Historic Preservation: A General History | HPC Training | Wisconsin Historical Society

Guide or Instruction

Chapter 1: History of Historic Preservation

Table of Contents

Historic Preservation: A General History | HPC Training | Wisconsin Historical Society
 
  • Page 1: Beginnings of the Preservation Movement
    Historic preservation efforts in the United States began in the early 19th century as the country was beginning to form a national identity and people's interest in the nation's formative years arose. Initially only properties of national significance and those associated with great American leaders were the focus of preservation, but ideas about what should be preserved expanded in the early 20th century.
  • Page 2: Government Role in Historic Preservation
    During the middle decades of the 20th century, the federal government's role with historic resources expanded and preservation became national policy. However, this preservation ethic shifted in favor of urban renewal during the economic boom of the 1950s.
  • Page 3: The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)
    A backlash against "destructive construction" paved the way for the most comprehensive and influential piece of legislation on preservation: the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The key aim of the NHPA is to ensure that federal agencies act as responsible stewards of our nation's resources when their actions affect historic properties.
  • Page 4: Wisconsin Historic Preservation Developments
    Historic preservation developments in Wisconsin have followed the national patterns. In 1903, people concerned about preserving Native American artifacts and sites in Wisconsin founded the Wisconsin Archaeological Society. In 1976, the State Historic Preservation Office was formally established at the Wisconsin Historical Society.