Of
the nearly 72,000 National Register listings, 77% are historic buildings
and structures. This includes houses, schools, churches, courthouses,
stores, factories and mills, monuments, railroad locomotives, tunnels
and roads, dams, nautical vessels, bridges, and stockades. Take a
look at our web products devoted to the careful preservation, rehabilitation,
and restoration of historic buildings and structures—both within
communities across the country and the national park system.
For
Professionals
|
|
All
Wet & How to Prevent It
Water, water everywhere!
Without argument, it's essential to us. But in terms of the places where
we live or work, unwanted moisture means erosion, corrosion and rot!
This mini web-class can help anyone who cares for, or about, a historic
house to better understand and deal with the three most common sources
of the "wet stuff". We'll show you how they invade historic materials;
what goes wrong when moisture is not adequately managed; and how to
turn the corner on present and future problems by providing some simple, common sense tips. Then, after you've read everything, take a short quiz to see if you're still "All Wet!"
American Defenders of Land, Sea & Sky
Travel through time and across country to 56 special places in our nation's past--National Historic Landmarks that hold fascinating stories of America's "common defense." Begin with the first shots of the Revolutionary War and "follow history" to the War of 1812, the Struggle for Western Territory, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, two World Wars, and the Cold War. Visit forts, battle sites, old ships and planes, a modern submarine, and a pioneering space vehicle! See special places where peace treaties were signed; view monuments that honor those who have been lost to war. Links to a Guide for Teachers, Parents, and Other Educators.
The
BOILERPLATE "YESs!"
This web site
has been specially developed to make a point about choosing approaches
to rehabilitation work that preserve the character of historic buildings
in our nation's communities. It features ten Fast Track examples of
work that met the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation.
The work focuses on approaches that serve to protect historic materials,
exterior features, and interior spaces, features, and finishes in the
process of making changes for new or continued use. This includes new
additions--both large and small--that were designed to reduce the loss
of historic fabric and sensitively located to mimimize their visual
impact when seen from the public way.
The
BOILERPLATE "NOs!"
This generously illustrated web guidance makes a point about choosing
approaches to rehabilitation work that preserve the character of historic
buildings. The historic character was NOT preserved in the 10 Fast Track
examples provided. Work that no doubt began with good intentions ended
up causing the loss of historic fabric or altered exterior features,
interior spaces, and sites. You'll also see how incompatible new additions--large
and small--can create an undesired "new" look, and rob historic
buildings of their unique character in the process. Links to the "YESs!"
(see above)
Caring
for Your Historic Building -- The Good Guides
If you're
caring for a historic building, this should be of great interest. Popular
classics, as well as many brand new web offerings, are now available
on one site so you can access them more easily. The Good Guides is devoted
to all aspects of caring for historic buildings--from choosing an appropriate
treatment to actually doing the work in a way that meets historic preservation
standards. And we're expanding it to meet your needs!
Electronic
Rehab
This
web class should be useful for anyone interested in learning more about
the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, but was
designed especially for historic building owners; new members of design
review and historic preservation commissions; architects, contractors,
and developers; maintenance personnel and others involved in the care
of historic buildings; and students in historic preservation courses.
Features two quizzes.
From
the Roof Down and Skin Deep
The "skin"
of a historic house includes the roof, chimney, exterior walls, woodwork,
windows, porches, doors, and above-ground portion of the foundation.
Since the "skin" serves as the primary defense against the weather,
regular maintenance and repair are critically important. In this distance
learning program, you'll learn how the various parts of your historic
house were tightly connected when it was built; how to keep surfaces
and features in good repair over time; and what happens if you don't.
Includes a Quiz!
Heritage
Areas
Congress has established
23 National Heritage Areas in the U.S. to conserve and celebrate heritage
and special landscapes. Heritage conservation efforts are grounded in
a community's pride in its history, traditions, cultural identity, and
the physical surroundings of its traditional landscape. Heritage areas
encompass a wealth of resources, including scenic byways, walking and
cycling trails, wild, scenic, and recreational rivers, interpretive
and educational activities, and historic buildings and districts.
Lighthouse
Heritage Site
The National Park Service published an inventory of lighthouses around
the United States in 1994. Survey information for these 595 light stations
as well as a variety of lighthouse-related pages are part this site
including the Historic Lighthouse Preservation Handbook, sources for
more information, and a listing of lighthouses by construction type.
Maritime
National Historic Landmarks
Over 100 maritime properties, i.e., lifesaving stations, lighthouses,
ships, and shipwrecks, have been designated National Historic Landmarks
(NHLs) under the "Maritime Heritage of the United States NHL Theme
Study." These studies include a both a physical description and
a statement of significance for each property as well as photos and
bibliographical information.
Preservation
Briefs
The
Briefs assist owners and developers of historic buildings to recognize
and resolve common preservation and repair problems prior to work. They
are especially useful to preservation tax incentive program applicants
because they recommend those methods and approaches for rehabilitating
historic buildings that are consistent with their historic character.
Route
66 Corridor Preservation Program
This new program
was established by an Act of Congress in 1999, and is dedicated to assisting
in the preservation and protection of Route 66 resources across the
eight states through which it passes. Administered by the National Park
Service, the program is dedicated to preserving and recognizing the
rich history of Route 66 during its period of historic significance
from 1926-1975. Visit the site to learn more about what the National
Park Service is doing to protect one of the most recognizable roads
in the world!
The
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation & Illustrated
Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings
This popular guide on rehabilitating historic buildings is now available
in a user-friendly e-version. The Guidelines help property owners, developers,
and federal managers apply the Secretary of the Interior's Standards
for Rehabilitation during the project planning stage. Together with
the Standards, the Guidelines provide a model process to follow. The
Standards for Rehabilitation (36 CFR 76) are used in the Federal Preservation
Tax Incentives Program, administered by the NPS.
The
Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties with Guidelines for Preserving, Rehabilitating, Restoring,
and Reconstructing Historic Buildings
Rooted in over 120
years of preservation ethics in both Europe and America, the Standards
are common sense principles in non-technical language. Four approaches
to work were developed to help protect our nation's irreplaceable cultural
resources by promoting consistent preservation practices. The Guidelines
-- featured here in a navigable format and well illustrated -- assist
in applying the Standards to work on all historic building types and
materials, the exterior and interior, as well as the building site and
setting.
Telling
Historic Preservation Time
This
web guide demonstrates that historic preservation clocks don't move
in quite the same way that the normal one does. What's different about
these interpretive and seemingly arbitrary "clocks" is that
they can be temporarily stopped through Preservation; moved forward
through Rehabilitation; moved backward through Restoration; or re-started
through Reconstruction. It is these ideas about time that constitute
the philosophical framework for historic preservation treatments. Four
historic buildings are used to make the point.
The
Walk Through
This
web class was specially designed to help owners, architects, developers,
maintenance personnel, and members of historic preservation commissions
identify those tangible elements or features that give historic buildings
their unique visual character. Come in and learn how to read a historic
building. Take the quiz!
Toward
a Common Language
This web guide is designed to assist historic property owners, managers,
and maintenance personnel in understanding various approaches to working
on historic buildings as outlined in The Secretary of the Interior's
Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties--Preservation, Rehabilitation,
Restoration, and Reconstruction. One approach should be selected and
used throughout a project in order to save important history and avoid
historical anachronisms.
|
