(Lawrenceville, Ga., Dec. 16, 2024) – Gwinnett County honored five individuals and organizations for their contributions to preserving and protecting Gwinnett’s history during the 2024 Preservation Hall of Fame ceremony on Dec. 15.

The award ceremony highlighted the County’s ongoing commitment to celebrating its cultural and historic resources.

“Every two years the Historical Restoration and Preservation board reaches out to the community to identify individuals, groups, businesses, community leaders and professionals who have contributed to the preservation of Gwinnett County history,” said Ann Bender, chairwoman of the Gwinnett Historical Restoration and Preservation Board, which cohosted the ceremony alongside Gwinnett County Government. “The board, with the assistance of our County Historian, Amelia Lewis and a five-member advisory group sort through and score all the nomination letters to select the winners. It has been my honor to preside over two Preservation Award ceremonies.”

Inductees were recognized for their work in areas such as historic restoration and preservation, contributing historical artifacts, documenting oral histories and publishing written records of Gwinnett's history.

The honorees were:

• Betty and Charles Warbington, who dedicated countless hours to preserving two of Gwinnett County’s earliest historic sites: the Fort Daniel site and the Elisha Winn property, both predating the county’s founding on December 15, 1818.
• Brandon Hembree, who played a pivotal role in establishing the Sugar Hill Historic Preservation Society and the Sugar Hill History Museum, ensuring the rich history of Sugar Hill and the surrounding area is archived and accessible for future generations.
• Elliott Brack, a journalist in Gwinnett County since 1974, who has chronicled the county’s evolution in his columns and stories, preserving its history through the power of storytelling.
• Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, which has continually educated and supported Gwinnett’s residents with a history spanning over a century. Its ministries foster knowledge and community engagement across generations.
• The Suwanee Creek Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, which led the preservation of the Island Ford Baptist Church Cemetery, memorializing forgotten enslaved individuals and ensuring their vital place in Gwinnett’s history is acknowledged.

Each honoree’s name will be commemorated with markers on a stone monument on the Preservation Lawn at the Isaac Adair House and the Lawrenceville Female Seminary.