Archeological and Historic Preservation Partnerships

NPS archeologist kneeling next to historic glass jars at Robert E. Howard House Museum in Cross Plains, Texas (NPS, SEAC)

The mission of the Archeological and Historic Preservation Services program is to work for and assist federal and other government agencies, preservation groups, and private land owners through partnerships, agreements, and contracts to identify and protect significant cultural resources.

NPS archeologist surveys a historic structure (NPS, SEAC)

National Historic Landmark Services

In cooperation with the NPS Southeast Region Office, our Partnership program assists parks and other property owners seeking to nominate historic and prehistoric archeological properties of extraordinary national significance as National Historic Landmarks (NHL). NHL designations provides a unique protection (Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act) not afforded other historic properties.

• Provide guidance to owners as they work to nominate archeological properties as NHLs
• Author NHL nominations for property owners through any of various agreement instruments
• Monitor the conditions and preservation needs of NHLs in and outside of Parks

SEAC archeologists walking through a forest with metal detectors (NPS, SEAC)

Contracts and Agreements for Technical Assistance

Through agreements and contracts with government agencies, academic institutions, and private contractors, we survey land for historically significant archeological sites, determines eligibility of sites for inclusion on National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), and completes large-scale excavations of archeological properties in the face of development.

The Archeological and Historic Preservation Partnerships program also:

• Surveys properties to identify archeological sites for NRHP eligibility in compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
• Provides assistance to agencies, including archeological field schools, in training and practice for the archeological application of varied mapping technologies including laser transit, global positioning system, geographical information system, ground penetrating radar, and soil resistivity
• Develops, procures, and manages contracts for archeological services to government agencies
• Authorizes Cultural Resources Management Plans (CRMPs) and Environmental Assessments (EAs) for their execution
• Provides contracted and in-house technical services (e.g., zooarchaeology, archaeobotany, x-ray fluorescence, radiocarbon dating, artifact illustration)