Thursday, October 15, 2015
Today is the 49th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA). The Act was one of many important laws signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson. It established the National Register of Historic Places, instituted National Landmarks, and created the system of State Historic Preservation Offices that oversee historic preservation programs in each state.
Through this Act, the federal government became a full partner and steward in historic preservation in the United States. The Secretary of the Department of the Interior through the National Park Service (NPS) maintains the National Register of Historic Places and establishes Standards for Historic Preservation, provides technical assistance through Preservation Briefs, and offers training programs. It also administers federal grants and loans for preservation projects.
Each State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) works in partnership with local communities to preserve significant state and local historic resources. The SHPO reviews and processes the nominations of historic and cultural properties to be included on the National Register of Historic Places. It also reviews preservation and restoration projects and provides direct assistance to local governments through the National Park Service’s Certified Local Government Program. Local communities certified by the SHPO are eligible for at least 10% of a state’s allocation from the Historic Preservation Fund.
Chapter 13 of the Troy City Code is our community’s historic preservation ordinance. It complies with both the State and Federal Historic Preservation Acts. There are currently 29 locally designated historic resources in Troy including the Troy Historic Village and the four historic cemeteries highlighted in yesterday’s 365 Story. Additionally two historic buildings in Troy are included in the National Register of Historic Places. The Caswell House is located in the Village, and the fieldstone Brooks Farmhouse on Big Beaver Road is incorporated into the Kresge Foundation headquarters. (See 365 Stories on April 3 and July 31.)
Photos:
Caswell House
Brooks Farmhouse
Sources
https://www.ncshpo.org/nhpa1966.shtml
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
