Out and About in History

Every city and town has a story. As the summer winds down, we encourage people to learn more about the local history of where they live or are visiting. Local preservation groups and historical societies are a wealth of knowledge and historic lore. If your calendar is already booked, many organizations offer year-round tours. Tours are typically 90 minutes to two hours and a great excuse to get out of the house. Some cities even offer virtual tours. A quick internet search will likely yield something in your area.

Here is a (very short) list of upcoming historical walking tours taking place in August:

• 8/08 Historic Downtown, Los Angeles
• 8/08 Victorian Days Walking Tour, San Mateo
• 8/08 Historic Walking Tour, Tahoe City
• 8/16 Scripps/Gill Cultural Zone, La Jolla
• 8/19 Historic Home of Downtown, Pleasanton (additional tour 8/29)
• 8/22 Alameda Walks - North Shore Marina Cove Waterfront Walk
• 8/28 Historic Downtown Walking Tour, Napa

If you are ready to take your exploration statewide, the State Parks Historian Passport offers unlimited access to over 30 historic state parks. These historic parks tell the story of California's history and are as diverse as the people and cultures that shaped the state. You can visit preserved pueblos and rancherias, the first town to be founded, financed, and governed by African Americans, or a 250-acre citrus grove. The annual pass provides entry for up to four people, so bring your friends!

There are too many tours to list! Here are a few Historic State Park tours in August. To find more, check out the State Parks events calendar.

Sonoma State Historic Park

Saturdays & Sundays: Sonoma Mission & Barracks Historic Walking Tour 


La Purísima Mission State Historic Park

Throughout August: Guided Tour of Historical Mission Buildings and Grounds

Empire Mine State Historic Park

8/29 Miner's Picnic

Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer - C.E.A. - A (JC-522698) 

Application Deadline: 08/09/26



Salary: $10,349.00 - $12,526.00 per month

Make sure to carefully read all sections of the job posting, paying special attention to Knowledge and Abilities, Desired Qualifications, and application instructions. Instructions for Examination Information are outlined in the job posting; there is no separate CalHR exam associated with this position.

A successful applicant will also meet the Professional Qualifications Standards outlined in the “Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation."

Associate State Archeologist (JC- 525493) 

Multiple positions!


Application Deadline: 8/14/2026

Salary: $6,332.00 - $8,680.00 per month

Classification Details: https://eservices.calhr.ca.gov/enterprisehrblazorpublic/Public/ClassSpec/ClassSpecDetail/2714


Apply for the exams!

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=3355

Cultural Resources Program Supervisor, Architectural Review and Registration Unit 
(JC-526708) 


Application Deadline: 8/19/26


Salary: $8,541.00 - $11,712.00 per month


Ensure you are list /transfer eligible through the CRP Supervisor Exam

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Exams/ExamBulletin.aspx?ExamControlId=4605

Visit the Office of Historic Preservation's website to learn more about our office's role in preserving and celebrating California’s heritage!

Designating California

Queen Anne August

Queen Anne was a popular Victorian-era architectural style found throughout the United States and across California. The style is named after the British Queen who reigned from 1702 to 1714. However, the Queen Anne architecture of the United States, or New World Queen Anne Revival, is a different style from the one that originated in England. 


New World Queen Anne Revival was most prominent from the 1880s to the 1910s, with some elements carrying into the 1920s. 
Notable design features include:

• Spindle work
• Wrap-around porches
• Asymmetrical front/façade
• A tower
• Patterned wood shingles

State Historical Resources Commission

The State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC) will meet on August 7, 2026, at 9:00 AM at the Stanley Mosk Library and Courts Building, 914 Capitol Mall, Room 500, Sacramento, California. Commission meetings are open to the public and live-streamed through the Cal-Span network. Meeting and workshop dates, times, and agendas are posted on the SHRC Meeting Schedule and Notices page of the OHP website.

For upcoming nominations, visit the Pending Nominations page. Nominations already heard by the Commission are listed on the Actions Taken page, and video recordings of SHRC meetings are posted to Meeting Recordings & Summaries.

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

Events Calendar

Stay up-to-date on ACHP events and meetings.

California Strategic Growth Council

The California Strategic Growth Council released new Tribal Technical Assistance Guidance to its Technical Assistance toolkit. This new section includes background on California’s unique historic relationship with Tribes, a set of core principles for working with Tribes, best practices for developing a Tribal-specific TA program, resources to inform Tribal engagement, and a Tribal-specific glossary.  

