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In This Issue

Events and Awards

Recent National Register Listings

Rehabilitation and Tax Credit Project Highlights

Amber Kidd is Newest HPO Staff Member

2014 Historic Preservation Grant Awards to Communities Announced by the NCSHPO

Searching for Answers: Recent Research at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site

Archaeological Investigation to Find First Chowan County Courthouse Completed

Cary Newest NC Town to Establish Historic Preservation Commission

Wilmington Artist Restoring Historic Painted Signs

Hillsborough's Colonial Inn Threatened with Demolition

Asheboro Hosiery Mill No. 2 Threatened with Demolition to Make Room for Parking

New State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants Division Newsletter Now Available

Philanthropist Rubenstein Funding Restoration of Arlington House in VA

Poverty Point Designated World Heritage Site

Fighting Threatens History

Federal Historic Tax Credits' Value Assessed in Response to Threat of Repeal

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties Explained

For Your Entertainment and Edification...

Staff in the Field

HPO staff attended many meetings and made dozens of site visits throughout July.

Worth Saving

The Newsletter of the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office

***IMPORTANT***

The October 2014 National Register Advisory Committee meeting has been moved forward one week to Thursday, October 2, 2014, and will be held in New Bern in order to avoid a conflict with North Carolina's annual statewide preservation conference being held in Raleigh on October 8-10. The statewide conference is sponsored by Preservation North Carolina and co-sponsored by the North Carolina Historic Preservation Office and others.

Another Chance for Continuation of Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits

The renewal of the historic rehabilitation tax credits, set to expire at the end of this calendar year, has been removed from drafts of recent legislative budgets bills. However, due to the diligent of efforts of supporters of the tax credits, legislators may be given another opportunity to vote for an extension of the credits in a modified form.

Rep. David Lewis (R-Harnett) amended Senate Bill 763 with an historic rehabilitation tax credit proposal worth 15 percent of renovation expenses up to $10 million and 10 percent for expenses between $10 and $20 million. Another bill--House Bill 1224--calls for a legislative study of the historic tax credit program that would require recommendations for further legislative action. Either of these bills could be voted on when lawmakers return to Raleigh in mid-August to close out this year's legislative session. Susan Kluttz, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, encourages supporters of the tax credit program to contact their representatives to express that support. Click here for the secretary's press release and here for her call to action.

Events, Awards, and Grants

For statewide event lists, visit the HPO Facebook event list, Preservation North Carolina events list, or a June - August 2014 calendar and workshop and conference list courtesy of the Federation of N.C. Historical Societies.

PNC is Celebrating Their 75th Anniversary with Several Events This Fall:

Please save the date for these events and click here for additional details:

September 7: Orange County Ramble
September 13: Sloop Point Celebration, Pender County
October 9: Executive Mansion Celebration, & Blount Street Block Party

(part of PNC's Annual Conference Oct. 8-10)

October 19: Cascine Mill (Louisburg) Celebration
October 26: Shelby Ramble
November 2: New Bern Celebration
November 9: Wrightsville Beach Ramble

September 4-7 American Tobacco 10th Anniversary Celebration. The nationally acclaimed American Tobacco Historic District celebrates its tenth anniversary as a world-class destination for everything from business to baseball to Broadway with major events and special happenings. Click here for more information.

September 16-17 Historic Windows: Managing for Preservation, Maintenance and Energy Conservation, Madison, WI. In this National Preservation Institute seminar learn about the rich history and variety of wood, steel, and aluminum windows and construction methodology. Explore the maintenance and rehabilitation techniques that allow windows to have long and sustainable service lives. Review energy conservation and economic issues. For more information see this page.

September 17-20 American Association for State and Local History Annual Meeting and Online Conference, St. Paul, MN. Information is available at this page.

September 18-20 Slave Dwelling Project 2014 Conference, "Preserving Our Sacred Spaces," Savannah, GA. See this page for more information.

September 26-28 Preserving the Historic Road Conference, Savannah, GA. Information is posted on this website.

October 7-9 Historic Property Management Seminar, Greensboro, NC. This National Preservation Institute seminar addresses how to read your historic structure, search for solutions, and then care for the building envelope. Topics include how to meet basic maintenance requirements; how to replace HVAC, fire, and security systems; and the role of pest management. Learn the fundamentals of hiring contractors, training custodial personnel, and understanding the role of other professionals who work in, on, and around the building. Review the significance of maintenance and disaster plans. For more information see http://www.npi.org/sem-hpm.html.

