Alisha Yocum

The Washington County Board of County Commissioners awarded John Krumpotich and the Ritchie History Museum with the 2024 John Frye Historical Preservation Award on May 16.

Krumpotich purchased the old army base in 2021 with the intent to preserve the historic buildings as part of the development process. The museum opened in 2023 and includes exhibits that highlight the history of the base. One of those highlights being the efforts of the “Ritchie Boys” who were trained in intelligence and helped defeat Hitler during World War II. It is estimated that 8,000-10,000 visitors have gone through the museum in the past year.

Katy Best, director of the museum, said, “John, his family, and his team are successful because they genuinely care about Fort Ritchie’s history. They did not wish just to come in and redevelop the property and tear things out as some companies did before, but they focused on breathing life back into these old structures.”

The museum is located at 14319 Barrick Avenue in Cascade and is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit the website at ritchiemuseum.org.

Washington County Commissioners present John Krumpotich with the 2024 John Frye Historical Preservation Award.