Wyoming Woman Wins Lifetime Achievement Award for Decades-Long Dedication to Historic Preservation

The Alliance for Historic Wyoming has announced the recipients of the Second Annual Mary Humstone Historic Preservation Awards, honoring individuals who have made outstanding contributions to preserving Wyoming’s rich cultural and architectural heritage.

This year, a Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Edre Maier of Sheridan, in recognition of her decades-long dedication to historic preservation and the arts.

Maier played a pivotal role in the restoration and reopening of the Historic Sheridan Inn, a project she led for 18 years with vision, determination, and reverence for the building’s late 19th-century roots. She also spearheaded the establishment of the Sheridan Railroad Historic District and the Sagebrush Community Art Center, helping transform Sheridan into a vibrant cultural hub. A celebration of Edre’s contributions will be held in Sheridan on May 30, 2025, at the Sheridan Inn.

Megan Stanfill, Executive Director of the Alliance for Historic Wyoming said, “Edre is an aspirational leader in Wyoming’s historic preservation movement. The work she has done has left a truly visible mark on Sheridan,
to be cherished by generations to come.”

The Excellence in Historic Preservation Award will be presented to John and Catherine MacPherson of Rawlins, whose work has preserved the legacy of Wyoming’s sheep industry. Their donation of five historic
sheepwagons and funding for the construction of a permanent exhibit building at the Little Snake River Museum in Savery led to the creation of the MacPherson Sheep Center. This unique exhibit not only safeguards the region’s agricultural history but also serves as a community gathering place. The MacPhersons will be honored at a public celebration at the Little Snake River Museum on June 7, 2025.

The Mary Humstone Awards were established in 2024 to honor individuals whose work reflects the spirit of longtime preservationist and Alliance co-founder, Mary Humstone. Last year’s inaugural award recognized Jackie Dorothy of Thermopolis for her work on the 1920s Middleton School Immersion Program at the Hot Springs County Museum.

Megan Stanfill, Executive Director of the Alliance for Historic Wyoming said, “We are excited to honor the MacPherson's and the Sheep Center because the collection of sheepwagons represents a unique cross-section of preservation work using object preservation to interpret and preserve a cultural heritage landscape.”