National Historic Landmarks: National Park Service, What is?

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What is a National Historic Landmark?
National Historic Landmarks are exceptional places. They form a common bond between all Americans. While there are many historic places across the nation, only a small number have meaning to all Americans--these we call our National Historic Landmarks.

Follow the online brochure or download the slide show to learn what National Historic Landmarks are, how they are chosen, why some are threatened, and the benefits to owners and the public through their preservation.

For more information about National Historic Landmarks please click on the following links:

The Historic Sites Survey and National Historic Landmarks Program: A History

Surveying American History: The Role of the National Park Service

Online Brochure or PDF Format

Slide Show: Power Point or Text Only

Please note, the slide show requires Microsoft Power Point 97 or higher and is 2.8mb in size. If you do not have Power Point you can download the viewer.

Did You Know?
The first West Coast lighthouse, activated in 1854 on Alcatraz Island, was rendered obsolete in the early 1900s when the U.S. Army built a new cellhouse blocking the lights view of the Golden Gate. Alcatraz is a National Historic Landmark
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