City Historic Preservation Committee Chair Receives State Heritage Preservation Award

The City of Las Cruces is proud to recognize Historic Preservation Committee Chair Dr. Jerry Wallace for receiving the Heritage Preservation Individual Achievement Award from the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division.

Dr. Wallace was honored during the 54th Annual Heritage Preservation Awards ceremony held May 29, 2026, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque. The awards are presented each year during Historic Preservation Month, celebrated statewide throughout May.

A public historian at New Mexico State University, Dr. Wallace has served as chair of the City of Las Cruces Historic Preservation Committee and has been a strong advocate for preserving and promoting the community’s historic and cultural resources. Through his professional work, community engagement, and leadership, Dr. Wallace has helped advance public understanding of New Mexico’s rich history and the importance of preserving historic places.

The New Mexico Historic Preservation Division’s Heritage Preservation Awards recognize individuals, organizations, and projects that demonstrate excellence in preserving and promoting the state’s cultural and historic resources.

In addition to Dr. Wallace’s recognition, other 2026 award recipients included:

• Heritage Preservation Award for Organizations: Kit Carson House, Inc., its Board of Directors, and staff, recognized for their work as an educational institution and for completing significant preservation projects at the Kit Carson House and Museum.
• Heritage Preservation Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Rick Hendricks, recognized for his extensive contributions to New Mexico scholarship and history, as well as his service on the Cultural Properties Review Committee as state historian.
• Architectural Heritage Preservation Award: The Albuquerque Railyards project, presented to the City of Albuquerque, the New Mexico Media Academy, and CNM Film Production Center for the creative design and historic rehabilitation of the former boiler shop within the AT&SF Railway Locomotive Shops Historic District, demonstrating an outstanding example of adaptive reuse.
• Architectural Heritage Preservation Award: Fort Stanton Historic Site, recognized for the major rehabilitation work completed on four historic buildings, including the visitor center, laundress quarters, hospital, and nurses’ quarters.

The City of Las Cruces Historic Preservation Committee advises the City on matters related to the identification, preservation, and protection of historic properties and cultural resources, helping ensure that Las Cruces’ unique heritage is preserved for future generations.

For more information about the City of Las Cruces Historic Preservation Committee, visit the City’s website LasCruces.Gov/HistoricPreservation.