October 8-9 "1964: The New Historic," Preservation NC annual conference, Raleigh. The conference will explore the challenges of saving these "new" buildings as they approach 50 years old, with keynote speakers Dr. Theodore Prudon and Steven Semes, an evening at the Executive Mansion, interesting educational and field sessions, open houses, and more. Registration will open soon, and you can check out the schedule by clicking here. Contact Lauren Werner at lwerner@presnc.org or 919-832-3652 x 238 for questions.

November 11-14 National Preservation Conference, Savannah, GA. See this page for more information.

November 12-15 Southeast Archaeological Conference, in Greenville, SC. See http://www.southeasternarchaeology.org/.

June 17-19, 2015 National Rosenwald Schools Conference: Sharing the Past → Shaping the Future, Durham, NC. Riding the wave of the wildly successful 2012 Centennial Rosenwald Schools conference in Tuskegee, Alabama, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is partnering with the NC Department of Cultural Resources, Preservation Durham, the Conservation Trust of North Carolina, and others to sponsor a second national Rosenwald schools conference that will feature thirty educational sessions, poster sessions, field sessions at area schools, and other thematic tours. The call for session proposals will go out in late summer 2014. For more information in the coming months, see this page.

Journal of the American Planning Association is Calling for Papers for a Special Issue on Historic Preservation and Planning Researchers are invited to submit webstracts of potential articles to the Journal of the American Planning Association (JAPA) for inclusion in a special issue on the synergies and tensions between historic preservation and planning. This issue is planned to publish in late 2016 and will be guest edited by Jennifer Minner of Cornell University and Michael Holleran of the University of Texas at Austin. Interested authors must submit webstracts to the guest editors (j.minner@cornell.edu and holleran@utexas.edu) by September 30, 2014. These should not exceed 450 words and should follow the style guidelines on this page. (For examples, see the first page of every article in recent issues.) By October 15, 2014, the authors of a subset of these proposals will be invited to submit full papers to j.minner@cornell.edu by January 31, 2015. These will receive a normal JAPA double-blind peer review. Papers submitted but not accepted in time for this special issue will also be considered for publication in a later issue.

The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions (NAPC) is Requesting Proposals for Forum 2016! Forum is the only national conference focused around the needs and issues of historic preservation commissions and commission staff. It is an interactive conference that blends traditional educational sessions, discussion panels, mobile workshops, and tours to provide participants with essential training and networking opportunities. Forum is held every other year in interesting destination cities and brings local commission members from across the country together with representatives from local, state and national organizations, governments, and federal agencies. Forum 2014 will be held in Philadelphia, PA, July 16-20 (see above). The 2016 RFP can be found on the NAPC website at this page. Please contact Paul Trudeau, NAPC Program Director, at ptrudeau@uga.edu with any questions.

Advisory Council on Historic Preservation's 2014 Training Courses ACHP staff instructors are offering Section 106 training in six cities this year. These interactive courses feature practical guidance and opportunities to apply learning in case-based exercises.

The Section 106 Essentials covers the fundamentals needed to carry out or participate in a federal historic preservation review. A case study and small group exercises provide opportunities for participants to apply the ACHP's regulations to real-life scenarios.

The Advanced Seminar is a one-day course focused on the effective management of complex or controversial undertakings. Experienced Section 106 practitioners will improve their consultation and agreement drafting skills by sharing ideas and working through problem-solving exercises in a smaller class setting.

Visit this page for registration details and pricing. Please contact Cindy Bienvenue at cbienvenue@achp.gov if you have any questions.

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership is Pleased to Announce the Availability of More Grants Applications in the new grant cycle are due by October 1, 2014.

Grants are available for the preservation, interpretation, development, and promotion of heritage resources in five thematic areas:

Agricultural heritage
Cherokee heritage
Craft heritage
Music heritage
Natural heritage

Click here for more information about the grant applications.

Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station. Its restoration was performed with 1998 National Maritime Heritage federal grant funds. Photograph courtesy of the Chicamacomico Historical Association.

2014 National Maritime Heritage Grants for Education or Preservation Projects are Available

Proposals for grants totaling approximately $1.7 million will be accepted until September 23. Education projects can request $25,000-50,000 and preservation projects can request $50,000-200,000. Funding for Maritime Heritage Grants is competitive and requires a 1-to-1 match with non-Federal assets from non-Federal sources. Project grants are administered through the Maritime Heritage Program and State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs). Click here for more information.

