Read about the criteria for nominations to the National Register of Historic Places that guides our state and federal officials.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places was created in 1966 as part of the National Historic Preservation Act. This is the official list of historic properties recognized by the Federal Government as worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, or culture.
In reviewing nominations to the National Register, state and federal officials are guided by the following criteria: The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association and:
• that are associated with events that have made significant contributions to the broad pattern of our history; or
• that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past; or
• 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 may represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
• that have yielded, or may be likely to yield, information important to prehistory or history.
Many nominations are initiated by concerned citizens or homeowners who wish to see their buildings preserved as being valuable pieces of history. The first step in listing a property on the National Register is to determine eligibility, where the property’s significance is evaluated using the above criteria. If the property is determined eligible, a formal nomination can begin.
For more information about the benefits of listing to the National Register of Historic Places, please contact Historic York, Inc.
