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National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic value". A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.

This article is about the U.S. Register. For the Canadian online database, see Canadian Register of Historic Places. For other uses, see National Register (disambiguation).

Agency overview

1966 (1966)

  • Sherry A. Frear, Chief, National Register of Historic Places/National Historic Landmarks Program and Deputy Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places

The enactment of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 established the National Register and the process for adding properties to it. Of the more than one and a half million properties on the National Register, 95,000 are listed individually. The remainder are contributing resources within historic districts.


For most of its history, the National Register has been administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency within the United States Department of the Interior. Its goals are to help property owners and interest groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, as well as coordinate, identify and protect historic sites in the United States. While National Register listings are mostly symbolic, their recognition of significance provides some financial incentive to owners of listed properties. Protection of the property is not guaranteed. During the nomination process, the property is evaluated in terms of the four criteria for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The application of those criteria has been the subject of criticism by academics of history and preservation, as well as the public and politicians.


Occasionally, historic sites outside of the country, but associated with the United States (such as the American Legation in Tangier) are also listed. Properties can be nominated in a variety of forms, including individual properties, historic districts and multiple property submissions (MPS). The Register categorizes general listings into one of five types of properties: district, site, structure, building or object.


National Register Historic Districts are defined geographical areas consisting of contributing and non-contributing properties. Some properties are added automatically to the National Register when they become administered by the National Park Service. These include National Historic Landmarks (NHL), National Historic Sites (NHS), National Historical Parks, National Military Parks, National Memorials, and some National Monuments.


Federal properties can be proclaimed National Monuments under the Antiquities Act because of either their historical or natural significance. They are managed by multiple agencies. Only monuments that are historic in character and managed by the National Park Service are listed administratively in the National Register.

Criterion A, "Event", the property must make a contribution to the major pattern of .

American history

Criterion B, "Person", is associated with significant people of the American past.

Criterion C, "Design/Construction", concerns the distinctive characteristics of the building by its architecture and construction, including having great artistic value or being the work of a master.

Criterion D, "Information potential", is satisfied if the property has yielded or may be likely to yield information important to prehistory or history.

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Comparisons to historic registers of other nations[edit]

In France, designation of monument historique is similar to NRHP listing. In the French program, however, permanent restrictions are imposed upon designated monuments, for example requiring advance approval for any renovation of a designated building. NRHP listing imposes no such restrictions, but rather is "primarily an honor",[41] although tax subsidies may be available for renovations. France had about 43,600 monuments in 2015.


Listed buildings of the United Kingdom may not be demolished, extended, or altered without special permission; the program covers about 374,000 listings in 2010, involving more than 500,000 buildings.


In 2022, the U.S. has about 94,000 NRHP-listed properties, including historic districts; the total number of buildings covered is much larger.

. Archived from the original on March 2, 2007.

"Title 36, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations"

. National Archives and Records Administration. Archived from the original on March 2, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2007.

"Title 36--Parks, Forests, and Public Property; Chapter I--National Park Service, Department of the Interior; Part 60--National Register of Historic Places"

. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. Retrieved July 11, 2011.

"National Register Information System"

Shrimpton, Rebecca H., ed. (1997). . Washington, D.C.: National Park Service. Archived from the original on April 7, 2007. Retrieved April 11, 2007. National Register Bulletin No. 15

"How to Apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation"

Sprinkle, John H. Jr. (2014). Crafting Preservation Criteria: The National Register of Historic Places and American Historic Preservation. New York: Routledge.  978-1-136-16984-7.

ISBN

Wiley, John (1994). National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.  0-471-14403-7.

ISBN

Official website