A seventh-generation resident of Jefferson County, Alcorn gained his deep appreciation for area history and Madison’s local landmarks from his grandmother Bertha Keelty, an artist who shared insights into the downtown buildings she depicted in her artwork. He vividly recalls demolition of the façade of the Madison Bank and Trust Company in the 1950s, as a loss that spurred creation of Historic Madison in 1960.

The organization’s founder John Windle invited Alcorn, who had just started his own law practice, to join Historic Madison’s board of directors in 1976. Just three years later, the National Trust for Historic Preservation selected Madison as one of three pilot communities for a new program called Main Street America, intended to spur downtown revitalization. Alcorn supported the emerging organization’s work to foster preservation of commercial buildings and locally owned businesses.

A few years later, Alcorn helped craft a local historic district ordinance to provide guidelines and protection for the downtown’s remaining buildings, a measure that passed in 1981 despite considerable political opposition. In the ensuing years, the ordinance did its work by attracting private investment and helping maintain Madison’s intact downtown, which planted seeds for the National Historic Landmark district designation in 2006.

“It was quite emotional at the time for many people, as you can imagine, worrying whether they would be told what to do with exterior changes to their buildings,” recalls Alcorn. “Even though the ordinance was unpopular at the time, it was effective. It made everyone think about their structures, and over the course of time, preservation emerged as a community value.”

In the 1990s, Alcorn’s law firm rehabilitated a dilapidated nineteenth-century wagon wheel spoke factory complex on 6th Street for use as its offices. In doing so, the firm revitalized a key historic building on the historic Michigan Road into downtown and provided the first large-scale example of how a local industrial landmark could be repurposed for new use, setting the stage for future development of similar sites. The rehabilitation earned an adaptive reuse award from the American Bar Association.

“Most communities would have demolished the property and called it a day, but Merritt and his partners significantly invested in this place and made it available for community events,” notes John Staicer, executive director of Historic Madison. “That summarizes and symbolizes in brick and stone the commitment Merritt has had to historic preservation.”

Alcorn chaired Historic Madison’s board of directors for 20 years and continues to support the organization as emeritus chair. During his many years of involvement, he’s helped the organization navigate the acquisition, restoration, and reuse of landmark properties including the Shrewsbury-Windle House and St. Michael the Archangel Church. He’s also supplied pro bono legal aid to draft historic preservation covenants and easement documents to protect the character of properties the group sold.

“This was all a labor of love for me, and this award validates my family, Historic Madison, this community, and all those who have worked to bring about Madison’s transformation,” says Alcorn. “Madison is about place, and people are willing to put a value on that.”

The Williamson Prize honors the impactful career of J. Reid Williamson Jr., past president of Indiana Landmarks who championed the value of local preservation organizations and using restoration as a tool to revitalize communities. The prize includes a sculpture by the late Evansville artist John McNaughton and a $1,000 cash award that Alcorn is directing to support Historic Madison’s work. Alcorn will be honored as part of Indiana Landmarks’ annual meeting in Indianapolis on September 6, 2025.

This article first appeared in the July/August issue of Indiana Preservation, Indiana Landmarks’ member magazine.