About CPF and the Awards

Held in conjunction with CPF’s 2026 Annual Conference in Riverside, the 2026 Mission Inn Preservation Design Awards Ceremony and Reception will spotlight excellence in historic preservation in a setting that reflects the very spirit of the work being honored. This special evening brings together award recipients, conference participants, preservation leaders, and supporters from across California to celebrate outstanding preservation projects and leadership through the Preservation Design Awards and President’s Awards.

Founded in 1978, the California Preservation Foundation (CPF) is California’s statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of historic places and cultural heritage. Through education, advocacy, and community-centered programs, CPF supports the people, projects, and policies that keep California’s historic resources vital and valued. We now support a national network of more than 36,000 members and supporters. Click here to learn how you can become a member.

Sequoia Field: A Documentary – Project Team

Historic Preservation Consultant
Allison Lyons – GPA Consulting

Additional Participant
Alexandra Vander Poel – Tulare County

Historic Preservation Consultant
Allison Lyons – GPA Consulting

Specialty / Sub-Contractor
Christopher Fuentes – GPA Consulting

Project Lead & Title:
Andrea Galvin – GPA Consulting

Owner/Client & Title:
Hector Guerra – Tulare County Resource Management Agency

Historic Preservation Consultant
Allison Lyons – GPA Consulting

Additional Participant(s)
Alexandra Vander Poel – Tulare County

Sequoia Field: A Documentary

The Sequoia Field: A Documentary is the winner of a 2020 Preservation Design Award for Interpretive Exhibits. Award recipients are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists. The Award will be presented on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at an online awards ceremony. Tickets and sponsorship options are available at californiapreservation.org/awards.

Read more about the Preservation Design Awards

About this project

Sequoia Field is a World War II-era pilot training school listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The district has been adaptively reused over many decades to serve the needs of its community. It now serves as a detention facility. Access is highly restricted and knowledge of its significance to Tulare County’s role in World War II is not widespread. To maximize the accessibility of the information about Sequoia Field for the general public, the project team produced a short documentary using expert interviews and current and historic footage to present the history of the site, its ongoing use, and its future as it continues to serve its community’s needs. Developed through a collaborative effort, the short documentary on Sequoia Field’s history highlights expert testimony and historic images on the site in an engaging video to heighten appreciation of this unique place. Watch the film here on YouTube.

Black-and-white photo of uniformed people standing in rows on a field outside long, low buildings with mountains in the background. Text overlay promotes a documentary, awards, and exhibit details.
Two flags, the U.S. and California state flag, fly on flagpoles in a grassy area with palm trees, a wooden sign, and a small wooden structure nearby under a clear sky. Subtitles appear at the bottom of the image.
Black and white photo of a single-story building with rectangular windows and doors, labeled with letters. Trimmed bushes are in front, and a cloudy sky is visible above. On-screen captions mention Sequoia Field and former barracks.
A group of women aviators in vintage flight gear stand together outdoors, smiling and posing for a photo. Subtitles at the bottom read: Gladys ODonnell she had actually been in a competition with the.
Black-and-white photo of uniformed individuals standing in formation outside long buildings and an airplane hangar, with mountains visible in the background under a cloudy sky.
An older man with gray hair and glasses sits at a desk, speaking. Behind him is a mural of vintage airplanes and buildings. Text on screen reads: NEWELL G. BRINGHURST, Professor Emeritus, College of the Sequoias.
A sign for Sequoia Field Airport in Tulare County stands on a sunny day with a small airplane partially visible on the left and hangars in the distance. Subtitles read, in the heart of Tulare County lies Sequoia field.