The United States based organization Maine Preservation promotes the preservation, protection and vitality of Maine's historic places. Each year they present awards for excellence in preservation of historical places. In 2004 Maine Preservation honored Jean and Reed Holmes for their restoration of a building that intertwines the histories of Maine, USA and Jaffa, Israel. (more...)
Nominated for 7 Wonders of Israel
"...Throughout the years the houses of the Colony suffered (especially
the wooden houses built as part of the American Colony) from general
atrocious neglect. It seems as if this important site in the history of
Eretz Israel of the 19th century did not evoke much of an interest to
anyone. Slowly the bulldozers came and took down one house after
another in order to clear the ground for new construction. The process
of stopping this irreversible trend and beginning to preserve the
Colony should be attributed to a devoted and active American couple,
Reed and Jean Holmes, who have done greatly to save the place from the
horror of the bulldozers. Finally, the couple purchased one of the
houses in the colony, which undergone preservation and reconstruction
and became an active museum for the history of the Jaffa American
Colony. The enormous knowledge of the couple Reed about the history of
the site and their heartwarming hospitality make the Museum of the
American Colony (Maine House) a must-see site for all lovers of Eretz
Israel history..." (read the original Hebrew)
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