"Some people become very defensive when I tell them who really built their house," said Timothy Samuelson, a preservation specialist.

From 1936 until 1941 Jonynas worked as preservation specialist in Lithuanian inspection of cultural heritage, later became chief of the organization.

It is awarded in recognition of professional preservation specialists who have made significant contributions to the field.

The guests, many of them architects or preservation specialists, asked the same question: "Who is this guy?"

But other historic preservation specialists, and some of Connecticut's top elected officials, endorse the museum project - and in fact intervened to make it possible.

Peggy Carlsen, a historic preservation specialist who has run Rockingham, which is now a museum, for nearly a decade, said the site was less than ideal.

The organization also maintains a list of craftsmen and preservation specialists recommended by members.

The work is to involve at least 25 preservation specialists from the United States.

Heidi Harendza, Ewing's historic preservation specialist, who wrote the successful proposal for the registry, recently talked about the farm.

"No one is denying the history of the site," said Kathleen Howe, a historic preservation specialist at the state office.