About the NCHPO

The North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office assists private citizens, private institutions, local governments, and agencies of state and federal government in the identification, evaluation, protection, and enhancement of properties significant in North Carolina history and archaeology. The agency carries out state and federal preservation programs and is a section within the Division of Historical Resources, Office of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR). The office serves as the staff of the state historic preservation officer, who is the NCDNCR Deputy Secretary for the Office of Archives and History, and as staff of the North Carolina Historical Commission in the review of state and federal development projects that might affect historic North Carolina properties.

The chief services of the State Historic Preservation Office are:

  • The statewide survey of historic buildings, districts, and landscapes. The HPO is the repository of field notes, photographs, research reports, National Register nominations, and other materials related to the statewide survey. Published information on historic places in North Carolina may be found in scores of state and local architectural survey publications. (Note: The Office of State Archaeology, which conducts the statewide survey of archaeological sites, is a separate section within the Office of Archives and History.)
  • Nominations of eligible properties to the National Register of Historic Places.
  • Environmental Review of state and federal actions affecting historic and archaeological properties.
  • Technical assistance to owners in the restoration of historic properties, including those owners seeking state and federal historic preservation tax credits.
  • Grant assistance for historic preservation projects.
  • Technical assistance to local preservation commissions, including administration of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program.
  • Historic preservation education, including publication of preservation plan updates and the HPO newsletter, Worth Saving.