National Register of Historic Places Designation
National Register Designation is granted by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, though application is made through the Bureau for Historic Preservation of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in Harrisburg. The purpose is to list, in one place, all buildings and other places in the United States, for the most part over 50 years old, that:
- recall specific persons or events in vivid ways;
- are masterpieces of design;
- recall a historic period, a period of architecture, an industry, or some other major aspect of local or national history; or
- are significant archaeological sites.
The National Register process is complicated these days, requiring extensive historic documentation as well as a detailed description of the property. The recent guidelines are very exacting, and should be studied in detail before an application is made.
The material rewards of such a designation are:
- protection of the property against destructive projects in which federal and state money or permits are involved, and
- an investment tax credit of up to 20 percent if the property is renovated and used for profit-making purposes.
Click here to access the National Register of Historic Places National Register Information System
Click here to start the process of listing a property on the National Register in Pennsylvania
Click here to access survey and National Register-listing data in Pennsylvania