National Register of Historic Places Program: About Us
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources.
What We Do
- Review nominations submitted by states, tribes, and other federal agencies and list eligible properties in the National Register
- Offer guidance on evaluating, documenting, and listing different types of historic places through the National Register Bulletin series and other publications
Quicklinks
Search the National Register!
The National Register of Historic Places is a treasure trove for professional historians, scholars, and anyone curious about American history. You can explore its riches three ways:
- Visit the National Register archives in Washington , DC
- Search a list of properties
- Readan ever-growing inventory of full nomination forms online - we are currently digitizing our files and adding them to our online database
Fast Facts
- The more than 80,000 properties listed in the National Register represent 1.4 million individual resources - buildings, sites, districts, structures, and objects
- Almost every county in the United States has at least one place listed in the National Register
- Listing in the National Register is the first step towards eligibility for National Park Service-administered federal preservation tax credits that have leveraged more than $45 billion in private investment and National Park Service grant programs like Save America's Treasures and Preserve America.
- 30 historic lighthouses have been transferred to new owners for preservation and public use
- 144 students have taken part in the Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program
Contact Us
Program Manager: Paul Loether
National Register Archive: Open Monday-Friday 9:00am to noon. For security reasons, an appointment is necessary for access to the archives. To conduct research in our archives, please contact Ricah Marquez: 202-354-2226 or e-mail
Staff Contacts
Email:
- General questions about the National Register
- Reference questions about using the National Register collection and requesting copies of nominations and publications. (If requesting information, please include your mailing address, and for nominations, please include the property name, county, and state.)
- NRIS Database questions about how to use the system
Phone: (202) 354-2211
Fax: (202) 371-6447
Mailing Address:
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
1849 C Street, NW (2280)
Washington , DC 20240
Because USPS mail in Washington, DC, is irradiated, we recommend sending official correspondence to us by direct or overnight mail at the following address:
Location/Express Mail Address:
National Park Service
National Register of Historic Places
1201 Eye Street, NW (2280)
Washington , DC 20005
