ST. MARYS — May is National Historic Preservation Month, and the Auglaize County Historical Society invites Auglaize Countians to celebrate by taking pictures of their favorite old Auglaize County buildings and structures. Prizes will be awarded in several categories, and will include restaurant gift cards, museum passes, travel coffee mugs, books, and more. Selected photographs will even appear in local newspapers and on the Historical Society’s social media.

The Historical Society’s inspiration for the competition was the motto developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, “look to history for courage, comfort, and inspiration.”

“Because traditional ways of celebrating Historic Preservation Month can’t occur this year, we wanted to provide a safe, fun way for students and adults to demonstrate their creativity and their love for Auglaize County’s historic buildings,” Administrator Rachel Barber said.

The Historical Society seeks pictures of buildings and structures (a permanent feature of the landscape made by human hands, such as the canal or a monument) that are 50 years or older. To help ensure physical distancing, we ask that no people be included in the images—and participants are asked to respect private property. The Society encourages photographs from all townships, villages, and cities in Auglaize County.

Age divisions for the competition are persons up to age 13 and those age 14 and older.

Categories of photographs include:

• a building/structure in its entirety;

• a detail from a building or structure;

• a building/structure in decline (possibly an opportunity for preservation); and

• a building/structure that provides “courage, comfort, and/or inspiration.”

Contestants should submit images as JPEGs. Color or black & white photographs are welcome.

The competition is open to current and former residents of Auglaize County. By entering photograph(s) in the competition, contestants agree that the images may be used now and in the future by the Auglaize County Historical Society in its publications as well as in social and print media. The Historical Society will always credit the photographer when an image is used.

To enter, participants should email entry/entries to [email protected] by May 31, including their name, address, telephone number, and the address of the building or structure depicted.

For more information about this event or the Auglaize County Historical Society, please contact [email protected] or 419-738-9328. The Auglaize County Historical Society is also on Facebook.