ARCH 5325
Conservation Policies
Chapter 2
The Preservation Movement
in the United States
Preservation or the maintenance of
buildings has been around
for a long time
Concerted efforts began in the
1500s in Western Europe
Also Fortidsminneforeningen (Society
for the Preservation of Ancient
Norwegian Monuments--1844)
Private Efforts
• 19th C: Americans began to save homes
of patriots and other places where
historic events took place—
Independence Hall, Philadelphia
• Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association
first preservation group—1853
• 1924: San Antonio
Conservation
Society
Federal Efforts
1872: Establishment of Yellowstone
National Park
Antiquities Act of 1906:
•Only for federally owned
properties—Mesa Verde,
battlefields, and other sites—
penalties for destruction
•Also gave power to the President
to declare historic landmarks
Yellowstone
National Park
Mesa Verde
1916—National Park Service
Created
Placed under the
Secretary of the Interior
Building Collections:
Corpus Christi Heritage Park
Dallas Heritage Center
National Ranching Heritage Center—
1976
Muleshoe Heritage Center
Colonial Williamsburg—1926
Greenfield
Village—1929
1934 Historic American Building
Survey (HABS)—depression era
project for sites of national
significance
1969 Historic
American
Engineering
Record (HAER)
2000 Historic
American
Landscape
Survey (HALS)
Mid-20th C.
Other buildings became more
important
Criteria began to include:
 connections with the quality of a
building
 the architect
 more modest buildings
 age
National Trust for Historic Preservation
1949
Housing Act of 1949 and the
Urban Renewal Act of 1954
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Led to the destruction of many
historic structures and
neighborhoods—Harlem, New York
City’s Pennsylvania Station
Jane Jacobs— The Death and Life of
Great American Cities
National Trust’s With Heritage So
Rich, 1966
New York City’s Pennsylvania Station
1966 National Historic Preservation
Act:
encourages local historic districts—
context of individual buildings
enabling legislation to fund
preservation activities
encouraged owners of private
properties to preserve while not
interfering with ownership rights
1966 National Historic Preservation
Act
Created:
The National Register of Historic
Places
State Historic Preservation Officers
Advisory Council on Historic
Preservation
1966 Preservation Act also led to:
The creation of Local Historic
Preservation Officers
Certified Local Government—grants
Urban Design Commissions
and local organizations
National Register of Historic
Places




Identifies historic sites, buildings,
structures, objects, and districts
Encourages preservation of historic
properties through documentation
Provides for review of federally
funded, licensed, or sponsored
projects
Enables owners to apply for grants
State Historic Preservation
Officer—Texas Historical
Commission

Responsible for surveys of historic
sites and properties throughout the
state

Processes nominations to the NRHP

Administers grants (when available)
SHPO—Texas Historical
Commission

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Advises and assists local efforts
Provides consultation on Section 106
Review

Reviews applications for federal
investment tax credits (or state)
when available
Section 106 Review

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Documentation of sites on or eligible
for the National Register of Historic
Places
Determination of one of the
following:
No effect
No adverse effect
Adverse effect
Certified Local Governments
Must have established a historic
preservation commission with
powers of review
 Must tie its system of surveying
historic properties to the SHPOs
procedures
 Must be willing to enforce state and
local preservation ordinances
 Must have a designated local historic
preservation officer
