What is the 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 Register is maintained by the National Park Service, U. S. Department of the Interior. The register 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.
There are more than 80,000 listings on the National Register, which represent 1.4 million individual resources. Properties listed include districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering and culture.
National Register properties are documented and evaluated according to uniform standards. These criteria recognize the accomplishments of all peoples who have contributed to the history and heritage of the United States and are designed to help state and local governments, Federal agencies, and others identify important historic and archeological properties worthy of preservation and of consideration in planning and development decisions.
In Maryland, to be included in the National Register, a property must be nominated and approved by the state historic preservation office (Maryland Historical Trust). Generally, sites eligible for listing in the National Register are at least 50 years old, retain their architectural integrity and meet one or more of the following criteria:
- Association with historic events or activities
- Association with significant persons
- Embodiment of distinctive characteristics of a type, period, method of construction, or the work of a master
- Potential to provide important information in prehistory or history
It is important to note that listing in the National Register does not guarantee full protection from demolition, but any development project using federal money or requiring a federal permit must undergo review, required by section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act, to consider the impact of the project on nearby sites that are on or eligible for the National Register.
Listing in the National Register is also the first step towards eligibility for National Park Service-administered federal preservation tax credits that have leveraged more than $45 billion in private investment and National Park Service grant programs like Save America's Treasures and Preserve America. The National Park Service posts on its web site a National Register Information System searchable by name, location, agency, subject and more.