National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of places that are recognized for their historical, architectural, or archaeological significance and considered worthy of preservation.  The National Register is maintained by the U.S. Department of the Interior, and nominations of Illinois properties to the Register are processed through the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Criteria for Evaluation

Properties eligible for listing on the National Register include buildings, districts, sites, structures, and objects that are significant to national, state, and local history through the integrity of their location, design, setting, materials, feelings, and association.  A building, district or site must meet one of the following criteria:

·        be associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history

·        be associated with the lives of significant persons in our past

·        be distinctive for its type, period, and method of construction; representative of the work of a master; possess artistic value; or, for a district, be representation of a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction

·        yield important information about the area’s history or prehistory

Benefits of National Register Designation

National Register listing provides limited protect, makes a property eligible for certain financial benefits, and increases a community’s awareness of its cultural resources by:

·        requiring that projects involving state or federal monies, licenses, or assistance be examined for their effect on the historic property

·        making properties eligible for grants-in-aid, when available

·        offering a property tax freeze for rehabilitation of single-family, owner occupied residences

·        offering a federal income tax credit for rehabilitating income producing properties

·        increasing awareness of historic properties and promoting a sense of pride in past achievements

The National Register does not…

The National Register does not interfere with a private owner’s property rights nor does it:

·        prevent private property owners from making changes or force owners to make improvements to their property

·        limit the use of listed buildings or require owners to erect or purchase plaques

·        require properties be accessible to the public or open to the public

The National Register Process

Applications to the National register must pass through the review of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency’s National Register staff.  Interested applicants are required to submit preliminary information to the staff and gain approval to proceed with the nomination.  A nomination form is then filled out and submitted.  The nomination is reviewed at the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and votes whether or not to advise nomination of the property.  If approved, the nomination proceeds to the State Historic Preservation Officer who officially nominates the property.  The nomination is forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register, Department of the Interior, who has final authority to designate properties to the National Register of Historic Places.