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| Illinois Historic Preservation Division | |
|---|---|
| Name | Illinois Historic Preservation Division |
| Formation | 1961 |
| Headquarters | Springfield, Illinois |
| Parent agency | Illinois Department of Natural Resources |
Illinois Historic Preservation Division is the state agency charged with identifying, documenting, and protecting historic resources across Illinois. It operates within the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and works with federal entities such as the National Park Service, state agencies including the Illinois State Museum and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, and local partners like the Chicago History Museum and the Springfield Heritage Association. The Division administers programs related to the National Register of Historic Places, historic tax credits, conservation easements, and public education in coordination with entities such as the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The Division traces roots to mid-20th century preservation movements following events like the demolition of Singer Building-era skyscrapers and the preservation campaigns for sites associated with Abraham Lincoln and the Battle of Fort Dearborn. Early partnerships involved institutions such as the Historic American Buildings Survey, the Works Progress Administration, and the Civilian Conservation Corps, intersecting with legislation like the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and Illinois statutes enacted by the Illinois General Assembly. Key milestones include surveys modeled on the Historic American Engineering Record standards and collaborations with the Library of Congress to document landmarks connected to figures such as Ulysses S. Grant, Jane Addams, Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard J. Daley, and events like the Pullman Strike and the World's Columbian Exposition. Influential preservation campaigns engaged organizations like the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois and resulted in designations comparable to National Historic Landmark listings and state landmark registers.
The Division operates as a bureau within the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, overseen by directors appointed through processes involving the Governor of Illinois and legislative oversight by the Illinois General Assembly committees. Its governance framework aligns with federal requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and cooperative agreements with the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Administrative units collaborate with statewide offices such as the Illinois State Archaeological Survey, the Illinois State Archives, the Illinois State Library, and regional partners including the Cook County Landmarks Commission, the DuPage County Historical Museum, and municipal preservation commissions in cities like Chicago, Peoria, Springfield, and Quincy.
Programs include administration of the National Register of Historic Places nominations, stewardship of state historic sites, management of the Historic Preservation Tax Credit process, and technical assistance for rehabilitation projects following standards promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior. Educational initiatives coordinate with the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission, the Illinois Humanities Council, the Chicago Architecture Center, and heritage tourism partners like Visit Springfield Illinois and the Illinois Office of Tourism. The Division maintains databases interoperable with the National Park Service's systems and offers services to property owners, local governments, and organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Preservation Action, and the Alliance for Historic Landscape Preservation.
The Division oversees stewardship or designation processes for a broad range of properties including Lincoln Home National Historic Site-related resources, industrial heritage sites tied to the Pullman Historic District, architectural works by Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan, and sites associated with figures like Jane Addams and Ernest Hemingway. It supports preservation of landmarks ranging from Old State Capitol (Springfield, Illinois)-era sites to maritime resources on the Great Lakes such as lighthouses connected to the Chicago Harbor Lighthouse and sites linked to the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Collaborative designations have involved entities such as the National Historic Landmarks Program, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for battlefield and fort sites, and the Illinois State Museum for archaeological sites.
Funding mechanisms include state-administered grant programs, allocation of Historic Preservation Fund monies, and partnership-administered incentives like state and federal historic rehabilitation tax credits. The Division disburses competitive grants for surveys, nomination preparation, rehabilitation, and preservation planning, coordinating with funders such as the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development for community development projects, and philanthropic organizations including the Lyndhurst Foundation and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation. Grant recipients have included municipalities like Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford and nonprofit stewards such as the Landmarks Illinois and the Preservation Chicago.
The Division applies preservation standards consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and adheres to federal requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Regulatory responsibilities involve review processes for projects subject to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, consultation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and coordination with the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council and local historic district ordinances enforced by municipal bodies like the Chicago Landmarks Commission and county historic preservation commissions.
Notable projects include rehabilitation of the Old State Capitol (Springfield, Illinois), restoration efforts within the Pullman National Monument area, adaptive reuse projects involving Chicago School (architecture) buildings, stabilization of archaeological sites related to Mississippian culture settlements, and conservation of Frank Lloyd Wright residences. The Division’s work has supported tourism tied to the Route 66 corridor, enhanced interpretation at sites connected to Civil War histories and Underground Railroad networks, and contributed to urban revitalization initiatives in cities such as Springfield, Chicago, Quincy, Carbondale, and Decatur. Collaborative research efforts have involved universities like the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the Northwestern University, and the Southern Illinois University system, producing documentation used by the Library of Congress and the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Category:Historic preservation in Illinois