1910 water works building rehab project honored with Governor's Award

Boyne City is among a handful of Michigan communities to receive a 2012 Governor's Award for Historic Preservation. City officials recently rehabilitated the 1910 water works building on Division Street and returned it to its original use. Now the 102-year-old structure stands as not only an historical landmark, but also evidence that communities can preserve their history and still address current citizen needs. "We can achieve a goal if we work hard together. Any time you achieve a goal like that, it gives you the ability to put another feather in our hat," said Michele Hewitt, who sits on the city's historical commission board. Boyne City officials built the water works building after the need for an expanded water system became apparent in 1909, following a decade of population growth during the logging industry's local boom. The building became the city's second water works station for the south side, as another water works station already covered the northern end. Officials added the building to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998 and in more recent years returned it to functional use as a water works facility. Full story from Petoskey News-Review.