Three students from the Historic Preservation Institute (HPI) have earned national recognition from the National Park Service, receiving honorable mention in the 2025 Charles E. Peterson Prize competition.
Under the guidance of Adjunct Assistant Professor Amanda Wagner, students Elizabeth Hanson, Michael Burrows, and Katie Tyree documented the historic Bayfield Fish Hatchery in Bayfield, Wisconsin.
Their award-winning set of measured drawings will be part of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) collection at the Library of Congress, a distinction reserved for exemplary documentation of the nation’s architectural heritage.
The Peterson Prize is a national competition hosted annually by the National Park Service in partnership with the American Institute of Architects, the Athenaeum of Philadelphia, and the Association for Preservation Technology.
The program promotes awareness and appreciation of America’s historic architecture through the creation of high-quality documentation that meets the rigorous standards of the Historic American Buildings Survey Programs (HABS) and the National Park Service’s Heritage Documentation Programs (HDP).
The Bayfield Fish Hatchery, also known as the Les Voigt Fish Hatchery and the R.D. Pike Fish Hatchery, was built in 1897 and designed by architect H.P. Padley. The Victorian brownstone originally served both as a residence for the superintendent and his family and as a facility to breed and spawn fish that helped, and continues to help, restock Lake Superior.
The HPI team’s work supported ongoing preservation efforts led by the Friends of the Fish Hatchery, who invited the group to document the building.
Using FARO Laser Scanners to capture detailed point clouds and developing their drawings in Revit, the students produced a HABS-standard documentation set that captured both the precision and artistry required of the competition.
“I am very proud of Elizabeth, Michael, and Katie,” Wagner said. “Through their careful study, they revealed the richness and quiet beauty of a building that might otherwise have been overlooked. Their work was rightfully recognized with a Peterson Prize.”
The students and their professor will attend the Charles E. Peterson Award Ceremony this November in Providence, Rhode Island, during the Association for Preservation Technology Conference. The win is marks a winning track record for the Historic Preservation Institute.
“This is the second time UWM has been awarded the Peterson Prize, and only the second time we’ve submitted for it,” Wagner noted. “Our two-for-two record is a testament to the strength and quality of the preservation program at SARUP.”
Story by Oliver J. Johnson