National Register Eligibility
To be eligible for the National Register, a building must:
(1) be at least 50 years old, (2) retain its architectural
integrity (a rule of thumb: would the original owner still
recognize the building?), and (3) be significant. This significance
can be national, statewide, or local, but must fall in one
or more of the following categories: (A) association with
events that contribute to the broad patterns of history, (B)
association with significant persons, (C) architectural significance,
or (D) archeological significance.
Preserving Archaeological Sites
Fee simple purchase of land as well as acquisition of development
rights through conservation easements are important ways to
preserve archeological sites or archeologically sensitive
lands. Often, efforts to conserve one resource, such as farmland
or forest, can be integrated with preservation of archeological
sites. A community's purchase of land for conservation or
for recreation can sometimes be combined with protection of
archeological sites. Organizations such as the Vermont
Land Trust and the many community-based land trusts can
assist in preserving important archeological sites through
conservation easements. The Archaeological Conservancy is
a national organization that purchases important sites to
ensure their protection. In Vermont, they recently purchased
an important Native American site in Ferrisburgh, near Lake
Champlain. http://www.americanarchaeology.com/aaabout.html#3.
Archeological sites and their artifacts on private land belong to the landowner. The landowner has a right to do anything he or she wants with the site. Landowners can collect artifacts from their own sites, can give permission for other people to collect artifacts, or can prohibit artifact collection and other site disturbances on their land. However, under state law, even a landowner cannot disturb or destroy a burial site of any kind.
National Register Markers
Property owners who take pride in their historic buildings
often place plaques in their honor. Owners may order plaques
by contacting one of many companies that produce them, including
The Southwell Co. (210 223-1831), the Erie
Landmark Co., the Smith-Cornell
Impressions , and Healy Brothers Foundry (800 626-3229).
Preservation Funds Qualifications
A local government can be designated as a Certified Local
Government (CLG) if it has appointed a local commission and
complies with the National Historic Preservation Act and state
procedures. Once "Certified" municipalities are eligible to
apply for matching grant funding. These matching grants are
to assist local governments in documenting and promoting the
preservation of historic and archaeological sites. Examples
of eligible projects include conducting architectural and
archaeological surveys, nominating properties to the National
Register of Historic Places, printing walking tour booklets,
preparing feasibility studies and working drawings for property
improvements, and rehabilitation of National
Register properties.
Building History
The Division for Historic Preservation maintains files on
hundreds of historic buildings throughout the state. The Division
has a resource room and staff members are available to assist
researchers. Staff can respond to telephone and mail requests
for information if they are limited to simple questions of
fact. For more extensive research, please visit the resource
room in person. For reasons of security and record keeping,
all researchers are required to sign a registration form that
describes regulations for use of research materials. Materials
from the collection may not be checked out, but if the condition
of the material permits, patrons may make photocopies for
a charge. Patrons may also order reproductions of photographs
from the collection. The resource room is open to the public
Monday - Friday 7:45 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. For more information
contact
Debbie Sayers.
Special Collections of the Bailey-Howe Library at the University of Vermont contains thousands of items relating to Vermont history, including books and pamphlets, town histories and records, manuscripts, photographs, and maps.
Vermont Historical Society and Library. The Society publishes a journal, Vermont History, a magazine Vermont History News, and operates the Vermont Museum in the Pavilion building in Montpelier. The Library contains numerous books, photographs, maps and other materials on Vermont History.
Town Clerks, local historic preservation commissions and historical societies may also have information about buildings in the community.
Financial Assistance for Historic Preservation
Limited
matching grants are occasionally available for the preservation
of properties listed or eligible for listing in the National
Register. Contact
the Division to see if grants what grant become available
that year. We can also provide information about the federal
and state
rehabilitation investment tax credits and direct you to other
possible funding sources (pdf), as well as providing technical
preservation or maintenance
information.
National and State Historical Recognition
Several tools are available for gaining recognition of a historic building or neighborhood.
National Historic Landmarks are designated by the Secretary of the Interior for their significance to all Americans, because they possess exceptional values or qualities which help to illustrate or interpret the heritage of the United States. All Landmarks are also listed on the National Register.
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 assigns the National Register of Historic Places a central role in recognizing buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects significant in American history, archeology, architecture, engineering, or culture, and identifying them as worthy of preservation. The Register is maintained by the National Park Service and there are uniform standards for determining a site's eligibility. Listing on the National Register honors the property by recognizing its importance to its community, state, or nation, and receives consideration in the review of federal undertakings, but it does not guarantee immunity to demolition. Listed properties are also eligible for federal tax credits and historic preservation grants when funds are available.
Similar to the National Register, the Vermont State Register
of Historic Places is a listing of significant properties
that provides recognition, consideration under Criterion 8
of Act
250, and review of the effect of state-funded undertakings
on the property under 22 VSA 14, the Vermont Historic Preservation
Act.
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