How Does the Federal Government Designate Properties as Historic?
Listing in the National Register of Historic Places The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 assigns the National Register of Historic Places a central role in recognizing buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects significant in American history, archeology, architecture, engineering, or culture, and identifying them as worthy of preservation. Anyone can prepare a nomination to the National Register, working with the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) in their State. State and Federal Historic Preservation Officers (FPOs) also survey and evaluate properties in their jurisdictions, determine which of these properties are eligible for listing, and prepare nominations to the Register. Nominations submitted through the States must first be approved by a Review Board appointed by the Governor before being reviewed by the National Register staff. If the professional staff at the National Register concludes that the property meets the criteria for evaluation, it is re
