August 25, 2015

National Register Guide, Episode 9: Evaluating Historic Integrity

As fantastic as it is, the National Register of Historic Places can get a little confusing -- even for a seasoned pro. But fear not, because the PreservationNation blog has teamed up with Jim Gabbert, a historian with the National Park Service, to create our National Register Guide.

Webers Root Beer Drive In Pennsauken NJ Exterior Retro Roadmap. Credit: Beth Lennon
Assessing historic integrity is all about connecting a site's current characteristics to the its historic importance. The more evidence there is of the past, the more integrity a property has.

Episode Eight of our National Register of Historic Places Guide identified the different criteria and "areas of significance" that are important for National Register listing. Episode Nine goes one step further by explaining how to evaluate the historic integrity of a site as it relates to its significance.

This episode answers specific questions such as:

  • How is historic integrity defined?
  • How many aspects of historic integrity are properties evaluated under?
  • Are any aspects of historic integrity more important than others?
  • How does the historic integrity of a site relate to its historic significance?


We hope you enjoy the show.

Special thanks to the President Woodrow Wilson House for filming accommodations.

David Weible is a former content specialist at the National Trust, previously with Preservation and Outside magazines. His interest in historic preservation is inspired by the ‘20s-era architecture, streetcar neighborhoods, and bars of his hometown of Cleveland.

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