Abigail Ayers, Associate Archivist

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is a collection of properties deemed worthy of preservation based on their contribution to American history. The most significant purpose of the NRHP is the documentation and recognition of nominated sites. There are currently over 98,000 listings in the NRHP. The NRHP was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and was put under the care of the National Park Service (NPS) where it remains today. 

Nominating sites for the NRHP may seem intimidating or unapproachable, but it is a relatively simple process. Nominations are sent to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) of the state where the property is located, and after state approval, they are sent to the National Register Review Board for final review and admittance.

There are some common misunderstandings of the NRHP that deter people from nominating properties. The most common thought is that once a property is listed, the owner cannot make any changes to the property. This is false. The simple act of being listed in the NRHP does not prohibit changes or offer protections to properties. Property owners can make any changes they want without interference, including demolition of the property. However, there are specific tax credits and grants that are only available to NRHP-listed properties that do require property owners to follow specific guidelines to qualify. These opportunities are entirely voluntary and are not forced upon the property owner in any way. Still, these opportunities could be beneficial for restoring historic features if there is a desire and need to.

The process of nominating a property may seem daunting, but it is designed for amateurs to complete rather than professional historians. Because the nomination first goes to the SHPO, the process of compiling the nomination may look different from state to state. Though broadly speaking, they all contain the same core elements, including a detailed, though brief, description of the property’s history highlighting the specific criteria under which the property is being nominated. Other things that may be required are photographs, maps, or sketches of the property, among other possibilities. Delegating tasks between a small group may be the best way to make this process more approachable.

There are two important positives to listing a property in the NRHP. Firstly, access to the tax credit and grant programs could mean a property receives money for historic repairs that there would otherwise not be money for. Secondly, it means that the property has been documented in case something happens in the future, such as a change of hands that results in demolition. The property would still be recognized in the NRHP and less likely to be lost as memory fades. If a property has historic value to its town, county, state, or even nationally, there are no risks and only benefits to nominating the property to the National Register of Historic Places