Preserve Signal Blog

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Practical notes on historic preservation, adaptive reuse, public records, and the project signals worth following.

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Live oak trees in Forsyth Park in Savannah, Georgia, illustrating the character of a designed historic landscape.

Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS): what it is, what it documents, and why it matters

Learn what the Historic American Landscapes Survey documents, how HALS differs from HABS and HAER, and when HALS appears in Section 106 mitigation.

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St. Augustine Lighthouse in Florida, the first light station transferred under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act.

The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act: how historic lighthouse transfers work

Learn how the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act transfers excess federally owned historic light stations to new stewards and what preservation obligations follow.

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Linn Cove Viaduct on the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, an engineering resource documented by the Historic American Engineering Record.

Historic American Engineering Record (HAER): what HAER is, what it documents, and why it matters

Learn what the Historic American Engineering Record documents, how HAER differs from HABS and HALS, and when HAER appears in Section 106 mitigation.

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Ancient petroglyphs etched into red sandstone canyon walls in Moapa Valley, Nevada.

Traditional cultural properties: what they are and why NPS now uses ‘traditional cultural places’

Learn what traditional cultural properties are, why NPS now uses traditional cultural places, and how TCPs fit into the National Register and Section 106.

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Historic French Quarter building in New Orleans with iron balconies and shutters in the Vieux Carre Historic District.

Historic districts: what they are, why they matter, and how historic district commissions work

Learn what historic districts are, how National Register and local districts differ, and what a historic district commission does.

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Traditional teepee in an arid desert landscape beneath a clear blue sky.

Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs): what a THPO does and why it matters

Learn what a Tribal Historic Preservation Office does, how THPO responsibilities work on tribal lands, and how THPOs fit into Section 106.

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St. Michael's Episcopal Church and historic streetscape in Charleston, South Carolina.

National Register of Historic Places: what it is, how listing works, and what it means

Learn what the National Register of Historic Places is, how listing works, what it means for owners, and how eligibility affects preservation projects.

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Historic building facade in Charleston, South Carolina, illustrating the exterior materials and features evaluated in a building condition assessment.

Historic building conditions assessment: what it is, what it covers, and why it matters

Learn what a historic building conditions assessment covers, how it differs from an HSR, and how it helps prioritize preservation repairs.

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Aerial view of downtown Richmond, Virginia, illustrating the district, civic, and development context considered in preservation master planning.

Historic preservation master plan: what it is, what it includes, and how it guides priorities

Learn what a historic preservation master plan is, what it typically includes, and how it turns resource information into priorities, projects, and implementation steps.

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Historic streetscape near the Maryland State House in Annapolis, illustrating the kind of built environment documented in a historic resource survey.

Historic resource surveys: what they are, what they record, and why they matter

Learn what a historic resource survey records, how reconnaissance and intensive surveys differ, and what survey findings do and don't establish.

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