Town of Weldon

Rockfish Capital

Sites to See and Things To Do

Shopping

History

Advocate Writes

Special Events

National Register

Considers Significance and Intergrity

First Published in the Roanoke Rapids Sunday Herald on March 17, 1996

The National Register of Historic Places is the nation's official list of buildings, structures, objects, sites, and districts worthy of preservation for their significance in American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture. The NR was established by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The purpose of the Act is to ensure that as a matter of public policy, properties significant in national, state, and local history are considered in the planning of federal undertakings, and to encourage historic preservation initiatives by state and local governments and the private sector.

NR Criteria For Evaluation

The two principal issues to consider in determining eligibility for the NR are "significance" and "integrity".

A property may have "significance" (1) for association with important events or patterns of history; (2) for association with an important historical figure; (3) as an important example of period architecture, landscape, or engineering; or (4) for the information it is likely to yield. A NR nomination must demonstrate how a property is significant in at least one of these four areas.

Properties are nominated at either a local, state, or national level of significance depending on the geographical range of the importance of a property and its associations. The level of significance must be justified in the nomination.

Besides meeting one or more of the above criteria, a property must also have "integrity" of "location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling and association" This means that the property must retain enough of its historic physical character to represent its historic period and associations adequately.

All properties change over time, and in some cases past alterations can take on historical significance on their own right. The degree to which more recent, incompatible, or non-historic alterations are acceptable depends on the type of property, its rarity, and its period and area of significance. Buildings with certain types of alterations are usually turned down by the National Register Advisory Committee. For example, 19th and early 20th century wood frame buildings that have been bricked veneered in the mid-20th century are routinely turned down for loss of historic integrity.

The criteria excluded birthplaces and graves of historical figures, cemeteries, religious properties, moved buildings, reconstruction, commemorative properties, and properties less than 50 years old, with certain exception. The following exceptions are sometimes encountered.

Historic churches that retain sufficient architectural integrity can usually be successfully nominated.

Cemeteries may sometimes successfully be nominated when they retain important examples of historic stone carving, funerary art, and/or landscaping.

Moved buildings may sometimes be successfully nominated when they remain in their historic communities and the new setting adequately replicates the original setting.

If a property is less than 50 years old, it can be nominated only if a strong argument can be made for exceptional significance.

How Historic Properties are Listed to the NR

Properties and districts that may be eligible for the NR are usually brought to the attention of the state Historic Preservation Office (HPO) staff and the National Register Advisory Committee (NRAC) either (1) through a county or community survey of historic properties co-sponsored by the HPO and a local government or organization; (2) by interested individuals who provide preliminary information about a property to th HPO staff; or (3) through historic property surveys conducted as part of the environmental review process.

A NR nomination is a scholarly and authoritative document that thoroughly describes and evaluates a property's setting and physical characteristics, documents its history, assesses its significance in terms of its historic context, and demonstrates how it specifically meets NR criteria for evaluation. It is supported by professional quality black and white photographs, maps delineation the property's boundaries, and other materials and information. The nomination must be prepared according to federal and state guidelines. Most nominations are prepared by private consultants hired either by individual property owners or by local governments or organizations.

Once the consultant has completed the nomination, it is reviewed by members of the NRAC at one of the regular quarterly meetings. If the NRAC recommends that the nomination be submitted to the NR, it is signed by the State Historic Preservation Officer and forwarded to the Keeper of the National Register. At the NR office, the nomination is reviewed and the decision to list or not list is made within not less than 15 and not more than 45 days of receipt. If the property is listed, the HPO will notify the owner and provide a certificate stating that the property has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Comparing the National Register and Local Designations

The National Register of Historic Places and LOCAL historic landmark and historic district designations are two very different programs that recognize and protect historic properties. Some historic properties and districts may receive both types of designation in communities where local historic preservation commissions have been established according to North Carolina enabling legislation. However there is no direct correlation between National Register listing and local designation.

It is important to note that Weldon is being nominated to the National Register of Historic Places.

A local landmarks commission designates individual properties that meet their criteria. Owners of landmarks are eligible to apply for an annual 50% property tax deferral as long as the property's important historic features are maintained. Recapture penalties may apply if the owner destroys the property or damages its historic value. The NR does not provide this.

Local historic districts is a type of zoning that applies to entire neighborhoods or other areas that include many historic properties. The zoning provides controls on the appearance of existing and proposed buildings. Historic district zoning can help to improve property values by stabilizing and enhancing the neighborhood's character, and it benefits property owners by protecting them from inappropriate changes by other owners that might destroy the special qualities of the neighborhood. Unlike landmark designations, local historic district designation has no effect on local property taxes for property owners within the designated district. The NR does not provide this.