History Matters: Nominations Now Open

The Sonoma County Historical Records Commission is now accepting nominations for their 2024 Collections and Archives Recognition Awards. This award recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of individuals, groups, agencies, collections and archives located within Sonoma County. Nominees located within the boundaries of Sonoma County and practicing the collection and preservation of historical records for the promotion of history and cultural preservation qualify for the award.

A complete description of the criteria for the award and the nomination form may be found at: https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Historical-Records-Commission/. Nominations are due by Jan. 8, 2025. The 2024 awards will be presented in conjunction with the Sonoma County Historical Society’s annual meeting in March 2025.

Last year, the commission bestowed seven awards to a diverse group of individuals and organizations, which included:

• Tim Danesi, honored for preserving the history of Rohnert Park through gathering, exhibiting, protecting and storing irreplaceable materials relevant to the history of Rohnert Park.
• Irene Hilsendager, recognized for working with Rohnert Park City Facilities staff to move historical materials into a small private storage unit.
• Paula Freund and Amy Hogan, awarded for their creation and work on the Petaluma Pioneers website.
• Steve Lehmann, recognized for his project honoring the deaths of WWII Airmen who died as a result of pilot and mechanical error while training at air bases in the Bay Area.
• Playback Memory Lab and the Sonoma County History & Genealogy Library, honored for the creation of a free, easy way to protect and preserve personal, family and community histories through a do-it-yourself space providing professional-grade tools to support personal preservation and archiving.
• Lesbian Archives of Sonoma County, awarded for their work recording oral history video interviews of lesbians who were activists in Sonoma County between 1965 and 1995.
• Glen Ellen Historical Society, recognized for its work on creating a online historical database of documents and for tagging, organizing and cataloging all items in storage.

The Sonoma County Historical Society annual luncheon and awards ceremony is set to take place on Sunday, March 16, 2025 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Iron and Vine Restaurant in the Bennet Valley Golf Course, 3328 Yulupa Ave. in Santa Rosa. For more information, visit https://www.sonomacountyhistory.org/annual-luncheon.

Contact Information:
Amanda S. King
Chief Deputy County Clerk-Recorder
Sonoma County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department
707-565-1805
[email protected]

Media Contact:
Gina Stocker, Communications Specialist
[email protected]
(707) 565-3040
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403