Applicants must submit their complete application packages through the www.grants.gov website. Organizations not yet registered or familiar with www.grants.gov must first go to the following website and follow the instructions to register: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Maritime grant applications may be found on grants.gov by clicking on "Search Grants" and searching for "National Maritime Heritage Grant Program" or for Funding Opportunity Number P14AS00161. Please read the application instructions provided at grants.gov to ensure a smooth application and review process.

Recent National Register Listings

North Cherry Street Historic District Boundary Decrease and Additional Documentation, Forsyth County, prepared by M. McCullough, listed 6/20/14

This nomination documents the complete loss of historic buildings at the southern and northern ends of the district and removes them from the designated historic district. Also, updated information about the appearance and retention of historic resources in the remaining historic district is provided.

Pugh House, Wake County, prepared by S. Argintar, listed 6/19/14

In 2008, the National Register-listed Pugh House was moved one block to save it from demolition. This nomination documents the house in its new location and explains both the architectural significance of the residence and the smokehouse as excellent local examples of the Italianate style, and the importance of its owner, notable North Carolina artist Mabel Pugh. Pugh inherited the property from her father James Pugh, for whom the house was built around 1870. She pioneered her profession for women in North Carolina, and she maintained a studio and lived in the house from 1923 to 1958.

Williamston Colored School, Martin County, prepared by J. McKnight, listed 7/25/14

Built in 1931 with assistance from the Julius Rosenwald Fund and the State Literary Fund, the Williamston Colored School was the first modern high school for African Americans in Williamston. The school functioned as a gathering place for African Americans in the area, acting as a community center for sports and cultural functions in addition to its use as an educational facility. The school was the only high school for blacks in Williamston and the eastern section of Martin County.

Rehabilitation and Tax Credit Project Highlights

Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, Southern Asbestos Company Mills (Fiber Mills)

The rehabilitation of this 1920-1957 industrial site (Southern Asbestos Company Mills (Fiber Mills)) northeast of Uptown Charlotte resulted in the North Carolina Music Factory, a vibrant mixed-use complex of restaurants, offices, and live music entertainment venues including a large outdoor amphitheater. This 2006-2013 rehabilitation project was spurred by the use of the federal historic and state mill income-producing historic tax credits with a private investment rehabilitation cost of $17,000,000.

Southern Asbestos Company Mills (Fiber Mills)

during and after rehabilitation

New Hanover County, Wilmington, Duls-Epps House

The ca. 1913 Duls-Epps House in the Wilmington Historic District was rehabilitated in 2013-2014 for continued rental residential use as two apartments. This project was spurred by the use of the federal and state income-producing historic tax credits with a private investment rehabilitation cost of $50,000.

Duls-Epps House before and after rehabilitation

Amber Kidd is Newest HPO Staff Member

Amber Kidd, Environmental Review Specialist

We are pleased to welcome Amber Kidd, the HPO' new Environmental Review Specialist. Amber comes to us with experience as a FEMA contractor for Katrina recovery in Mississippi and the 2011 Alabama tornadoes. She has a graduate degree in American Studies/Historic Preservation from George Washington University. Most recently she has been working at the University of Kentucky with the Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center. Welcome, Amber!

2014 Historic Preservation Grant Awards to Communities Announced by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office

All across North Carolina plans to build stronger communities will be enhanced by $93,000 in federal grant support for awards announced by the North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office. Seven historic preservation projects range from a city-wide architectural survey and a neighborhood nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, to a Wooden Window Repair and Efficiency Workshop.

Each year, federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants are awarded by the NC State Historic Preservation Office (HPO) through the National Park Service's Certified Local Government Program (CLG). This preservation partnership between local, state, and national governments focuses on promoting historic preservation at the grassroots level.

The Historic Preservation Fund is a federal matching grant program administered jointly by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, and the state Historic Preservation Office. Late each fall, the HPO announces the availability of competitive HPF grants to the 47 local governments in North Carolina that are designated as CLGs by the National Park Service. These local governments have demonstrated a solid commitment to historic preservation which includes establishing a historic preservation commission, enforcing state and local legislation to designate and protect local and historic properties, providing for public participation in the process, and other factors. Additional CLG program information is available at this page.

