horizontal banner with Preserve America logo and images of a historic downtown, farm, courthouse, and mountain

Preserve America is a White House initiative in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; the U.S. Departments of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities; and the President's Council on Environmental Quality.

Preserve America Communities and Neighborhoods

Communities may apply for special designation as a Preserve America Community, which recognizes communities that:

  • protect and celebrate their heritage;
  • use their historic assets for economic development and community revitalization; and
  • encourage people to experience and appreciate local historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs.

Benefits of designation include:

  • White House recognition;
  • a certificate of recognition;
  • a Preserve America Community road sign;
  • eligibility for Preserve America grants;
  • authorization to use the Preserve America logo on signs, flags, banners, and promotional materials;
  • listing in a Web-based Preserve America Community directory;
  • national and regional press releases; and
  • enhanced community visibility and pride.

There are three types of applications for use by different kinds of communities:

  1. Municipalities or counties with an elected governing official, or unincorporated communities within their jurisdiction;
  2. Distinct neighborhoods within large cities or city-counties with a population of 200,000 or greater; or
  3. Tribal communities (federally recognized) with an elected governing official or subdivisions of such tribes.
Please see application forms on the right for guidance and details.

Four application and designation cycles occur each year. The 2008 application deadlines are March 1, June 1, September 1, and December 1.

Updated February 14, 2008

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