What was once a temporary home has been recognized as a historic piece of Butler.

City council Thursday night presented its second annual Preservation Award, giving honors to residential and commercial properties devoted to maintaining the historical look of the city.

Donna Gumpper received the award for the renovations she and her late husband, Bill Gumpper, made to their 218 E. Fulton St. home.

“I’m just thrilled,” Gumpper said of the award. “I’ve been here since 2002. It’s a beautiful house.”

Councilman Bill May, who created the awards with the city last year, said the Gumppers restored one of the city’s more historic structures.

“There’s a real interesting history to the home,” May said.

The house was built in 1868 by William H. Riddle, a prominent attorney in Butler, May said. He built the home as a temporary house for his family while a larger mansion was built next door.

May said the Black family bought the home and it stayed in the family for about a century until Kate Black died in the 1970s.

Ruth Berstein, one of the first female attorneys in the city, then bought the home and restored it.

“She invested well over $100,000 to restore the home,” May said.

When Berstein hired an architect for the project, he told her the house could be torn down and rebuilt for the price of the restorations.

“She told him ‘no,’” May said. “She wanted to keep the original home because Ms. Black would invite her in for tea and cookies as a child.”

While Berstein never lived in the home, it was fully restored and even had a basement added for a sturdy foundation.

But after Berstein’s death, the home was left to her family and was neglected.

“It was run into deplorable conditions,” May said.

The Gumppers bought the home after serving as missionaries in Africa. Bill Gumpper, a Butler native, wanted to return to home.

Donna Gumpper said when she bought the home it had windows boarded up and holes in the flooring.

She said she spent four years renovating the property, largely by herself while her husband worked as an assistant pastor at the Butler First United Methodist Church.

One of the major tasks in its restoration was using a heat gun to remove the paint. She had some help with that task.

“(Butler County Commissioner) Dale Pinkerton even helped with the heat gun,” she said, laughing. “He spent a week up on a hot roof.”

The hard work paid off for Gumpper as the home was recognized for its historic appearance.

“It’s a postcard,” May said. “It’s a beautiful home worthy of a Thomas Kinkade painting.”

While the home has been a large part of her life, Gumpper said it is now up for sale as she is engaged and plans to move closer to Cranberry Township with her fiance.

“I love this house,” she said. “It’s going to be hard to say goodbye.”

Don and Sherry Paul, owners of Don Paul’s Jewelers on Main Street, received the award for improving commercial property. The couple renovated 150 and 152 N. Main St. storefronts, both part of the original Negley building.

Those previously vacant stores are now home to the Heavenly Hookah Lounge and Morgan’s Yogurts and Sweet Treats, which is set to open soon.

May said the building was originally built in 1929 by Edgar Negley, an attorney in the city.

May said the classic appearance of the three storefronts is exactly what the city’s downtown district needs.

“That couple gets it,” he said. “Those stores welcome people to this city.”

May created the awards alongside councilman Richard Schontz Jr. last year before May was a member of council.

May took office in January after replacing councilman Lisa Guard, who resigned last December.

“I believe that since we have a sign saying ‘Welcome to Historic Downtown Butler,’ the city should be actively involved in promoting historic preservation,” he said.

May said the city has failed to protect its historic buildings over the decades. He said it was a mistake as maintaining a historic district will greatly benefit the city.

“We don’t do this to give a feeling of nostalgia,” May said, “historic preservation brings economic vitality.”