MONMOUTH COUNTY – Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon has announced that Middletown Mayor Tony Perry is the winner of the 2024 M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation.
Perry will receive the award at the County Clerk’s 29th Annual Archives and History Day which is scheduled for October 26 at the Robert J. Collins Arena at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft.
“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,” Hanlon said. “His work has helped ensure a vital part of Monmouth County history will be honored and appreciated for generations to come.”
Perry became Mayor is 2019 and has been a member of the Middletown Township Committee since 2017. He’s played a major role in improving historical sites, maintaining open space and participating in historical initiatives.
Perry was the driving force in the creation of Middletown’s America 250 Committee, which develops programs and events coinciding with America’s semiquincentennial celebration. He also serves on the Board of the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area which was established to promote a greater understanding a Revolutionary era historical sites.
Perry advocated for critical preservation projects including the restoration of the historic Joseph Murray Farmhouse, which is 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,” the County said in a statement.
Additionally, Perry helped persevered Middletown’s maritime history by restoring the historic Conover Beacon in Leonardo. He’s 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.
Lastly, he supported an awareness campaign which focuses on educating residents about the importance of open space and landmark preservation. This led to voters approving by referendum the establishment of 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.
The award is named after M. Claire French, Hanlon’s predecessor, who served as County Clerk for 18 years until her retirement in 2015.
For more information about Archives and History Day, visit MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives or contact the Monmouth County Archives at 732-308-3771, ext. 3772.
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