National and State Registers
The National Register of Historic Places is the country’s official list of historically significant properties, which must meet one or more of the four criteria for evaluation. Properties eligible for the register generally retain their historic appearance, are at least 50 years old, and have the potential to be documented as historically or architecturally significant at either the local, state, or national level. Many types of properties are listed in the register, including barns, banks, courthouses, libraries, houses, parks, ranches, battlefields, hospitals, roads, bridges, rail depots, and archeological sites. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service.
The Register of Historic Kansas Places is our state’s official list of historically significant properties. Properties included in the National Register are automatically listed in the State Register. However, not all properties listed in the State Register are included in the National Register. The same general criteria are used to assess the eligibility of a property for inclusion in the state register, but more flexibility is allowed in the interpretation of the criteria for eligibility.
Search the database to see what Kansas properties are listed in the registers.
Our historic buildings survey also includes other properties not listed in the registers.
To learn more about the process of nominating properties to the register, click here.
Preliminary Site Information Questionnaire (PSIQ) helps you learn if a property is eligible for the registers. Complete and submit this to the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) for review and feedback. For more information about nominating a historic district to the National Register, click here.
Research guide and instruction booklet are tools to use when a property appears eligible for either register. The sponsor is provided a nomination form to complete, along with supplemental materials that include an example nomination.
Benefits of Listing
In addition to honorific recognition, listing in the registers results in the following benefits for historic properties:
- Eligibility for State and Federal Financial Incentives
- Consideration in planning for state and federally funded or assisted projects