Resources

After World War II, with a rapidly growing population, a lack of modern infrastructure, and a need for housing, the United States began to make major investments in highways, urban renewal, and public works. With such great need and a desire for something “new,” the public largely supported major investments and the establishment of federal programs to deliver affordable housing, interstate highways, dams, and more. Read more »»

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was passed primarily to acknowledge the importance of protecting our nation’s heritage from rampant federal development. It was the triumph of more than a century of struggle by a grassroots movement of committed preservationists. Read more »»

Passage of National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 found most federal government agencies at a loss to respond to the challenges of historic preservation, much less prepared to cope with the growing public interest it generated. Clearly, federal institutions needed help in meeting the broad historic preservation goals set for the federal government by Congress in the NHPA. Read more »»

Many people have heard the phrase “listed on the National Register of Historic Places.” But what does it mean? How does this happen? The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 authorized the Secretary of the Interior to maintain a list of resources important to our nation’s history. Historic places can be individual sites, or they can be made up of a number of resources – such as a historic district. Places of particular importance can further be designated as National Historic Landmarks. Read more »»

The Federal Rehabilitation Tax Credit, otherwise known as the Historic Tax Credit, is one of the most powerful historic preservation tools we have. Recognizing the cost associated with rehabilitating historic buildings, the Historic Tax Credit provides a 20% income tax credit to developers of income producing properties such as office buildings, retail establishments, rental apartments, and others. Read more »»

Historic Preservation Fund; Economics of Historic Preservation; Historic Tax Credits; Federal Historic Preservation Program. Read more »»

The best place to find more information about historic preservation in your state including funding, research, laws, project review, listing on the National Register or your State Register (if applicable), is through your State Historic Preservation Officer. Read more »»

Information about the Heritage Emergency National Task Force (HENTF), which provides information on saving treasured objects, documents, and photos after fires, floods, tornadoes and other disasters. Also find information about federal agency coordination under Unified Federal Review. Read more »»

Spotlighting different communities, geographic regions and themes across the country, the travel itineraries expose you to a huge variety of places significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture. The Discover Our Shared Heritage Travel Itineraries can help you plan your next trip! Read more »»