National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers

National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers
Name	National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers
Formation	1966
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Region served	United States
Leader title	Executive Director

Contents

National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers is a U.S.-based nonprofit association representing state and territorial Historic Preservation Officer offices that coordinate preservation policy and practice across the United States. Founded in the wake of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the organization has engaged with agencies such as the National Park Service, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Department of the Interior to shape implementation of federal preservation law and grant programs. It operates within a network that includes State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO), Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO), and local preservation entities such as National Trust for Historic Preservation, while interacting with cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution.

History

The body traces its origins to the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and early coordinating efforts among the first cohort of State Historic Preservation Officers appointed by governors in states including New York (state), California, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. During the 1970s and 1980s the organization engaged with landmark policy developments such as amendments to the National Environmental Policy Act, the work of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the expansion of the National Register of Historic Places with properties associated with figures like Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Frank Lloyd Wright, and events like the Civil Rights Movement and the American Revolution. In later decades it coordinated responses to disasters affecting heritage after events like Hurricane Katrina and collaborated on heritage tourism initiatives tied to sites such as Independence Hall, Ellis Island, and the Monticello estate. The organization has also engaged with federal funding mechanisms such as the Historic Preservation Fund and legislative debates in the United States Congress.

The association's mission centers on advising and supporting State Historic Preservation Officer offices in administering the National Register of Historic Places, implementing tax incentives like the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, and stewarding archaeological resources linked to Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act concerns. It advances best practices in fields represented by partners such as the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Conference of State Legislatures, and cultural agencies including the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities. The organization issues guidance on treatment standards originating from sources like the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and engages in policy dialogue around infrastructure programs like the Federal Highway Administration projects and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act implications for historic sites.

The association is governed by a board composed of elected State Historic Preservation Officer members representing diverse states and territories including Alaska, Hawaii, Texas, New Jersey, and Florida. Its staff work in areas of policy, technical assistance, and outreach, liaising with federal offices such as the National Park Service and the Department of the Interior, and with tribal authorities including Navajo Nation and Cherokee Nation Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. Committees address specialized issues involving partners like the American Institute of Architects, the Association for Preservation Technology International, and scholarly institutions such as Harvard University and the University of Pennsylvania.

Key programs include training and certification initiatives for preservation professionals, grant administration support for programs tied to the Historic Preservation Fund and the Save America’s Treasures program, and technical guidance on topics from archaeological stewardship to rehabilitation of industrial sites like those associated with the Industrial Revolution in the United States. The organization sponsors conferences and workshops that have featured speakers and case studies connected to sites such as Mount Vernon, Gettysburg National Military Park, Alamo, and Mesa Verde National Park. It has developed model practices for climate resilience of heritage in collaboration with entities like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and conservation frameworks used by the World Monuments Fund and the International Council on Monuments and Sites.

Membership comprises appointed State Historic Preservation Officers from 50 states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories including Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, as well as ex officio liaisons from federal agencies such as the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Governance follows bylaws adopted by members and relies on committees and task forces that coordinate with organizations like the National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Association of Counties, and Council on Environmental Quality. Elections for board positions occur at annual meetings that bring together stakeholders from institutions such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the American Planning Association, and the American Institute of Architects.

The organization partners with federal agencies like the National Park Service, the Department of the Interior, and the Federal Highway Administration, academic centers such as the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, and nonprofit bodies including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the World Monuments Fund. Advocacy efforts address legislative and regulatory matters before the United States Congress, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and executive offices, collaborating with coalitions that include Historic New England, Preservation Maryland, Texas Historical Commission, and tribal organizations such as the National Congress of American Indians. Joint initiatives have covered tax policy affecting rehabilitation credits, disaster response coordination after events like Hurricane Sandy, and heritage interpretation projects tied to sites such as Montpelier (James Madison's plantation), Fort Monroe, and Harper's Ferry.