The Arizona Preservation Foundation is Arizona's non-profit statewide historic preservation organization. Founded in 1979, the Foundation is dedicated to preserving Arizona's historic resources. This e-newsletter provides you with updates on Foundation activities and preservation news from across our state and nation's capital. Visit our website at azpreservation.org or our social media channels for more news and information.

Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards to Celebrate Arizona’s Preservation Champions

Arizona’s preservation community will gather in Mesa on Saturday, May 30, for the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards, an annual celebration recognizing the individuals, organizations, businesses, and projects that have made exceptional contributions to preserving Arizona’s historic and cultural heritage.

Presented jointly by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office and the Arizona Preservation Foundation, the awards have honored preservation excellence across Arizona since 1982 and are among the state’s highest recognitions for historic preservation achievement. The program highlights exemplary efforts in restoration, rehabilitation, archaeology, education, advocacy, community revitalization, and stewardship of Arizona’s irreplaceable historic resources.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Arizona Baseball Museum and Mesa Historical Society in Mesa’s historic Lehi neighborhood following the Certified Local Government training program earlier in the day. A reception featuring ballpark-themed refreshments will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the awards presentation from 6 to 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Over the decades, the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards have recognized a remarkable range of preservation accomplishments throughout Arizona. Award recipients have included landmark rehabilitation projects, archaeological preservation initiatives, community heritage programs, volunteer leaders, and organizations dedicated to protecting the state’s historic places. Recent honorees have ranged from restoration projects at historic ranches, missions, commercial buildings, and residential properties to individuals whose lifelong commitment has strengthened preservation efforts in communities across Arizona.

The mission of the awards is threefold: to increase public awareness of historic preservation, recognize the contributions of volunteers and professionals working to protect Arizona’s heritage, and celebrate projects that demonstrate excellence in preservation planning, design, and execution. Nominations are accepted annually from throughout Arizona, reflecting the diverse stories, cultures, and historic resources that define the state.

As Arizona continues to grow and change, the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Awards serve as a reminder that preserving historic places strengthens communities, supports economic vitality, fosters community identity, and ensures that future generations can experience the stories embedded in Arizona’s historic landscapes and buildings.Preservation professionals, community leaders, volunteers, property owners, and history enthusiasts from across the state are invited to attend and celebrate the accomplishments of this year’s honorees.

For a look at past award recipients, visit the Arizona Preservation Foundation’s awards archive.

Arizona’s Certified Local Government Training Coming to Mesa on May 30

Historic preservation commissioners, local government staff, property owners, and community advocates are invited to attend a comprehensive Certified Local Government (CLG) training program hosted by the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and the City of Mesa Historic Preservation Office on Saturday, May 30.

The free training session will be held from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the former Mesa City Council Chambers, located at 57 E. 1st Street in downtown Mesa, directly across First Street from the Mesa Public Library. Participants will receive a binder packed with reference materials and resources designed to support local preservation efforts.

This year’s training features an extensive lineup of guest speakers and practical topics aimed at strengthening preservation programs throughout Arizona. Sessions will explore archaeology and the tools available to local governments, the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, local design standards and guidelines, and the review process for Certificates of Appropriateness and other alterations to historic properties.

Additional presentations will focus on integrating historic preservation into local government planning and policy frameworks, understanding the distinction between a property’s integrity and its physical condition, and evaluating alternatives to traditional historic building materials. Participants will also learn about infill development and new construction within historic districts, along with frequently discussed issues such as window rehabilitation, solar installations, landscaping, and other common questions from property owners.

The day will include numerous real-world examples, case studies, and interactive exercises designed to encourage discussion and practical application of preservation principles.

Attendance is free of charge. Coffee, snacks, and a pizza lunch will be provided courtesy of the City of Mesa. Parking is available in the Mesa Public Library lot and the nearby Centennial Garage.

The training is intended to encourage broad participation from historic preservation commissioners, municipal staff, community members, and property owners interested in preserving Arizona’s historic resources. Similar training opportunities will also be offered later this year in Flagstaff and in Southern Arizona during the winter months.

The Arizona State Historic Preservation Office encourages interested individuals to RSVP and help spread the word throughout their communities.

Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape Named Among America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has named the Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape – an expansive ancestral homeland that extends into northeastern Arizona – as one of its 2026 America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.

Now in its 39th year, the National Trust’s annual list shines a national spotlight on historic places facing significant threats while helping local advocates build public awareness, attract resources, and advance preservation solutions. Since the program began in 1988, more than 350 sites have been featured, with only a handful ultimately lost. This year, each site on the list will also receive a $25,000 grant from the National Trust as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary commemoration.

