Tenino stone carver Keith Phillips has been notified that he will receive a 2026 State Historic Preservation Officer’s Career Achievement Award, recognized for contributions to stone carving, preservation of historic architecture, and commitment to carrying craft skills forward.
Phillips was nominated by Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier, who previously served as Tenino’s mayor. In a letter to Phillips, Washington State Historic Preservation Officer Dr. Allyson Brooks wrote, “It gives me great satisfaction to honor your outstanding work and dedication to protect our state’s irreplaceable cultural resources.”
For mason contractors and restoration teams, awards like this put a spotlight on the people behind the details that owners and the public notice first: carved stone elements, repaired profiles, and work that respects the original intent of a historic building. Preservation work depends on trained eyes and steady hands, from shaping stone to supporting crews that install and protect finished work on site.
The article also notes that Phillips founded the Tenino Stone Carvers group. He has carved stone from a Tenino quarry since the 1980s, building a local base of knowledge around stone craftsmanship and preservation-focused work.
Read the full, original article from Nisqually Valley News here.