09/28/2026
The Samuel Morgan Lifetime Service Award recognizes extraordinary contributions to architecture in Tennessee, including those made by individuals outside the architectural profession.
Dr. Carroll Van West was selected in the non-architect category for his extensive contributions to Tennessee architecture, history and historic preservation.
West has devoted his career to documenting, interpreting and preserving Tennessee’s architectural and cultural heritage. His influence spans scholarship, public history, historic preservation and hands-on preservation efforts across the state.
His publications have become important resources for understanding Tennessee’s built environment. He served as editor-in-chief of the 1,193-page Tennessee Encyclopedia of History & Culture and authored Tennessee’s Historic Landscapes: A Traveler’s Guide, Tennessee History: The Land, the People, and the Culture, and Nashville Architecture: A Guide to the City.
His 2015 book, Nashville Architecture, is described in his nomination as a comprehensive survey of the city’s historic and contemporary architecture, documenting not only significant buildings but also the clients, architects, engineers and builders responsible for shaping Nashville.
Beyond his scholarship, West’s preservation work has touched historic places throughout Tennessee, and his decades of research, writing, teaching and advocacy have helped ensure that the state’s architectural heritage is not simply preserved but understood and shared with future generations.