The Greater Chaco Cultural Landscape encompasses thousands of square miles across northwestern New Mexico and portions of Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. While many people associate Chaco with the monumental stone structures found within Chaco Culture National Historical Park, preservation advocates emphasize that the significance of Chaco extends far beyond park boundaries. The broader cultural landscape includes archaeological sites, ceremonial places, ancient roads, petroglyphs, and cultural connections that remain important to modern Pueblo and Hopi communities.

For Arizona, the designation highlights the state’s connection to one of North America’s most significant Indigenous cultural landscapes. The region forms part of a vast network of ancestral communities linked to Chaco between approximately A.D. 850 and 1250. These places continue to hold cultural, spiritual, and historical importance for descendant communities today.

According to the National Trust, the primary threat facing the landscape is potential industrial development, including oil and gas leasing on lands outside existing protected areas. Preservation advocates and tribal leaders argue that a fragmented approach to land management leaves many culturally significant sites vulnerable to irreversible impacts.

Supporters are calling for permanent protections, stronger tribal consultation, coordinated land-use planning, and passage of the Chaco Culture Heritage Areas Protection Act. They believe these measures would help preserve the landscape as a living cultural resource while serving as a national model for Indigenous-led stewardship and heritage preservation.

The listing brings national attention to the ongoing effort to protect this extraordinary landscape and the stories it continues to tell across Arizona and the American Southwest. For more information and to urge protections, click here. (Photo: Avi Farber)

Phoenix's Mystery Castle Finds New Steward as Harrell Family of Companies Commits to Preservation and Renewal

One of Phoenix’s most beloved and unconventional landmarks has entered a new chapter. Mystery Castle, the whimsical South Mountain structure built by Boyce Luther Gully for his daughter Mary Lou, has been purchased by the Harrell Family of Companies (HFC), ending years of uncertainty about the future of the site and opening the door to its preservation and revitalization.

Constructed between 1934 and 1935, Mystery Castle stands as a remarkable blend of organic architecture, folk art, and desert ingenuity. Drawing inspiration from the Sonoran Desert and the Indigenous cultures of the American Southwest and Mexico, Gully incorporated local materials and imaginative design elements to create a structure unlike any other in Arizona. Beginning in 1945, Mary Lou Gully and her mother devoted themselves to caring for and promoting the property, transforming it into a nationally recognized tourist attraction that captured the imagination of generations of visitors.

Following Mary Lou’s death in 2010, however, the future of Mystery Castle became increasingly uncertain. Repeated break-ins, vandalism, and years of deferred maintenance caused significant damage to the landmark, raising concerns that it could eventually be lost. The site’s precarious condition led to its inclusion on the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s annual list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places in 2025, bringing national attention to the need for action.

That recognition helped galvanize preservation efforts. In September 2025, the all-volunteer Friends of Mystery Castle became a task force of Preserve Phoenix, a nonprofit organization that provided access to new funding opportunities. Those resources enabled the hiring of a consultant and the development of a strategic plan to explore viable futures for the property.

After a nine-month process involving extensive community outreach, stakeholder engagement, and evaluation of both nonprofit and private-sector options, Friends of Mystery Castle and Preserve Phoenix announced in April 2026 that the Harrell Family of Companies had acquired the property from the Mystery Castle Historical Foundation. The company has pledged to preserve the historic landmark while developing it as a destination venue for events and community gatherings.

The transition was formally introduced to the public during a community forum held May 2, 2026, at the South Mountain Community Library. Hosted by Friends of Mystery Castle and Preserve Phoenix, the event attracted more than 60 attendees and represented the culmination of months of collaboration aimed at identifying sustainable preservation and operational models for the site.

During the forum, Erick Harrell shared examples of the company’s previous preservation work and outlined a vision for Mystery Castle that balances historic stewardship with public engagement. His plans call for rehabilitating the property while creating a destination event venue that will introduce new generations of Phoenicians to one of the city’s most distinctive landmarks. The presentation was followed by an extensive question-and-answer session, with attendees expressing strong support for both the preservation commitment and the potential community benefits envisioned for South Phoenix.

For advocates, community members, and admirers of Arizona’s unique cultural heritage, the acquisition marks a significant milestone. After years of uncertainty, Mystery Castle now appears poised for a future that honors its remarkable past while ensuring its continued place in the cultural life of Phoenix. For more information, visit the Preserve Phoenix website. (Photo: Bob Graham)