Nominations will be accepted throughout February for awards recognizing historical preservation in Winchester and Clark County.

The Winchester Historic Preservation Commission and the Winchester-Clark County Heritage Commission relaunched the ceremony to honor pillars of preservation in 2016.

The 2017 Historic Preservation Awards are set for May, to be observed during Preservation Month, Winchester Historic Preservation Commission Chairman J.R. Wilhite said.

Wilhite said along with the commissions, Main Street Winchester, the Bluegrass Heritage Museum and the Winchester-Clark County Tourism Commission also support the awards.

Last year, preservation projects completed within three years of the nomination date in a variety of categories, including rehabilitation of a residential building, rehabilitation of a commercial building, rehabilitation of a historic site, interior rehabilitation, new construction or special projects.

Wilhite said more than 20 projects were nominated, and

In August, the commissions recognized 10 area people, organizations and/or businesses which demonstrated outstanding efforts to reclaim, rehabilitate and preserve historic architecture, neighborhoods and landscapes of Clark County.

Projects recognized last year included rehabilitation of two local family cemeteries, the renovation of Depot Street, three historic residential rehabilitation projects, renovations to the Bluegrass Heritage Museum building (formerly the Guerrant Clinic) and renovations to two downtown storefront buildings.

This year, Wilhite said two new categories will be added — the craftsperson award for individuals or businesses offering skills for historic preservation in at least two projects in the community and the champion award for individuals or agencies that have financed, developed or completed at least two new projects in the county.

Except for the two new categories, which are not bound by any timeframes, all nominations this year should be for projects completed in the last two years, Wilhite said.

“It’s important for us to recognize good work,” Wilhite said. “Not only that, but it sets an example for other to follow.”

Wilhite said the nomination form is short, and encourages anyone who may unsure about whether their project qualifies to make a nomination anyways.

“After the nominations, we visit each of the projects, ask questions and do our research before we make recommendations to each of the commissions for approval,” he said.

Nomination forms are available at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum or Winchester City Hall. The nomination period ends Feb. 28.