Historic Preservation
National Register of Historic Places
Who We Are
The National Register of Historic Places is a list of historic places that tell the stories of the people and events that form America’s collective identity. This prestigious list is also one of the most valuable tools individuals and communities have to encourage the preservation of important historic places.
Appropriately, this process begins with the people—it is not a top-down process. Individuals and communities can nominate properties that serve as historical touchstones to a shared history. The National Register is a federal program of the National Park Service and administered within Nebraska by the State Historic Preservation Office.
Nebraska currently has over 1,000 listed properties throughout the state. These properties range from private residences to county courthouses to archeological sites. Also, properties listed in the National Register are potentially eligible for State and Federal tax incentives.
Check out the list of National Register properties in Nebraska to learn more about our state’s many cultural treasures and to see if your property is already listed. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].
Upcoming Meeting
Please check back later for details on our next meeting.
Resources
Economic Impacts of Historic Preservation
Historic Tax Incentive Programs
National Register Criteria for Evaluation
Preliminary Evaluation Form
National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
How to Complete the National Register Registration Form
Researching a Historic Property
Researching Your Nebraska Property
Consultants List
Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board Schedule
Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board Meeting Link
Recently Added Resources
Leavenworth Park Commercial Historic District
Leavenworth Park Commercial Historic District
Speidel Barn, Lancaster Co.
Speidel Barn, Lancaster Co.
Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church
Centenary Methodist Episcopal Church
Inavale Community Hall and Gymnasium
Inavale Community Hall and Gymnasium
Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company Plant
Iowa-Nebraska Light and Power Company Plant
Bohning Memorial Auditorium
Bohning Memorial Auditorium
Get in Touch
FAQ’s
If my property is listed will I still be able to make alterations, changes, additions, etc.?
Is my property eligible for listing?
How do I determine if my property is significant?
- Events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history
- The lives of significant persons in our past
- Embody the distinctive characteristics of an architectural type, period, or method of construction
- Have yielded or may be likely to yield, information important in history or prehistory
Historic documentation must be provided to support a claim of a property’s significance. It has to go beyond being loosely associated with or having existed at the time of the historic event or person.
If a property has been altered, can it still be listed in the National Register?
- Location: has the property been moved from its historic location?
- Design: has to overall appearance/layout been significantly altered?
- Setting: is the area surrounding the property much as it was historically?
- Materials: have much of the historic fabric been replaced with non-historic material?
- Workmanship: is the care and craftsmanship of the historic period still evident?
- Feeling: does the property provide a sense of the historic time period?
- Association: does the property maintain a direct link with its recommended significance?
Fill out and submit a Preliminary Evaluation Form. History Nebraska staff will review and contact you regarding the eligibility of your property. If eligible, the preparation of a National Register of Historic Places nomination form can begin to:
- Download and prepare the Nomination Form
- Instructions for completing the form can be found in National Register Bulletin 16a
- Extensive historical research and documentation are required to sufficiently demonstrate that a property is eligible for listing in the National Register. These resources can help:
History Nebraska is here to help you prepare your nomination by providing professional guidance on the historical and architectural aspects of the property, verifying the nomination is properly documented to demonstrate its significance, and ensuring that it is prepared properly and meets the National Park Service requirements.
Nominations are presented to the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board. The Board meets three times per year: January, May, and September. Pay close attention to dates and deadlines for each Board meeting. Properties within a Certified Local Government (CLG) will need to be presented to the CLG’s Historic Preservation Commission before going before the State Board.
Nominations approved by the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Board are then forwarded to the National Park Service for final review and listing in the National Register.
Who can nominate a property?
Please keep in mind that the nomination of private property requires the consent of a majority of its current property owners
How long does it take to get a property listed in the National Register?
Will I have to open up my property to the public?
Will listing my property have a negative impact on its value?
National Register of Historic Places Success Stories
The tower is in excellent condition and is a classic example of a “tin-man” type elevated tower. These “tin-man” water towers were once standard across rural Nebraska communities, but are quickly disappearing as new technologies take hold. Even though the tower was retired as a water delivery system in 2018, the residents of Oshkosh banded together to save this landmark. According to the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz, “A heart is not judged by how much you love; but how much you are loved by others”—this is certainly true of Oshkosh’s very-own “tin-man.”
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