2015 Josiah Durfee Award Winner – Individual Merit category
The Josiah Durfee Award is given at the discretion of the NPA’s Board of Directors on behalf of the NPA membership to the local citizen or organization that has made the most significant positive contribution to NPA’s mission. Outstanding achievement in historic preservation may be a single event or a cumulative contribution over several years.
Alan and Gail Booker began restoring a French Second Empire gem on North 10th Street in the 1980s when it wasn’t the cool thing to do in Noblesville, in a time when locals shook their heads in confusion at people willing to throw themselves into refinishing floors, restoring front porches, and saving original windows. The Bookers went even further, conducting a restoration that set an early local standard for quality workmanship and attention to period detail, making their home a favorite on several NPA Home Tours. Alan’s master craftsman’s touch with detailed trim work and Gail’s no-drama demeanor were well suited for a 25-year labor of love.
Both Alan and Gail sat on NPA’s board for many of its early, formative years. Alan served a term as president, and Gail served several years as secretary. For many years, NPA monthly board meetings were held in the comfy confines of their ornate dining room, with beer, wine, and food a regular feature. It was a compelling time for a group of people trying to save the best of Noblesville’s built history, and the Bookers were the hosts. Alan and Gail set an early standard for quality restoration and worked to inspire the next generation of old house stewards in the process. And for all the attention to Victorian detail, the Bookers have kept their house fun for modern living, complete with a hot tub room inside and a pool and pool house out back, the site of regular summer Sunday water volleyball games.
