State Historic Preservation Office (New Mexico)

State Historic Preservation Office (New Mexico)
Name	State Historic Preservation Office (New Mexico)
Formation	1966
Headquarters	Santa Fe, New Mexico
Region served	New Mexico
Parent organization	New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

Contents

State Historic Preservation Office (New Mexico) The State Historic Preservation Office in New Mexico serves as the statewide agency for identification, evaluation, and protection of historic and archaeological resources in New Mexico. It operates within the framework of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and cooperates with federal entities such as the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The office coordinates with municipal bodies like the Santa Fe City Council, tribal governments such as the Pueblo of Santa Clara, and institutions including the Museum of New Mexico and the University of New Mexico.

History

The office traces its origins to the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the subsequent establishment of state programs in the late 1960s, paralleling efforts by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Smithsonian Institution. Early New Mexico preservation efforts intersected with the work of figures and institutions like John Gaw Meem, Ernest L. Blumenschein, and the Taos Society of Artists, as well as archaeological investigations tied to the Ancestral Puebloans and sites such as Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Bandelier National Monument. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the office engaged with federal programs including the Historic Preservation Fund and collaborated on projects involving the Santa Fe National Historic District and the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway. Major milestones include participation in nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and the expansion of partnerships with tribal entities like the Pueblo of Cochiti and the Navajo Nation.

The office is housed in Santa Fe, New Mexico under the aegis of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs and coordinates with statewide agencies such as the New Mexico Historic Preservation Division and local commissions including the Albuquerque Historic Landmarks Commission. Leadership comprises a State Historic Preservation Officer who liaises with the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an archaeology unit that consults with the Bureau of Land Management, and an architectural history unit that partners with the New Mexico Office of Archaeological Studies and the New Mexico State Land Office. Committees and advisory panels include representatives from tribal governments like the Pueblo of Zia and organizations such as the New Mexico Heritage Preservation Alliance and the Historic Santa Fe Foundation.

The office administers programs related to the National Register of Historic Places, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Certified Local Government program. It oversees archaeological permitting interacting with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the New Mexico State Police for site protection, and conducts surveys that inform nominations for landmarks including Fort Union National Monument and Valley of Fire State Park-adjacent sites. Preservation planning involves collaborations with the Federal Highway Administration on cultural resource mitigation, the Environmental Protection Agency on environmental review, and the New Mexico Department of Transportation on historic bridge rehabilitation. Educational outreach links to institutions such as the Santa Fe Indian Market, the New Mexico History Museum, and the Institute of American Indian Arts.

The office manages and supports nominations of diverse properties to the National Register of Historic Places, including Pueblo architecture exemplars like Taos Pueblo, Spanish Colonial resources associated with Don Diego de Vargas, Territorial-era buildings such as works by Isaac Hamilton Rapp, and modernist structures influenced by John Gaw Meem and Mary Colter. It has processed listings for prehistoric sites tied to the Chacoan network, mission churches like San Miguel Chapel (Santa Fe, New Mexico), and military sites related to the Santa Fe Trail and Fort Craig. The office collaborates on National Historic Landmarks designations including those for Chaco Culture National Historical Park and Los Luceros Historic Site, and supports preservation of vernacular sites in communities such as Las Cruces, Silver City, and Truth or Consequences.

Funding streams include allocations from the Historic Preservation Fund, state appropriations via the New Mexico Legislature, and matching grants administered in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. The office facilitates grant awards for rehabilitation under programs similar to the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit and coordinates with philanthropic entities such as the McCune Charitable Foundation and the Ford Foundation for cultural heritage projects. Partnerships extend to universities including the University of New Mexico, research institutions like the School for Advanced Research, and tribal preservation programs in the Pueblo of Zuni and Pueblo of Acoma.

The office implements state statutes and regulations derived from the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and works within legal frameworks involving the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act. It advises state agencies on compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act reviews, consultation protocols with tribal governments such as the Mescalero Apache Tribe, and stewardship policies referencing cases before the New Mexico Supreme Court. Policy development has intersected with federal environmental law administered by the Council on Environmental Quality and infrastructure law involving the Federal Highway Administration.

Category:Historic preservation in New Mexico Category:State historic preservation offices