Beaufort County

Grantee: City of Washington

Project: Survey Update for Washington Historic District

The City of Washington will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $11,000 to conduct a survey update for the Washington Historic District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The district includes commercial and residential portions of the city. The grant funds will allow the city to hire a consultant who will evaluate the status and integrity of all buildings within the historic district and complete a photographic and written record of the surveyed properties. The City of Washington will provide $4,000 in matching funds for the project.

Buncombe County

Grantee: Town of Black Mountain

Project: Wooden Window Repair and Energy Efficiency Workshop

The Town of Black Mountain will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $1,000 to host a workshop for homeowners, historic preservation commission members, and contractors. The Town will provide a match of $200 for the project.

It is a common belief that wooden windows cannot be energy efficient. Properly repaired wooden windows can be as energy efficient as replacement windows, and last longer than the 10- to 20-year lifespan of replacements. A specialist in wooden window repair and restoration will address the benefits of repairing existing windows and demonstrate restoration methods and tools. The workshop also will cover the energy efficiency of traditional building materials and how to apply sustainability principles to historic buildings and comply with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.

Catawba County

Grantee: City of Hickory

Project: Hickory Architectural Survey Update

The City of Hickory will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $15,000 to complete an architectural survey update. A match of $8,000 will be provided by the City.

As many of the Hickory's historic resources have not been surveyed, the grant will assist the documentation of 100 to 125 non-residential buildings and 15 to 20 post-World War II subdivisions. The project will also update approximately 200 existing records for properties outside National Register historic districts. The City hopes the survey update will lead to identification and historic designation of traditionally under-represented populations.

Craven County

Grantee: City of New Bern

Project: Dryborough Architectural Survey and National Register Nomination

Dryborough Historic District, Craven County

The City of New Bern will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $11,000 to undertake an architectural survey and subsequent nomination of the Dryborough neighborhood to the National Register of Historic Places. The City will provide $4,000 in matching funds for the project.

Founded in 1808 by North Carolina Governor Benjamin Smith, Dryborough was later annexed by New Bern and became the city's first primarily African American neighborhood. The area has served as a social and cultural center for the African American community of New Bern for more than 200 years and has produced many successful business leaders, politicians, educators, and entrepreneurs. Dryborough's successful nomination to the National Register of Historic places will bring much deserved recognition to this important part of New Bern.

Mecklenburg County

Grantee: City of Charlotte

Project: Charlotte Comprehensive Historic Resource Survey - Phase II

The City of Charlotte will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $24,000 to hire a consultant to conduct the second phase of a comprehensive historic resource survey of the city. The survey will be used as a planning tool to update, verify, and identify historic resources within Charlotte, which will provide a match of $30,000 for the project.

As the last architectural survey conducted by Charlotte in the mid-1980s was not comprehensive, many historic resources lack protection or even identification. A comprehensive survey will allow planners and decision makers to consider the effect of development proposals on historic resources. Phase II will concentrate on the area outside of Charlotte's Route 4, beyond the central city.

Orange County

Grantee: Orange County

Project: Orange County Survey Update and Phase I of Publication

Blackwood Farm barn, Orange County

Orange County will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund grant of $15,000 to hire a consultant to conduct an architectural survey update of rural portions of Orange County. The County will provide a match of $10,000. This project is the first of three phases with the end goal to produce a publication that documents the county's historic resources. Phase I will survey approximately 250 properties including mid-20th-century resources along with those associated with the county's agricultural and African American history.

Wake County

Grantee: Wake County

Project: Wake County Architectural Survey of Six Towns (Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell)

Wake County will receive a federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grant of $16,000 to hire a consultant to complete an architectural survey of historic properties in the towns of Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Rolesville, and Wendell. The County will provide matching funds of $9,000 to assist with the project.

According to US Census Data, Wake County's population increased 43.5% between 2000 and 2010. With this high growth rate, historic properties are often lost to development pressures. The six towns were selected by the Wake County Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) in consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office as limited documentation exists on their historic resources and all of the communities face increased development. Identifying and documenting historic resources will give the towns the information necessary for considering their heritage as they plan for growth.

Searching for Answers: Recent Research at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site

By John Mintz, Office of State Archaeology

On June 26-28, 2014, geographers and anthropologists from UNC-Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University teamed with archaeologist John Mintz of the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology and staff of Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site to investigate the area surrounding a mid-nineteenth-century farmstead in Johnston County. This archaeological field investigation utilized Geophysical Remote Sensing to assist archaeologists in locating and mapping both the extant and relic cultural landscape.

