Middletown Mayor Tony Perry is the winner of the 2024 M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon announced this week. He will be honored and presented with the award at the 29th Annual Archives and History Day Saturday, October 26 at the Robert J. Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College.
“Tony Perry has been an unwavering champion in the preservation of Middletown’s rich historical legacy and has demonstrated a profound impact on historic preservation in our County,” said Hanlon. “His work has helped ensure a vital part of Monmouth County history will be honored and appreciated for generations to come.”
As Mayor since 2019 and a member of the Middletown Township Committee since 2017, Perry has played an instrumental role in improving historical sites, maintaining open space and participating in historical initiatives.
The mayor spearheaded the creation of Middletown’s America 250 Committee to develop programs and events coinciding with the nation’s historic Sesquicentennial celebration. He also serves on the Board of the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area established to promote a greater understanding of a Revolutionary era historical sites.
In addition, Mayor Perry has championed critical preservation projects including the restoration of the historic Joseph Murray Farmhouse, a vital link to Middletown’s agricultural heritage. His leadership helped ensure the landmark continued to stand as a tangible connection to the town’s past.
Perry has also been a leader of preserving Middletown’s maritime history, exemplified by the current restoration of the historic Conover Beacon in Leonardo, an iconic symbol of Middletown’s maritime traditions. He also worked with the Township Committee to pass a resolution that took into consideration historic and aesthetic significance when developing a plan for the necessary replacement of the Oceanic Bridge over the Navesink River.
Perry championed an awareness campaign focusing on educating residents about the importance of open space and landmark preservation, an effort that resulted in voters approving a referendum to establish a trust to preserve undeveloped land and rehabilitate and restore historic sites.
The M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation recognizes outstanding achievements of an elected official, government employee, public servant or civic organization in supporting historic preservation in Monmouth County through education, development, planning, rehabilitation, advocacy, community leadership or other means. Created in 2015, the award is named after M. Claire French, Hanlon’s predecessor, who served as County Clerk for 18 years until her retirement in 2015.
The County Clerk’s 2024 Archives and History Day on October 26, runs from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. with the awards presentations beginning at 12:30 p.m. This year’s Archives exhibit, a photography exhibit which will be on display at Archives and History Day, is titled “Monmouth County Life Through a Lens: Photographs from the Evans Studio, 1943-1987.”
For more information about Archives and History Day, visit MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives or contact the Monmouth County Archives at 732-308-3771, ext. 3772.
