Related Guides
U.S. Government Programs
- National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
- Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) is the nation's first federal preservation program, begun in 1933 to document America's architectural heritage.
- Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) The Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) was established in 1969 by the National Park Service, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Library of Congress to document historic sites and structures related to engineering and industry.
- Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) The Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) mission is to record historic landscapes in the United States and its territories through measured drawings and interpretive drawings, written histories, and large-format black and white photographs and color photographs.
- National Historic Landmarks Program National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) are historic properties that illustrate the heritage of the United States. The over 2,600 NHLs found in the U.S. today come in many forms: historic buildings, sites, structures, objects, and districts. Each NHL represents an outstanding aspect of American history and culture.
- National Center for Preservation Technology & Training As the leading research, technology and training center within the National Park Service, we help preservationists find better tools, materials, and approaches to conserving buildings, landscapes, sites, and collections. We conduct research and testing in our own laboratories.
- Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate The Cultural Resources, Partnerships, and Science Directorate's archeologists, architects, curators, historians, and other cultural resource professionals assist America's national parks to preserve, protect, and share the history of this land and its people. Beyond the parks, they implement the National Park Service's role in the national preservation partnership, working with American Indian Tribes, states, local governments, nonprofit organizations, historic property owners, and others who believe in the importance of our shared heritage and its preservation.
- ACHP - Advisory Council on Historic Preservation The ACHP promotes the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of the nation’s diverse historic resources, and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy.
- Preserve America - U.S. General Services Administration Preserve America is a federal initiative that encourages and supports community efforts to preserve and enjoy our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the program include a greater shared knowledge about the nation’s past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country’s cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities.
- FPO: Federal Preservation Officer List To identify a specific Federal Preservation Officer, select from the list below.
Collections & Inventories
- National Park Service Photos & Multimedia Looking for photos, videos, or audio recordings of national parks? The multimedia search lets you search by keyword, location, or file type (including photos, videos, audio, webcams, and podcasts) and filter for high-quality images. You can also visit these other sites to find additional multimedia content:
- Historic American Buildings Survey/Historic American Engineering Record/Historic American Landscapes Survey (Library of Congress) The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) collections are among the largest and most heavily used in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress. Since 2000, documentation from the Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) has been added to the holdings.
- Historic Building Database: Find a Building (U.S. General Services Administration) More than 500 buildings are managed in GSA's Historic Building Database. Use the fields below to search GSA's inventory of historic buildings. To narrow your search, first select a state from the menu to the right.
- National Register Database The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation.
- National Historic Landmarks Search Browse our list of existing NHLs by state to find Landmarks across the nation.
Organizations
- National Trust for Historic Preservation For more than 70 years, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has led the movement to save America’s historic places. A privately funded nonprofit organization, we work to save America's historic sites; tell the full American story; build stronger communities; and invest in preservation's future.
- The Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation The Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation is an inter-disciplinary professional organization which provides a forum for communication and exchange of information among its members. It is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of historic landscapes in all their variety, from formal gardens and public parks to rural expanses.
- NCPE - National Council for Preservation Education NCPE’s Objectives are: Encouraging and assisting in the development and improvement of historic preservation education programs and endeavors in the United States and elsewhere; Coordinating efforts related to preservation education with public and private organizations and interested individuals; Facilitating the collection, exchange and dissemination of information and ideas concerning preservation education; Creating public awareness of endeavors in
- Trust for Architectural Easements The mission of the Trust for Architectural Easements is to preserve America’s architectural heritage. We accomplish this goal by promoting voluntary preservation through easement donations and education about historic preservation and architectural history.
- Society of Architectural Historians Founded at Harvard University in 1940, the Society of Architectural Historians is a nonprofit membership organization that serves a network of local, national, and international institutions and individuals who, by profession or interest, focus on the history of the built environment and its role in shaping contemporary life.
- NCSHPO - National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers The National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) is a nonprofit organization whose members are the State government officials (State Historic Preservation Officers, or SHPOs) and their staff who carry out the national historic preservation program as delegates of the Secretary of the Interior pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (NHPA).
- NAPC - National Alliance of Preservation Commissions NAPC provides technical support and manages an information network to help local commissions accomplish their preservation objectives.
- PreserveNet: Links & Resources Established in 1994 by Cornell University's Michael Tomlan and Bob Pick, PreserveNet was the result of a collaborative effort by preservation students from several universities who wished to assemble preservation information in what was then the new and exciting World Wide Web. Continually updated and expanded since then, PreserveNet contains internet-based resources from hundreds of relevant sites and includes a current listing of professional and educational opportunities.
- PreservationDirectory.com The online resource for historic preservation, building restoration and cultural resource management in the United States & Canada.
