By Leslie Collins
Northeast News
December 28, 2011

Pendleton Heights’ first published book didn’t go unnoticed.

Called “Pendleton Heights: Then and Now,” the book received the prestigious George Ehrlich Award of Excellence in the outstanding publication category. Representatives from the Historic Kansas City Foundation presented the award during the 2011 Preservation Awards ceremony Dec. 7 at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Katz Hall. The late Ehrlich was UMKC’s Professor Emeritus of Art History and was also an ardent architectural historian and preservationist who valued quality design.

“I thought it was really great because we put a lot of effort into it and it’s nice to have that effort recognized,” said David Remley, who photographed the “now” pictures for the book. “Kent (Dicus) really insisted on high quality as we went all the way through it.”

The 179-page hardback book features more than 80 homes and businesses dating from the 1880s all the way to the 1960s.

Each photograph tells a story and includes a history of the property and current owners.

“It was a real wonderful recognition for a year-and-a-half’s worth of a lot of meetings and a lot of research,” outgoing Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association President Kent Dicus said.

Other key players in publishing the book included Northeast News‘ Erica VanDee, who designed the book, Su Collura, proofreader and researcher, Michael Ohlson, liaison for Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, and Joy Brandon, researcher.

When presenting the award, one of the representatives from the Historic Kansas City Foundation commended the neighborhood for undertaking the extensive project, Dicus said

“He thought that was really helping create a niche for other neighborhoods to perhaps take the lead as well,” Dicus said.

One neighborhood is already taking that lead.

“Hyde Park is also planning to publish a book on their neighborhood as a result of our efforts,” he said. “That’s exciting to know we were the first to do something in the name of preservation for our neighborhood.”