The NHL Program began with the passage of the Historic Sites Act of 1935 when Congress charged the Department of the Interior with the responsibility for designating and monitoring nationally significant historic properties. For an in-depth look at this Program and its history, visit the National Historic Landmarks Survey.

The NHL Program not only identifies, designates and monitors nationally significant properties, it also provides technical assistance through the National Historic Landmarks Assistance Initiative. The assistance includes technical publications such as Preservation Briefs and Tech Notes, and information on the Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program.

`Every year, the NHL Program has the responsibility of notifying the U.S. Congress of the status of the landmarks in the nation. Each region must evaluate the condition of each landmark and this evaluation is included in the Damaged and Threatened National Historic Landmarks report, delivered by the Secretary of the Interior to Congress. In the 1996 Report to Congress, 16% of the nation’s NHLs were endangered.

So What is an NHL?

How does the Secretary of the Interior decide, of all the properties in our country, which ones should be NHLs? For answers to these and many other questions, visit the Common Questions and Answers page on the national NHL website.