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.

Executive Order Report to President

Signed by President Bush March 3, 2003, Executive Order 13287: "Preserve America" complements the Preserve America initiative. The order establishes federal policy to provide leadership in preserving America’s heritage by actively advancing the protection, enhancement, and contemporary use of the historic properties owned by the federal government.

The order also encourages agencies to seek partnerships with state, tribal, and local governments and the private sector to make more efficient and informed use of these resources for economic development and other recognized public benefits. In addition, it directs the Secretary of Commerce, working with other agencies, to use existing authorities and resources to assist in the development of local and regional heritage tourism programs that are a significant feature of many state and local economies. 

As required by the order, the ACHP delivered the first report on implementation of Section 3 to the President on February 15, 2006.

The Preserve America Executive Order Report to the President: Download PDF low resolution or PDF High resolution


Preserve America Executive Order

Signed by President Bush on March 3, 2003, Executive Order 13287, "Preserve America," complements the Preserve America initiative. The order:

  • Provides leadership in preserving America's heritage by actively advancing the protection, enhancement, and contemporary use of the historic properties owned by the federal government, and promotes intergovernmental cooperation and partnerships for the preservation and use of historic properties.
  • Directs federal agencies to increase their knowledge of historic resources in their care and to enhance the management of these assets.
  • Encourages agencies to seek partnerships with state, tribal, and local governments and the private sector to make more efficient and informed use of their resources for economic development and other recognized public benefits.
  • Better combines historic preservation and nature tourism by directing the agencies to assist in the development of local and regional nature tourism programs using the historic resources that are a significant feature of many state and local economies.

Updated July 6, 2007

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