Friends of Architecture – Community Service Award — Individual

 

Edythe “Kitty” Turgeon

 

 

Edythe “Kitty” Turgeon has a BS from Cornell University and in 1975 took the first historic preservation class there when she returned for her Master’s degree.

 

The Mother of Mark and Gillian who both live in California, Kitty credits getting the National Historic Landmark status for the Roycroft Campus in 1986 as her other life achievement.

 

She has been interested all her life in the Arts in general and Preservation in particular; she is an advocate of both as an economic asset through cultural tourism. Kitty Turgeon has dedicated the last 37 years of her life to the History and Renaissance of the Roycroft, authoring several books on the subject. In addition, her special interest is in the Roycroft philosophy of “Hand, Head & Heart.”

 

Turgeon is one of the founders of the Roycrofters-At-Large Association (1976) where she maintains an active role on their board today. She also helped found The Preservation Coalition (1981) and is the Executive Director for the Foundation (FSA/CM) at Roycroft since 1991. This latter organization is well known for their Elderhostel architecture programs which also promote education of the Arts & Crafts Movement through Tours to the UK and Europe, awards for Arts & Crafts artisans, writers, musicians, etc. Another primary focus is teaching young people the value of Elbert Hubbard’s wholesome legacy of an attitude for social justice and human rights.