Grassroots Guide: Is It Really Protected?

Learning the Benefits and Limits of Historic Designations

This is the second installment of the Grassroots Guide to Saving What Matters, a series of posts for anyone interested in saving old houses.

“But this house was on the National Register of Historic Places. How could it have been torn down?”

I have heard this question too many times for comfort. So, perhaps, have you. Maybe the words have come out of your own mouth. If so, you are not alone. Many years ago, I uttered them myself.

Not surprisingly, there are common misconceptions about what constitutes protection for a significant structure. To the detriment of our historic houses, the only ones outside of preservation circles who are well acquainted with the ins and outs of our current system of preservation are the ones who have a vested interest in working around it. The sad result is that these entities have learned how to take advantage of general public misconceptions when disposing of significant properties. The only real repercussions that result are local outcries after the fact.

Changing that dynamic begins with a basic understanding of the historic preservation system and framework currently in place. Forthcoming installments will take a more-in-depth look at each component, but today we are at birds-eye level, which is a helpful start.