UPDATE: U City Resident Honored for Preserving Webster Groves' Architectural History

UPDATED (at 2:45pm Thursday, Nov. 3):
Esley Hamilton has told the St. Louis Post Dispatch that his position as preservation historian with the County Parks Department is being eliminated. The Parks Department took a heavy hit in a recommended budget that County Executive Charlie A. Dooley sent to the County Council on Monday.

University City resident Esley Hamilton has received the 2011 Webster Groves Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award.

Hamilton is a preservation historian for the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department. The award, normally given to a Webster Groves resident, was given to Hamilton for his work in preserving the historical legacy of the city.

“Each year, the Webster Groves Arts Commission reviews a list of prominent artists in all forms: visual, performance, literary, etc,” said Don Drissell, commission chairman. “But the commission determined this year that the building arts should be celebrated as well.”

Drissell said Hamilton has been an instrumental part in preserving the historic value of architecture in Webster Groves. Drissell said Hamilton helped in the process of entering several Webster Groves structures into the National Register of Historic Places for buildings such as the , the original Webster College and the Marshall Place Historic District.

In his free time, Hamilton also gives walking tours of historic buildings throughout the city, educating others of the value of having buildings of historic significance.

“He has done so much for this city we thought we really should recognize him,” Drissell said. “Historical architecture is a lost art form, but Hamilton has helped educate others about the importance of it in our city.”

Elyse McBride, a Webster Groves resident, said she really admired the work of Hamilton. McBride, who has an master's degree in art history, was recently appointed to the Webster Groves Historic Commission. McBride said part of the reason she wanted to live in Webster was because of the historic architecture of the homes.

“He (Hamilton) has done so much not only for Webster Groves but for the St. Louis community in helping to preserve that charm that comes with historic buildings,” McBride said.

At an awards ceremony last Friday, Hamilton said he was honored to receive the award.

“I came for the first time to St. Louis in 1968 and fell in love with the architecture and the urban lifestyle,” he said. “I think we need to continue to preserve the beauty of those buildings here in Webster Groves and elsewhere in the city.”