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National Register of Historic Places
List is administered by the National Park Service, Department of the Interior
Official National Register Site
Sample Form:
The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural
resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act
of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support
public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and
archeological resources.
Properties listed on the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and
objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering,
and culture.
National Register properties are distinguished by having been documented and evaluated
according to uniform standards. These criteria recognize the accomplishments of all
peoples who have contributed to the history and heritage of the United States and are
designed to help state and local governments, Federal agencies, and others identify
important historic and archeological properties worthy of preservation and of
consideration in planning and development decisions.
Listing in the National Register contributes to preserving historic properties in a
number of ways:
- Recognition that a property is of significance to the Nation, the State, or the
community.
- Consideration in the planning for Federal or federally assisted projects.
- Eligibility for Federal tax benefits.
- Qualification for Federal assistance for historic preservation, when funds are
available.
Criteria for Evaluation
The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering,
and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that
possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and
association, and:
- A. That are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the
broad patterns of our history or
- B. That are associated with the lives of significant persons
in or past; or
- C. That embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of
construction, or that represent the work of a master, or that possess "high
artistic values", or that represent a significant and distinguishable
entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
- D. That have yielded or may be likely to yield information
important in history or prehistory (usually ARCHEOLOGY SITES).
Criteria Considerations
Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, graves of historical figures, properties owned by
religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved
from their original locations, reconstructed historic buildings, properties primarily
commemorative in nature, and properties that have achieved significance within the past 50
years shall not be considered eligible for the National Register. However, such properties
will qualify if they are integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria or if they
fall within the following categories:
- a. A religious property deriving primary significance from architectural or artistic
distinction or historical importance; or
- b. A building or structure removed from its original location but which is primarily
significant for architectural value, or which is the surviving structure most importantly
associated with a historic person or event; or
- c. A birthplace or grave of a historical figure of outstanding importance if there is
no appropriate site or building associated with his or her productive life; or
- d. A cemetery that derives its primary importance from graves of persons of
transcendent importance, from age, from distinctive design features, or from association
with historic events; or
- e. A reconstructed building when accurately executed in a suitable environment and
presented in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other
building or structure with the same association has survived; or
- f. A property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic
value has invested it with its own exceptional significance; or
- g. A property achieving significance within the past 50 years if it is of exceptional
importance.
Generally, properties eligible for listing in the National Register are at least 50
years old. Properties less than 50 years of age must be exceptionally important to be
considered eligible for listing.
Restrictions and Requirements
Under federal law, owners of private property listed in the National Register are free
to maintain, manage, or dispose of their property as they choose provided that no Federal
monies are involved.
Benefits
In addition to honorific recognition, listing in the National Register results in the
following benefits for historic properties:
- consideration in planning for Federal, federally licensed, and federally assisted
projects; Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires that
Federal agencies allow the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation an opportunity to
comment on all projects affecting historic properties either listed in or determined
eligible for listing in the National Register. The Advisory Council oversees and ensures
the consideration of historic properties in the Federal planning process.
- eligibility for certain tax provisions; Owners of properties listed in the National
Register may be eligible for a 20% investment tax credit for the certified rehabilitation
of income-producing certified historic structures such as commercial, industrial, or
rental residential buildings. This credit can be combined with a straight-line
depreciation period of 27.5 years for residential property and 31.5 years for
nonresidential property for the depreciable basis of the rehabilitated building reduced by
the amount of the tax credit claimed. Federal tax deductions are also available for
charitable contributions for conservation purposes of partial interests in historically
important land areas or structures.
- consideration of historic values in the decision to issue a surface mining permit where
coal is located in accordance with the Surface Mining Control Act of 1977; and
qualification for Federal grants for historic preservation, when funds are available.
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