National Register
The Maeser School in Provo was rehabilitated into
beautiful apartments for low-income seniors.
The National Register recognizes places that matter to Americans.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official federal list of properties that are significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, or engineering.
Places may be listed individually, as part of an Historic District, or as part of a multiple property or statewide thematic category.
Check out Utah's latest National Register Listings
National Register - Your questions answered
Is my building eligible for listing?
What are the advantages of listing?
Does listing limit an owner's property rights?
How can I get a house or building listed?
How can I order a National Register marker?
Can I get money to help me restore my building?
What sites in Utah are on the National Register?
Are there other lists of historic properties in Utah?
How can I get more information?
Is my building eligible for listing?
To be eligible for the National Register, a building must:
- Be at least 50 years old.
- Retain its architectural integrity (A rule of thumb: Would the original owner still recognize the building?)
- Be significant nationally, statewide, or locally. This significance must fall in one or more of the following categories:
(A) association with important events, (B) association with significant persons, (C) architectural significance, or (D) archaeological significance.
What are the advantages of listing?
Listing a property:
- Gives it recognition for its historic significance.
- Qualifies the owner for federal and/or state rehabilitation tax credits.
- Helps educate the public and community about historic and culture resources.
See more benefits of listing your building on the National Register.
Does listing limit an owner's property rights?
Listing in the National Register does not interfere with a private property owner's right to alter, manage or dispose of the property. The owner does not have to restore or maintain the property or open it to the public.
Local preservation ordinances, where present, may have some implications for a building owner. But local ordinances are entirely separate from the National Register.
How can I get a house or building listed?
Any interested person can nominate a property to the National Register. But the legal owner of private property has the right to prevent any listing. Here is the process:
1. First, contact at the State Historic Preservation Office for advice and direction. (Cory Jensen, 801/533-3559)
2. Coordinate with the local historic preservation commission in your area, if one is present.
3. Next, research and document the property. You can hire a private research consultant to do the research and/or nomination for you—this is recommended. (See Historical Research Consultants in our Utah Preservation Contractor Directory.)
4. Submit current photos of the property with your early research results for a preliminary review.
5. Using the results of your research and suggestions from the preliminary review, prepare a National Register nomination form.
6. The Board of State History will review the nomination.
7. If approved, the National Park Service will conduct a final review.
For more info, see our guide for preparing National Register nominations (PDF).
You can find even more detailed instructions on the National Register Bulletins & Brochures web site.
What is a Historic District?
An Historic District is an area or neighborhood that has a concentration of historic buildings (50 years or older) that retain their architectural integrity and represent an important aspect of a city's history. Get more information.
Can I get money to help me restore my building?
Properties listed on the National Register are eligible for federal and state rehabilitation investment tax credits.
How can I order a National Register Marker?
Property owners who take pride in their historic buildings often place markers. You can order a marker through the Preservation Office.
What sites in Utah are on the National Register?
All types of sites and properties are represented: mansions, prehistoric pit houses, lime kilns, LDS tithing offices, suspension bridges, and rock art sites, to name a few. Utah has more than 1,000 individual sites and more than 50 historic or archaeological districts containing several thousand additional sites.
Search through our actual National Register nomination files online at the National Park Service website. You can find photos, histories, architectural information, etc.
- Once you are on the web page you may search by resource name, or state & city and state & county for multiple searches.
- You may print nominations and photos from this site after you install the free plugin viewer DjVu (the instructions to download and install will show on the web page when you do a search).
View a list of Utah properties listed in the
National Register of Historic Places
Are there other lists of historic properties in Utah?
- The Utah Century Register of Historic Houses (compiled in 1988) lists properties over 100 years old.
- The Utah State Register of Historic Sites (compiled in 1988) lists properties on the now-inactive state register.
Need more information on the National Register?
Contact: Cory Jensen
State Historic Preservation Office
Utah State History
300 S. Rio Grande Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1182
Phone: 801/ 533-3559
Fax: 801/533-3503