Volunteers helping with archaeology at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site

The John and Amy Harper house at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site, located near Smithfield, North Carolina, is a circa 1855 Greek Revival house used as a hospital during the March 1865 Battle of Bentonville, the only full-scale attempt to stop Union General William T. Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas. Twenty thousand Confederates surprised and almost overran a portion of Sherman's 60,000 man army before they were forced to withdraw.

Despite being occupied by eleven family members, the Harper House was commandeered by the Union Army's XIV Corps and used to treat approximately 600 Union and Confederate soldiers during and shortly after the battle. Following the battle, a series of families lived in the house until it was sold in 1957 to the state of North Carolina for use as a house museum. The house and outbuildings have been open to the public since the early 1960s. The interior of the Harper House is currently interpreted as a Civil War-era field hospital with auxiliary structures representing a kitchen and a slave cabin. The origin and age of the two extant outbuildings are not known, but it is presumed that they were not Harper structures.

A video overview of the achaeological work recently done at Bentonville Battlefield

A considerable amount of information is known about the Harper House in its capacity as a Civil War hospital but not nearly as much is known about the Harper farmstead in the Civil War era. Building on questions commonly posed by visitors, archaeologists developed a multi-disciplinary research design purposely constructed to address questions concerning the cultural landscape, including the location, purpose, and quantity of the posited Harper outbuildings.

Volunteers helping with archaeology at Bentonville Battlefield State Historic Site

Because Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was successfully used at Bentonville Battlefield in 2006-2007 to locate the burials of twenty Confederate soldiers who died in the Harper House shortly after the battle, GPR once again was employed to assist archaeologists in their research. GPR essentially sends electromagnetic energy (i.e., radio waves) at a certain MHz into the earth and detects differences in soil type or buried objects such as stone foundations or concentrations of artifacts. This is accomplished through a send/receive antenna, meaning a radio pulse is emitted into the ground and upon contacting a different type of soil or cultural object, a return signal is bounced back to the antenna.

Data ontained from the GPR search grid indicated an area immediately west of the Harper House that researchers thought might possibly be the remains of an outbuilding. By comparing old photographs of the house and its attendant structures with this newly recorded data, an archaeological test unit measuring one meter wide by three meters long was placed in this immediate area. Through careful excavation, the remnants of a vertical structural element (wooden post) were uncovered. This cultural feature and the recovered artifactual materials (i.e., kitchen and architectural remains) suggest that this location may be the remains of a smokehouse once used by the occupants of the Harper House.

An added bonus to the project was that more than 30 individuals were able to participate in an archaeological excavation, some for the first time, and experience the thrill of contributing to the history of North Carolina.

Archaeological Investigation to Find First Chowan County Courthouse Completed

Assistant State Archaeologist John Mintz, with a team from New South and Associates and local volunteers investigating the location of the first Chowan County Courthouse. Photo courtesy of WRAL.

An archaeological investigation was conducted by Assistant State Archaeologist John Mintz, working with Shawn Patch from New South and Associates, at Edenton's 1767 Chowan Courthouse Green July 28 to 31. The aim of the project was to locate the county's first courthouse, a frame building constructed in Edenton in 1718. Ground Penetrating Radar was used to determine the best place to undertake archaeological excavation and how deep to explore. For more information, click here or contact Site Manager Karen Ipock at (252) 482-2637. Historic Edenton is within the Division of State Historic Sites in the NC Department of Cultural Resources.

Cary Newest NC Town to Establish Historic Preservation Commission

Congratulations to the Town of Cary, the newest community in North Carolina to establish its own local historic preservation commission. On June 26, 2014, the Cary Town Council adopted an ordinance establishing the commission. Applications for commission members, who must reside within the town's territorial jurisdiction, are being accepted through August 27, 2014. Click here and here for more information.

Wilmington Artist Restoring Historic Painted Signs

Chappy Valente restoring a painted sign in Wilmington. Photo courtesy of the Wilmington Star-News

In an effort to save Wilmington's historic painted signs, local artist Chappy Valente has begun repainting faded signs on historic buildings. He began with work on the 1920 "J. W. Brooks Wholesale Grocer" sign on the north and south sides of the three-story brick building at 18 S. Water St. with encouragement from the local planning department. Click here for more information.

