The Historical Society receives many questions about the preservation and/or restoration of buildings. Our volunteer staff is not qualified to answer these types of queries.
The following links have been provided to give an authoritative source for answers to some of the more commonly asked questions.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation's historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service's National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America's historic and archeological resources. See this Web site for information on how to list a property on the Register.
National Register of Historic Places Program: Fundamentals - National Park Service
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources is also the State Historic Preservation Office and all requests for listing on the National Register must go through this office. See their Web site for more information.
Register Information - Virginia Department of Historic Resources.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation helps thousands of people each month answer their preservation questions. This assistance takes many forms, including contact information, answers to frequently asked questions, and publications on specific subjects.
PreservationNation - National Trust for Historic Preservation
The Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings are excellent guidance and resources for all work done on historic homes.
Secretary of Interior's Standards - National Park Service
Glossary of Historic Preservation Terms - National Trust Library, University of Maryland
USDA National Agricultural Library - Rural Information Center: Historic Preservation Resources