On May 30, the grandson of Oella's mill owner was honored for his work in the field of preservation, including the salvaging of Oella's historic buildings.

Charles L. Wagandt became the 31st Marylander to receive the prestigious Calvert Prize. The prize is awarded occasionally by the Maryland Historical Trust to an individual, organization, agency or institution for paramount leadership or contribution of statewide significance to the preservation of Maryland's architectural or cultural heritage. This is only the second time in 15 years the prize has been awarded to an individual.

Wagandt, of Baltimore, was awarded the prize for a lifetime of preservation, including the rehabilitation of the historic mill village of Oella, service on the Friends of Patapsco Board of Directors and as a trustee of the Maryland Historical Trust.

Wagandt is the great grandson of Oella mill owner W.J. Dickey. His first preservation experience was in Baltimore working with the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation to preserve the Dickeyville textile mill in Baltimore. Then he bought the 70-acre Oella tract, exclusive of the mill itself, in 1973. He developed a masterplan for Oella and salvaged every historic building, including log cabins thought to be beyond repair. He also successfully lobbied for the installation of a water and sewer system in the rocky hillside community. Until then, Oella sewage had flowed untreated into the Patapsco River.

Wagandt's primary focus in the village renaissance was to preserve the Oella Avenue streetscape, considered the backbone of the community. He embraced smart growth principles and worked to preserve the natural and scenic beauty of the Patapsco River Valley, integrating history, architecture and nature with economic development, championing a movement now known as heritage tourism.

"Within his holistic vision for Oella's preservation and renaissance, Wagandt made it possible for mill worker families to remain. He independently initiated oral history interviews and recordings of former mill workers. He donated W.J. Dickey and Sons artifacts to the Smithsonian, and in addition, has collected enough to create an entire museum of Oella history," said Lisa Wingate, preservation consultant and friend.

"Oella is celebrating it's bicentennial anniversary of its founding this year, so it is especially appropriate that Charles be recognized for his role in the renaissance of the textile mill village," she added.

Wingate nominated Wagandt for the prize. She also nominated him for the Preservation Maryland's President's Award in 2007. "Preservation Maryland is the private nonprofit preservation organization, while the Maryland Historical Trust is a state agency responsible for preservation activities, including the heritage tax credits for historic rehabilitation and the state inventory of historic places."

Wagandt was a founding member of the Friends of Patapsco organization, instrumental in relocating the George Ellicott House and helped organize a group to locate Benjamin Banneker's homesite in 1979. He joined the Board of Trustees of the Maryland Historical Trust in the 1970s, served at treasurer from 1978 to 1981 and as chairman from 1981 to 1986.

He was instrumental in acquiring Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum and helped lead the transformation of the Maryland Historical Trust from a purely advisory quasi-public organization to a full-fledged state agency with authority to protect Maryland's architectural and cultural heritage.

"The Calvert is our highest prize; we do not give it every year," said J. Rodney Little, Director of the Maryland Historical Trust Division of Historical and Cultural Programs. "Charlie's contributions over time to preserving Maryland's heritage were truly amazing. It was selfless work and he devoted a great deal of his life to it. He persuaded the citizen body that governed the trust to give up its independence in return for the enforcement power that only a state agency can wield."

To learn more, go to the Maryland Historical Trust Web site at www.marylandhistoricaltrust.net, the Preservation Maryland Web site at www.preservemd.org and the Oella Web site at www.oellacompany.com.

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