Secretary of the Interior's Standards

Secretary of the Interior's Standards
Name	Secretary of the Interior's Standards
Established	1977
Jurisdiction	United States
Administered by	National Park Service
Related legislation	National Historic Preservation Act of 1966
Purpose	Preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, reconstruction

Secretary of the Interior's Standards

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards are a set of guidance documents used to assess treatment of historic properties in the United States, developed to inform decisions by agencies such as the National Park Service, State Historic Preservation Officers, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. They provide criteria for treatment approaches linked to programs administered under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit, and project review processes involving the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, Federal Highway Administration, and General Services Administration. The Standards influence work on properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places, sites within Gettysburg National Military Park, and historic districts like French Quarter (New Orleans).

Overview and Purpose

The Standards establish treatment philosophies—preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction—that guide interventions on historic resources such as Monticello, Independence Hall, Frank Lloyd Wright houses, or industrial sites like the Edison Laboratory. Intended to balance retention of historic fabric with contemporary needs, the Standards inform reviews under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and incentives like the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives. They are applied by entities including the National Park Service, State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs), the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and municipal preservation commissions in places like Chicago, Boston, and San Francisco.

Historical Development

Origins trace to earlier preservation efforts associated with the Antiquities Act of 1906 and federal stewardship practices at sites such as Yellowstone National Park and Mount Vernon. Influential drafts and advisory reports from figures and organizations including Ann Pamela Cunningham, the American Institute of Architects, John Ruskin-inspired advocates, and the Historic Sites Act of 1935 shaped mid-century policy. The formal Standards were promulgated in 1977 by the National Park Service following consultations with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, preservationists from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, architects connected to the Society of Architectural Historians, and state officials. Subsequent revisions and guidance documents have addressed seismic retrofit practices seen in San Francisco after the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, accessibility considerations related to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and sustainability dialogues involving agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency and programs like the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit.

The Standards for Rehabilitation

The Standards for Rehabilitation articulate ten principles used to guide work on historic buildings, drawing on precedents from restoration projects at Mount Vernon, Pearl Harbor National Memorial, and Ellis Island. They emphasize retention of historic materials and character-defining features found in properties like Carnegie Hall and Ellis Island Immigrant Hospital, repair rather than replacement, compatible new additions as seen at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and reversible interventions consistent with policies used at Independence Hall. Applied to a range of property types—from Skyscraper (Manhattan) landmarks to vernacular structures in Charleston, South Carolina—the Standards inform detailed guidance on materials, fenestration, and historic finishes used in projects at sites like Alcatraz Island and Hitachi Seaside Park-style landscapes managed in collaboration with preservation bodies.

Application and Implementation

Implementation occurs through reviews by SHPOs, determinations by the National Park Service for tax credit eligibility, and compliance evaluations by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation in federal undertakings such as transportation projects with the Federal Highway Administration or property transfers involving the General Services Administration. Local historic preservation commissions in municipalities like New York City, Philadelphia, and Savannah, Georgia use the Standards to develop ordinances and design guidelines. Case studies include rehabilitation of industrial complexes like the Tate Modern conversion precedent (British example informing U.S. practice), adaptive reuse of warehouses in Brooklyn, and campus preservation programs at institutions such as Harvard University and University of Virginia.

Legal and Regulatory Context

The Standards operate within a statutory framework centered on the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and regulatory instruments like Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 review. They are invoked in administration of incentives such as the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives and in mitigation agreements subject to review by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Federal agencies including the National Park Service, Federal Highway Administration, General Services Administration, and Department of Housing and Urban Development reference the Standards in programmatic agreements, grant conditions, and environmental reviews under statutes like the National Environmental Policy Act when historic properties such as Lowell National Historical Park sites are affected.

Criticisms and Debates

Scholars, practitioners, and activists have debated the Standards’ flexibility, applicability to vernacular and indigenous heritage, and alignment with contemporary issues like climate adaptation, community-based preservation, and social justice movements exemplified by campaigns involving sites connected to Civil Rights Movement history in Birmingham, Alabama and Selma, Alabama. Critics argue the Standards can be prescriptive for projects involving intangible heritage at places like Slave Market (Gorée Island)-analogous sites, or for industrial landscapes such as Lowell National Historical Park, while advocates emphasize their role in ensuring consistency for programs like the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit. Debates continue among organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the World Monuments Fund, and academic bodies like the Institute of Historic Building Conservation over modernization, inclusivity, and integration with climate resilience policy discussions.

Category:Historic preservation in the United States