How is an area designated as a local or national landmark district?
The appropriate amount of information must be compiled and analyzed in order to make cogent arguments for the significance of a particular district, and the public process (a legal one!) needs to play itself out so that everyone has adequate time to hear about the designation proposal and provide comment, if they choose. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has expertise in all types of historic districts, so they are the appropriate starting place. Each type of district has its own limitations and benefits.
