Virginia Board of Historic Resources

Virginia Board of Historic Resources
Name	Virginia Board of Historic Resources
Formed	1966
Jurisdiction	Commonwealth of Virginia
Headquarters	Richmond, Virginia
Parent agency	Virginia Department of Historic Resources

Contents

Virginia Board of Historic Resources is the state-appointed advisory body responsible for overseeing historic preservation policy and designations in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It advises the Governor of Virginia, collaborates with the Virginia General Assembly, coordinates with the National Park Service, and interacts with local entities such as the Richmond City Council and county boards across Alexandria, Virginia, Fairfax County, Virginia, and Albemarle County, Virginia. The board's work intersects with landmark sites tied to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, and battlefield preservation efforts at Manassas National Battlefield Park.

History

The board was established amid mid-20th century preservation movements influenced by events like the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the rise of organizations such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Historic American Buildings Survey. Early board activity engaged with preservation of sites associated with figures including Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Patrick Henry, Robert E. Lee, and Stonewall Jackson, and with places like Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Battlefield. Throughout the late 20th century the board navigated tensions between preservation advocates represented by groups such as the Association for Preservation Technology International and development interests tied to projects in Norfolk, Virginia and Virginia Beach, Virginia. In the 21st century the board has adapted practices reflecting federal guidance from the Secretary of the Interior and partnerships with entities such as the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Institution.

The board evaluates nominations for the Virginia Landmarks Register and makes recommendations for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, working closely with the National Park Service and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. It provides stewardship advice for properties linked to Jamestown, Shenandoah National Park, and urban historic districts in Charlottesville, Virginia and Norfolk, Virginia. The board also reviews impacts under laws and programs associated with the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the Architectural Barriers Act, and federal tax incentives for rehabilitation influenced by the Internal Revenue Code. It consults on mitigation for infrastructure projects involving agencies such as the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration.

Membership comprises appointed citizens drawn from sectors including architectural history, archaeology, and conservation, with backgrounds connected to institutions like University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, William & Mary, and the Virginia Historical Society. Appointments are made by the Governor of Virginia with confirmations by the Virginia Senate; members may represent regions such as Northern Virginia, Tidewater, and the Shenandoah Valley. The board collaborates with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the State Review Board, and local historic preservation commissions in municipalities like Lynchburg, Virginia and Harrisonburg, Virginia.

The board reviews nominations to the Virginia Landmarks Register and forwards eligible properties to the National Register of Historic Places, affecting sites ranging from plantations like Shirley Plantation to industrial complexes such as the James River and Kanawha Canal. Its actions influence listing of districts exemplified by the Fredericksburg Historic District and individual properties associated with Edmund Pendleton, Carter G. Woodson, and Maggie L. Walker. The board's recommendations can shape eligibility for programs administered by the National Park Service, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Virginia Tourism Corporation.

Through partnerships with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, the board helps administer grant programs for survey, conservation, and rehabilitation comparable to grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It influences distribution of matching funds connected to the Historic Preservation Fund, tax credit projects under state and federal rehabilitation incentives, and technical assistance tied to the Certified Local Government Program. Grant-supported work has involved collaborations with the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, local museums like the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and university archaeology programs at James Madison University.

The board has been involved in high-profile preservation efforts including advisory roles in restoring Mount Vernon and conserving battlefield landscapes at Cold Harbor and Petersburg National Battlefield. It has advised municipal projects in Richmond, Virginia related to the Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site and streetscape conservation in Colonial Williamsburg. Case studies include rehabilitation of textile mills repurposed in Danville, Virginia, adaptive reuse projects in Roanoke, Virginia, and archaeological investigations at Jamestown and Shackleford Banks that partnered with academic centers like Old Dominion University.

The board's authority derives from statutes enacted by the Virginia General Assembly and implements provisions of the Code of Virginia pertaining to historic resources, interfacing with federal statutes such as the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and regulatory guidance from the National Park Service. Its reviews inform compliance processes under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and consultations with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The board's determinations affect entitlement to state incentives codified by the Virginia Department of Taxation and regulatory outcomes involving the Virginia Department of Transportation and local planning commissions.