Many point to the nineteenth century as the period of inception for historic preservation, as that is when the American public began to rally support for protecting what they believed to be culturally significant sites. But what about before this?

The desire to protect and preserve is impossible to trace back in time, but surely the roots of historic preservation start there. Since then, the field has become increasingly intersectional—encompassing history, conservation, architecture, legislation, advocacy, and social sciences. Today, historic preservation is becoming key in conversations related to sustainability and equity.

So, whether you identify as a historic preservationist or not, why not put your knowledge to the test and see how well do you know the history of preservation in the United States?