Preserve History

The State Historic Preservation Office helps homeowners, businesses and communities preserve their historic resources. Each state and territory has a State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) which is authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The SHPO is charged with administering federal and state preservation programs and laws, including: overseeing the nomination of sites to the National Register of Historic Places; conducting surveys of historic and archaeological resources; reviewing federal and state undertakings (such as road projects) for their impact on cultural resources; working with local governments in developing local historic preservation programs in preparation for designation as Certified Local Governments; administering rehabilitation tax incentives for qualified historic buildings; and providing education, training, and technical assistance to the public in historic preservation matters.

Available for download are one-page, printer-friendly summaries of the IL SHPO's main programs: