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Leonard Gwinn, 1992
Leonard Gwinn received the award in 1992 for his outstanding work as a CAL FIRE Forest Practice Inspector. His careful observations saved a significant housepit village site from certain destruction that would have occurred during one proposed THP. The RPF that wrote that plan did not identify any site. Back in those, the early years of the CAL FIRE Archaeology Program, THP review did not include a well-developed process involving oversight by a professional archaeologist that is in place today. The CAL FIRE Archaeologist could be called-in for assistance from time to time, but the responsibility was placed on the CAL FIRE Inspector to determine when that was necessary.
The area in question occupied a portion of a ridgetop which trended from east to west. Leonard remembered during his archaeological training that such ridgelines were used by Native Americans in this portion of Mendocino County as travel corridors and occupation sites could be found on such ridges, especially if a water source occurred nearby.
During the preharvest inspection Leonard made it a priority to see if an archaeological site might have been overlooked during the original survey performed by the RPF. He carefully inspected locations with a favorable topographic and environmental setting and found a series of slight, circular depressions adjacent to a natural lake which he suspected they might be prehistoric Native American housepits. He insisted that a CAL FIRE archeologist be brought in to evaluate the possible site. Mark Gary later accompanied him and the RPF on a subsequent PHI. An intensive examination of the area resulted in the identification of a housepit village site containing sixteen circular housepits and a surface scatter of chipped-stone artifacts. Leonard was absolutely correct in his assessment that the circular depressions represented a significant cultural resource that was threatened by the project. The RPF had flagged the P-Line for a proposed road directly through the housepit village. CAL FIRE insisted the flagging be removed and the road was relocated to a location far removed from the site. Leonard retired from state service in 1995.
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