April 17, 2022 - SACRAMENTO, Calif.—The California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) is pleased to announce the seven recipients of the 2021 Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards. Each of the projects represents exemplary achievements preserving California’s richly diverse heritage.
Established in 1986, the Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards program recognizes the innovation, creativity and dedication that are at the heart of the efforts to preserve California’s richly diverse heritage. The program is distinguished from other preservation awards in two important respects: It emphasizes involvement by community groups, and it recognizes a broad array of preservation activities, from building rehabilitation to archaeology, education and preservation planning.
“Especially in these ever-challenging times, we are proud to honor citizen efforts to celebrate and commemorate traditions, places and buildings that are the rich mosaic of our shared heritage,” said State Historic Preservation Officer Julianne Polanco.
This year’s award recipients range from a public-private collaboration to preserve a building with strong ties to the life and history of a community, to interpreting through video, exhibits and social media, the human heritage of an iconic California property.
Below is a brief description of the 2021 award recipients:
- Arts District Liberty Station, in San Diego, is a successful, adaptive reuse of a former naval training complex that preserved the historic buildings while transforming them into a center for community arts, retail and business activity.
- Beckman Instruments Inc., Administration Building, in Fullerton, represents a highly successful public-private partnership that rehabilitated and reused a signature mid-century modern building with strong ties to the social and economic history of Fullerton.
- Guilford Hall-Penn Court, in Whittier, is the result of a community-driven preservation effort that gave a building, associated with Whittier’s early history new life, as affordable housing for present and future residents.
- Pacific Electric Railway Substation 14, in Santa Ana, represents the successful adaptation of a historically significant building for use as a much-needed and valued community wellness center while preserving the building’s historic character and features.
- Paramount Theatre of the Arts Facade Restoration, in Oakland, succeeded in repairing and restoring the mosaic-tiled facade and neon sign of one of Oakland’s iconic theaters, preserving the historic venue’s character and presence in the history and civic life of the city.
- “The Spirit of Chicano Park,”in San Diego, is a children’s book that creatively preserves through illustrated text and oral histories, the story, art and voices of Chicano Park, a site of cultural and artistic significance.
- Unsung Heroes of Hearst Castle, in San Simeon, represents a creative public program incorporating videos, social media posts and visitor center exhibits to share the lesser-known history of the many individuals involved in the building of Hearst Castle.
California State Parks Director Armando Quintero and the State Historic Preservation Officer will present the awards on behalf of Governor Gavin Newsom to seven project award recipients on Wednesday, April 27, in Sacramento. The public is invited to view the awards ceremony on OHP’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The OHP is now accepting nominations for the 2022 Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards. Nominations are welcomed for projects, groups or individuals demonstrating excellence in all areas of historic preservation, including resource restoration and preservation; civic efforts to preserve, interpret and educate about community history; and preservation of places, traditions and objects of cultural, historical and archaeological significance. The deadline for nominations is Friday, May 6, 2022.
To learn more about the 2021 award recipients and download nomination forms and instructions for the 2022 awards, please visit the OHP website at ohp.parks.ca.gov/GovernorsAwards.
Photo 1: Guilford Hall-Penn Court. Photo from Stephan Schafer/Whittier Conservancy. Photo 2: “The Spirit of Chicano Park.”Photo from Tolteca Press. Photo 3: Pacific Electric Railway Substation 14. Photo from RMA Photography. Photo 4: Unsung Heroes of Hearst Castle. Photo from Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument.
Source: CA. State Parks
