Historic preservation efforts in the United States began in the early 19th century as the country was beginning to form a national identity, and interest in the nation's formative years arose.

Start of a Movement: The Restoration of Mount Vernon

One of the first efforts recognized in historic preservation is the restoration of Mount Vernon, the home of first president George Washington. After noticing the property was in a state of deterioration, a group of prominent women formed the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1853. They purchased the property, supervised its restoration, and managed and administered the site as a place where citizens could pay homage to one of its great leaders.

The success of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association influenced the establishment of similar organizations and efforts. This group set the tone for the era's preservation activities, which focused on the houses of great American male leaders. During this period, private citizens and organizations were the primary leaders of the emerging historic preservation movement.

The Federal Government Gets Involved

The first federal historic preservation legislation occurred in the early 20th century as an outcome of the growing conservation movement. The adverse effects of rising industrialism coupled with the nation's expansion westward stimulated great interest in nature, particularly in the Southwest and in native cultures.

As people became concerned about the looting of archaeological sites, Congress passed the Antiquities Act of 1906. The Act made destruction of nationally significant sites and antiquities a criminal offense, and it gave the president authority to designate properties as national monuments. Most importantly, by enacting this legislation the federal government acknowledged that it considered historic, cultural, and natural resources to be important and worthy of being preserved for the benefit of citizens.

The conservation movement also inspired the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916, which grew to become a major player in both natural and historic preservation and significantly increased the federal government's role.

View of Preservation Expands

While properties of national significance and those associated with great American leaders remained the prominent focus of preservation activities throughout most of the Progressive Era, ideas about what should be preserved expanded.

Preservationists began to acknowledge the importance of architecture and aesthetics in their own right, and interest arose in the history of ordinary people and everyday life. A significant turning point in the concept of historic preservation took place in 1931, when the citizens of Charleston, South Carolina, established the first historic district in an effort to protect the town's historic resources against the negative impact of automobile traffic. This action broadened historic preservation to include entire neighborhoods; it also acknowledged the importance of vernacular housing and the homes of local citizens as well as those of "great" Americans. Charleston also set a precedent in zoning legislation and the use of laws to establish, enforce, and protect preservation concerns at the local level.

This trend toward valuing architecture and the history of ordinary people and communities continued to grow, and eventually became an established concept in preservation theory.

• History of Historic Preservation
• Government Role in Preservation