Home News October 5, 2006

Washington, D.C.—The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), working with The History Channel and the Newspaper In Education (NIE) Institute, has created a 20-page newspaper supplement and companion document celebrating and explaining the importance of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) to commemorate its 40th anniversary.

The insert began to arrive at driveways and schools across the nation the morning of Oct. 10, 2006, when it was distributed in The Washington Times. The material is designed to be printed, distributed, and used throughout the 2006-2007 school year. The insert can be obtained and printed by newspapers, as well as used electronically by teachers and students nationwide. It is available to daily newspapers through the Newspaper In Education Institute. It also is available in both high and low resolution formats at www.achp.gov/NIE.

The goal of the NIE insert (and its companion document of additional heritage stories including more communities and states) is to create a broader understanding of the importance of historic preservation on the local and national levels, and the continuing important role of the NHPA in contemporary society. It does so by recounting how authentic experience of places of natural and cultural heritage benefit communities and the nation. The cultural, educational, and economic benefits of historic preservation are highlighted. It also serves as a primer of information regarding the NHPA and the national preservation structure it created, explaining how and why so much of America’s heritage resources have been saved and put to productive contemporary use.

The insert and companion document contain examples and stories of preservation activities across the nation, as well as information on the importance of learning history and the benefits of preservation. This information can help teachers and editors find stories relevant to curricula and local history and serve as a source to spark lessons and stories that enlighten and entertain students and readers.

About the ACHP: An independent, federal agency, the ACHP promotes the preservation, enhancement, and productive use of our nation’s historic resources, and advises the President and Congress on national historic preservation policy. It also provides a forum for influencing federal activities, programs, and policies that affect historic properties. In addition, the ACHP has a key role in carrying out the administration’s Preserve America initiative.

Posted October 6, 2006

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