Hillsborough's Colonial Inn Threatened with Demolition

Documentary photo of the Colonial Inn

The historic 1838 Colonial Inn in Hillsborough, which was reputedly in continuous operation until the late 1990s and has been declared of statewide significance, is now threatened with demolition. The current owner applied for a Certificate of Appropriateness for demolition from the Hillsborough Historic District Commission, which was denied at that body's August 6th meeting. However, no plans for the rehabilitation of the building have been put forth. Click here for more information.

Asheboro Hosiery Mill No. 2 Threatened with Demolition to Make Room for Parking

Asheboro Hosiery Mill No. 2

The City of Asheboro is considering the purchase of the 1924 Asheboro Hosiery Mill No. 2, the only portion of the Asheboro Hosiery Mills and Cranford Furniture Company Complex (listed in the National Register in 2011) that has not been rehabilitated. They plan to demolish the building to create space for more public parking. HPO staff made a site visit in early August. Interest in rehabilitation of the building was expressed by local business owners but no plans are in place at this time. Click here for more information.

New State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants Division Newsletter Now Available

The State, Tribal, and Local Plans & Grants Division (STLPG) of the National Park Service has released the inaugural edition of their quarterly newsletter. The purpose of the STLPG newsletter is to share tips and guidance on preservation planning, local, State, and Tribal historic preservation programs, managing your grants, and carrying out important preservation work. The newsletter will also spotlight great projects and they ask for submittals of your projects for inclusion. You can sign up here or on their website to receive the newsletter.

Philanthropist Rubenstein Funding Restoration of Arlington House in VA

1864 documentary view of Arlington House. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

David Rubenstein, the philanthropist who helped fund the Washington Monument earthquake repair effort, donated nearly $12.5 million to help restore Arlington House, overlooking Arlington National Cemetery. Built by George Washington Parke Custis in 1802 to 1818 as both his family's home and a memorial to his stepfather, George Washington, it now stands as a memorial to Confederate general Robert E. Lee, who resided there before leaving to eventually take command of the Southern army. Once completed, the restoration will allow visitors to experience the house as it stood in 1860, when the nation stood on the precipice of the Civil War. Click here for more information about the project.

Poverty Point Designated World Heritage Site

Aerial view of Poverty Point. Photo courtesy

of UNESCO.

In June, the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization designated the prehistoric Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point as a World Heritage Site. The historic hunter-gatherer settlement, a State Historic Site and National Monument in Louisiana, joins a list that includes cultural and natural sites of universal importance such as the Grand Canyon in Arizona, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Poverty Point is the 22nd World Heritage Site in the United States and the 1,001st to be inscribed worldwide. Click here for more information about Poverty Point and here for information on the World Heritage Program and the process for the selection of U.S. sites.

Fighting Threatens History

Battles in war-torn Syria have wreaked havoc on its citizens but another casualty in many areas of the country is its historic architecture. Click here to see before and after views of the built environment affected by armed conflict throughout history.

Federal Historic Tax Credits' Value Assessed in Response to Threat of Repeal

Graphic courtesy of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Representative Dave Camp, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, recommended repealing federal Historic Tax Credits in March. In response, the National Trust, with research from D.C.-based consulting firm PlaceEconomics, used six case studies to show the impact of the tax credits. Click here to learn more about the results.

Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties Explained

Have you ever wondered what the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties are? Here is an explanation from the National Trust's Preservation Tips and Tools blog. Click here for the post.

For Your Entertainment and Edification...

The Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) has released a video on preservation, rehab, and revitalization efforts in Detroit that are capitalizing on the city's built assets. Click here to view inspirational the video.
Get the truth, and nothing but the truth, from old house owners Hollie Davis and Andrew Richmond at this page
Looking for new ways to spread the word about your local commission and the work you do? An example of public outreach from Oak Park, IL is on this page
Looking for very creative way to entice new preservationists? How about a scavenger hunt with black lights, cell phones, history, and a rehabilitation theme? Click here to learn more about the "Who's That Loft?" game.
Do you know of any strangely small or oddly shaped buildings? Ever wonder why they were built that way? Here are some interesting examples with even more interesting stories.
And because we love them so, here are more maps. This site uses USGS maps to track changes in the built environment.

North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office

Division of Historical Resources | Office of Archives and History

North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources