The Governor's Historic Preservation Awards Program

Governor's Awards page imageEstablished in 1986, the Governor's Historic Preservation Awards is California's only state-sponsored awards program and seeks to recognize community-centered, often grass-roots efforts going on throughout California to preserve our collective heritage. The awards are presented annually under the sponsorship of the California Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) and California State Parks to projects, individuals, and organizations whose contributions demonstrate outstanding achievements in historic preservation.   

Awards Background & Criteria


2023 Awards Now Accepting Nominations

The Office of Historic Preservation welcomes nominations for the 2023 Governor’s Historic Preservation Awards! Nomination Deadline: May 8, 2023.

Nominees can include, among others, resource restoration and preservation; civic efforts to preserve, interpret, and educate about community history; and companies and public agencies that have exceeded expectations and contractual obligations in preserving the heritage of California. Efforts to address the challenges of climate change will be considered as well. Individuals whose passion for preservation has made a difference and saved numerous cultural, historical, and archaeological treasures may also be nominated. Download the forms below. Good work deserves to be celebrated!

2023 Read First
2023 Award Categories and Criteria
2023 Nomination Form-Projects, Programs
2023 Nomination Form-Individuals, Organizations, Agencies

2022 Awards Presentation

Awards for the 2022 Governor's Historic Preservation Awards were presented at a ceremony on Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Sacramento. Congratulations to all of the deserving recipients! You can view the ceremony video on our YouTube channel. To learn more about each of the awarded projects, click the links below:

Angel Island Immigration Station Hospital
First Congregational Church of Long Beach
Old Orange County Courthouse
Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Headquarters Building
Save As: NextGen Heritage Conservation