Show All Answers

1. What is the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of historic resources worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture. Established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the purpose of the National Register is to ensure that properties significant in national, state, and local history are considered in planning federal projects, and to encourage historic preservation initiatives by state and local governments as well as the private sector.

2. What is a National Register Historic District?

Districts, or neighborhoods of properties, can be listed in the National Register. The National Register of Historic Places defines a district as a geographically definable area, urban or rural, possessing a significant concentration, linkage or continuity of sites, buildings, structures, or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan or physical development. Creating a National Register district can help communities plan for the preservation of their historic and architectural resources. Because these resources are identified and documented, citizens can become more informed and develop a sense of pride about the history and architecture of their neighborhoods. They can then begin to plan for the preservation of the area using the tools available for National Register properties.

3. Will National Register listing protect a resource from alteration or demolition?

A common misconception is that once a property is listed in the National Register, it cannot be demolished or altered. This is not true. Under the National Register program, a private property owner using private resources can maintain or demolish the property as they wish. Only local ordinances can regulate changes to historic resources.

4. What does the National Register mean for a property owner?

First, National Register listing is an honor and can be used to educate citizens and property owners, and as a tool to foster community pride and provide financial stability.

Second, properties listed in the National Register are considered and protected in the public planning process. All properties and districts listed in or eligible for the National Register are considered in the planning of federal undertakings, such as highway construction and Community Development Block Grants. Federal undertakings also include activities sponsored by state or local governments or private entities if they are licensed or partially funded by the federal government. Federal projects do not include loans made by banks insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or federal farm subsidies.

Third, National Register listing provides financial incentives for the preservation of National Register properties. Specifically, these incentives are in the form of federal and state rehabilitation tax credits. (See question below.) 

5. What are rehabilitation tax credits?

To learn more about rehabilitation tax credits, please use the following resources:

• Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program
• North Carolina Historic Preservation Tax Credits Program

6. What are the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation?

In 1977, the National Park Service developed guidelines to help owners of historic properties determine what building components should be preserved in the rehabilitation process. These standards must be followed when rehabilitation tax credits are used. They can also be useful for property owners and form the basis of our local design standards.

The guidelines focus on three basic provisions: (1) identifying, (2) retaining, and (3) preserving important architectural features. They cover general information regarding building exteriors and interiors, building sites, and historic districts and neighborhoods. Additional information is also given regarding health and safety code requirements, energy retrofitting, and new additions.

To obtain this publication, visit the National Park Service website.

7. What does "Contributing Property" mean?

Contributing properties are located within the boundaries of a National Register district. They "contribute" to the district by their architectural or historical characteristics.

8. What does "Noncontributing Property" mean?

Noncontributing properties do not share the architectural or historical characteristics of a National Register district, despite being located within its boundaries. New construction and older properties that have been altered so much that they are no longer recognizable as historic are categorized as noncontributing properties.

9. Who administers the National Register of Historic Places?

The National Register is a list maintained by the National Park Service under the Secretary of the Interior. Nominations to the National Register are submitted by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). In North Carolina, SHPO staff administer the National Register program.

In North Carolina, a review board, called the National Register Advisory Committee (NRAC) examines potential nominations and makes recommendations to the SHPO regarding the eligibility of properties and the adequacy of nominations. These boards are composed of professional historians, archaeologists, architectural historians, and architects as well as other citizens having a demonstrated interest and expertise in historic preservation. The NRAC meets three times per year (the second Thursday of February, June, and October) to consider the eligibility of properties for nomination to the National Register. Nominations prepared under the supervision of the SHPO staff and approved by the NRAC are forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register in the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. Final authority to list properties in the National Register resides with the National Park Service.

10. How are eligible properties identified?

Properties and districts that may be eligible for the National Register are usually brought to the attention of the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) staff and the National Register Advisory Committee (NRAC) the following ways:

• Through a county or community survey of historic properties co-sponsored by the State Historic Preservation Office and a local government or organization
• By interested individuals who provide preliminary information about properties to the SHPO staff
• Through historic property surveys conducted as part of an environmental review process

People seeking National Register listing for properties that have not been recorded in survey projects co-sponsored by the State Historic Preservation Office may submit a Study List application to the SHPO. If adequate information and color slides of the property are included with the application, the NRAC will consider the property at its next meeting. If in the opinion of the NRAC the property appears to be potentially eligible for the National Register, it is placed on the Study List. This action by the NRAC authorizes the SHPO staff to work with the owner to coordinate a formal nomination of the property to the National Register.

The NRAC can best evaluate the eligibility of an individual property within the context of a community-wide or regional inventory of historic or prehistoric properties. This provides a basis for comparing the relative significance of similar types of properties in a community.

11. What is a National Register nomination?

A National Register nomination is a scholarly and authoritative document that thoroughly:

• Describes and evaluates a property's setting and physical characteristics
• Documents its history
• Assesses its significance in terms of its historic context
• Demonstrates how it specifically meets National Register criteria for evaluation

It is supported by professional quality black and white photographs, maps delineating the property's boundaries, and other materials and information. The nomination must be prepared according to Federal and State guidelines.

12. Who prepares National Register nominations?

Most nominations are prepared by private consultants hired either by individual property owners or by local governments or organizations. Nominations of archaeological sites are sometimes prepared by professional archaeologists as part of their on-going research. North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) National Register staff is responsible for reviewing, editing, and processing nominations prepared in these ways. Due to the great demand for National Register nominations, the small SHPO staff is unable to prepare nominations as a public service.

An owner of a Study List property who seeks to have it listed in the National Register may hire a private consultant to prepare the nomination. SHPO staff cannot quote fees, and fees will vary depending on the consultant and the complexity of the nomination. An owner may expect to pay a professional historian, architectural historian, or archaeologist the equivalent of 40 to 80 hours of time at a professional hourly wage.

13. What happens to a completed National Register nomination?

The nomination is reviewed by members of the National Register Advisory Committee (NRAC) at one of the regular meetings. If the NRAC recommends that the nomination be submitted to the National Register, it is signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register. At the National Register office, the nomination is reviewed and the decision to list or not list is made within not less than 15 and not more than 45 days of receipt. If the property is listed, the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) will notify the owner and provide a certificate stating that the property has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Owners who desire plaques may order them from private commercial suppliers. The SHPO does not provide plaques or recommend any particular supplier.

14. How can I go list my property on the National Register?

Commission staff are available to provide basic information on the National Register program and Forsyth County’s historic properties, as well as guiding you through the nomination process. However, the National Register program is coordinated through the State Historic Preservation Office in Raleigh. For detailed information, you should contact the appropriate staff person at the State Historic Preservation Office.