Hudson’s downtown. Countless hours and years went into the effort, but local residents were finally successful in stopping ODOT’s plan – a plan that would have forever altered the historic center of Hudson.

Katie Hoy (center) with HHA co-presidents Diccon Ong and Nora Jacobs Snider following the presentation of the Distinguished Contributions to Hudson Award at the HHA Annual Meeting.
Katie Hoy (center) with HHA co-presidents  Diccon Ong and Nora Jacobs Snider following the presentation of the Distinguished Contributions to Hudson Award at the HHA Annual Meeting.

In addition to her work with HHA, Katie has done research for and served with the James Ellsworth Chapter of the Questers, a nonprofit international organization dedicated to the study, conservation and preservation of historical objects. In the mid-1970s, she climbed the stairs of the Hudson Clocktower regularly to wind the weights that made the clock work while two Hudson engineers developed and electric system to keep the clock running.  

In addition to their many years in Hudson and their countless contributions to historic preservation here, the Hoys are also well-known for their decision to lease a Greek Revival farmhouse next to Brandywine Falls from the National Park Service, which they restored and operated for 35 years as the Inn at Brandywine Falls.  

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