PHOENIX - The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the Arizona Preservation Foundation have announced the recipients of the 2026 Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards, recognizing individuals, organizations, and projects that have made outstanding contributions to preserving Arizona’s prehistoric, historic, and cultural resources.

Since 1982, the Arizona Preservation Foundation and SHPO, a division of Arizona State Parks and Trails, have partnered to present Arizona’s highest preservation honors. The awards celebrate excellence in historic preservation while increasing public awareness of the importance of safeguarding Arizona’s diverse heritage.

“Historic preservation connects Arizonans to the people, places, and stories that shaped our communities,” said Kathryn Leonard, State Historic Preservation Officer. “These award recipients demonstrate how preservation strengthens local identity, enriches our understanding of the past, and ensures that significant cultural resources remain meaningful and accessible for future generations.”

The 2026 Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Award recipients are:

• The Abuelas Project: Borderlands
• David Yubeta
• Fort Lowell Commissary, Tucson
• Jason M. Nez
• L. Ron Hubbard Osborn House, Phoenix
• Lehi Auditorium Rehabilitation, Mesa
• Lookout Studio Rehabilitation, Grand Canyon National Park
• Pranav Raj Vippagunta and Lois A. Valdez, Arizona Heritage Preservation Youth Council
• Sprouts House, Tucson
• Tucson Heritage Video Series

The highest honor presented through the program, the James W. Garrison Heritage Award, was awarded to the Abuelas Project. Named in honor of former State Historic Preservation Officer James W. Garrison, the award is selected by the Office of the Governor from among the year’s award recipients.

Led by Latinos in Heritage Conservation (LHC), the Abuelas Project serves as a "people's archive" designed to protect and center Latinx history through digital StoryMaps. The initiative honors the role of abuelas as culture bearers and utilizes diverse methods, including oral histories, archival research, and community photographs. The project provides a vital platform for preserving intangible cultural heritage that has historically been excluded from traditional repositories.

“The Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards recognize the remarkable efforts of volunteers, professionals, nonprofits, government agencies, and community advocates who work tirelessly to preserve Arizona’s heritage,” said Jim McPherson, President of the Arizona Preservation Foundation Board of Directors. “Their accomplishments demonstrate that preservation is not only about protecting historic places. It is about investing in vibrant communities, education, and Arizona’s shared future.”

The awards were presented during a public ceremony on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at the Arizona Baseball Museum, located within the historic 1939 Lehi Auditorium on the Mesa Historical Museum campus, 2345 N. Horne, Mesa. Opened in early 2026, the museum is Arizona’s first permanent museum dedicated to the history of baseball in the state. A reception began at 5 p.m., followed by the awards ceremony at 6 p.m. RSVP to Connie Gutierrez at connie@mcsource.net or 480-990-1887.

For information about the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office, visit azstateparks.com/SHPO. For more information about the Arizona Preservation Foundation and past award recipients, visit azpreservation.org.

Click the images in the photo gallery below to view project descriptions.