National Register

Programs

The National Register Programs

The Cultural Resources Team’s other work, in support of historic preservation beyond park boundaries, is driven by the mandates of the Historic Sites Act of 1935 and the provisions of Section 1318 of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 (ANILCA). This external assistance is carried out under the organizational umbrella of the National Register Programs of the National Park Service and in this role we serve as the staff of the Secretary of Interior, the nation’s highest preservation official.

The National Register team provides technical advice and assistance in historic preservation to other Federal agencies, the state of Alaska, local governments, Federally-recognized Alaskan Native groups and villages, and citizen-based preservation associations. Much of our work in this realm centers on assistance to the owners of National Historic Landmarks, the most significant category of cultural resources in the United States. To see what we do, check out our Cultural Ties newsletters.

National Historic Landmarks are designated by the Secretary of the Interior, with the express approval of the affected land owners, upon the recommendation of the National Park Service. There are over 2300 National Historic Landmarks in the United States today. Alaska currently has 48 landmarks; ranging from the Holy Assumption Russian Orthodox Church in Kenai to Ipiutak in Point Hope; the ancient village of the mysterious Eskimo people who are popularly known as the “Magicians of Ipiutak.” Local communities and private owners of National Historic Landmarks are offered many incentives, from monetary grants to tax reductions, to encourage them to serve as good stewards of the nationally significant properties under their control.

The links on the left highlight several of our programs and activities. We hope you will come back to this website as we develop and make available more materials for students and teachers.