The opera house in Litchfield, Minn. — built in 1900 but out of use as a theater and event hall for more than 70 years — survived three City Council votes approving its demolition. On Friday the building landed a 2008 Minnesota Preservation Award for its saviors, a citizens group called the Greater Litchfield Opera House Association. The group bought the historic building this year for a 1900 silver dollar and has so far poured 3,000 volunteer hours into reviving the opera house for something like its original purpose. Sarah Bernhardt is thought to have performed there in the hall’s heyday; no word on whether Ashlee Simpson has pointed her bus toward Litchfield yet.

Other 2008 Minnesota Preservation Award winners are the Ben Pomeroy Student/Alumni Learning Center (St. Paul), the Foshay (Minneapolis), Marzario Warehouse/Monte’s Steakhouse (Faribault), St. Anthony Falls Office Building (former Pillsbury Library, Minneapolis), Grace University Lutheran Church (Minneapolis), Downtown Streetscaping Reevelopment Project (Waseca), Depot Preservation Alliance (Baudette), 1890 Fire Engine House (Arlington), Paradise Center for the Arts (Faribault), Warden’s House (Stillwater). Also receiving awards are Dan Borgert of St. Cloud, John Meyer of Minneapolis and the Weaver School in Weaver.