Many deserve praise for helping to save Marquette

To the editor:

The word is now official: The Marquette Hotel has been saved. This monumental effort was due to the devotion and assistance of many who wanted to see the hotel preserved for future generations.

To this end, I think the following people and organizations deserve recognition and praise: Robin Seiler for co-writing the National Register of Historic Places nomination with me. Pamela McCutchen for putting up a Web site and helping locate original architectural blueprints. Mandy Wagoner and Cathy Grove for help with historic research. Carol Bullock for agreeing to work with and support the student-led effort to save the hotel. Prost Builders for buying the hotel. Tiffany Patterson for working with Robin and me in getting the National Register nomination approved by the advisory council. Al Spradling and the city council members for listening to our pleas. Tom Meyer for his patience and persistence. Dr. Steven Hoffman, Dr. Bonnie Stepenoff and Jerry Stepenoff for their expert guidance. And the Southeast Missourian for giving generous coverage to our efforts.

I would also like to thank all of the other countless Southeast students and citizens who helped in saving the Marquette and showed their support by attending city council meetings. No one person could have done this alone. Thanks to all of you, our cultural heritage has been protected and preserved.

JEREMY WELLS

Philadelphia