National Park Service

The National Park Service has issued additional information that supplements the Historic Preservation Certification Application instructions for Part 1 application documentation requirements for requests for preliminary determinations of significance.

This additional information is intended to simplify submission requirements and the amount of documentation required for properties not already listed in the National Register of Historic Places participating in the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program.  

The Technical Preservation Services (TPS) division of the National Park Service offers a series of free online trainings on a variety of topics, including Sustainability Guidelines, Rehabilitation Guidelines, Incentives, Local Historic Districts, and more. TPS also offers an extensive series of publications that provide guidance and how-to on a broad range of preservation topics and applications. 

California Preservation Foundation

Stay up-to-date! Visit the upcoming events calendar to find workshops and webinars for preservationists, architects, planners, and anyone else interested in learning more about preservation issues.

2027 CPF Conference Proposals - Call for Ideas
The California Preservation Foundation is excited to announce that the 2027 Annual California Preservation Conference will take place next spring in downtown San Jose and is accepting ideas for sessions, tours, or other program offerings through August 13th.

Doors Open California

The 5th Annual Doors Open California returns for the weekends throughout September 2026, offering behind-the-scenes access to over 75 historic sites across the state for a flat $20 fee.

Upcoming Programs:

• 10/29 Public Participation Matters! A Beginner’s Guide to Local Government Meetings

California State Library

• 175+ stories that highlight California’s unique history and role in the world 
• Protecting California’s Cultural Heritage

California Grants Portal

Hosted by the California State Library, this is a one-stop portal for searching for grants and loans offered by state agencies.

National Trust for Historic Preservation 

America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2026

In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places, honoring eleven historic sites that bring to life the principle that all people are created equal. This year, in honor of the 250th anniversary, each site featured on the list will also receive a one-time $25,000 grant from the National Trust.

National Preservation Summit, Washington, D.C — This year's theme is "All People Are Created Equal," exploring community revitalization, the interpretation of the past, and unity through historic places. Remote/online attendance is available for those who can't travel.

September 22 - 23, 2026

Grants

• Preserving Black Churches is a project of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. This grant is intended to preserve historically Black houses of worship—including those with active congregations and non-active congregations—and advance ongoing preservation activities.

Deadline: September 11, 2026 at 5:00 pm EST


• The Moe Family Fund for Statewide and Local Partners supports current dues-paying members of the National Preservation Partners Network (NPPN) with grants focused on strengthening preservation organizations and addressing pressing issues in the preservation field. This year, grant-funded projects will fall into one of three categories:

-Advocacy

-Capacity Building

-Climate Change

Deadline: October 15, 2026

National Preservation Institute

The National Preservation Institute offers a variety of in-person, on-demand courses and webinars addressing historic preservation and cultural resource management.

Check out the 2026 In-person and Webinar Schedule

NATHPO's 26th Annual Conference & Sacred Places Summit

Living Cultures, Living Landscapes

The NATHPO Conference demonstrates the importance of fostering meaningful connections among Tribal Nations, Tribal Historic Preservation Officers, and the diverse sectors and stakeholders that operate in the field of heritage preservation.

August 24 - 28, 2026

Western Chapter Association for Preservation Technology

Request for Abstract/ Proposals
Across the country, historic preservation faces a critical shortage of skilled tradespeople trained to work with traditional materials, methods, and buildings. 

The WCAPT invites session proposals that address the urgent need to expand, train, and sustain the preservation workforce. Proposals will be discussed at the 2027 Symposium, Bridging the Gap: Preservation Crafts, Trades, and Community. This Symposium seeks to highlight practical, scalable, and community-centered solutions that connect people to careers in preservation trades and strengthen the systems that support them.

Deadline: September 16, 2026

HistoriCorps
HistoriCorps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides volunteers of all skill levels with a hands-on experience preserving historic structures on public lands across America. Volunteers work with HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work saving historic places that have fallen into disrepair. HistoriCorps works to ensure America’s cultural and historical resources exist for generations to come.


Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:

• AHP: Stanislaus National Forest Recreation Residence Survey
  Stanislaus National Forest

August 2-7, August 9-14, August 16-21, and August 23-28


• Keys Ranch 
  Joshua Tree National Park
  October 4-9, October 11-16, October 18-23, October 25-30, and November 1-6
  
• Pond Farm Pottery Barn
  Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods
  October 4-9, October 11-16, and October 18-23

• Mendocino Woodlands State Park Camp Two Cabins
  Mendocino Woodlands Camp Association
  November 1-6, November 8-13, and November 15-20