The mission of the Historic Preservation Division is to protect, preserve and interpret the unique character of New Mexico by identifying, documenting, evaluating and registering prehistoric and historic properties throughout New Mexico.
Since 1984, the NM State Income Tax Credit for Preservation of Cultural Properties has been used to encourage the rehabilitation of approximately 1000 historic properties around the state.
- by coordinating historic preservation activities at all levels of government in New Mexico and with individuals, private organizations, and traditional communities;
- by educating the public about historic preservation; and
- by protecting and preserving significant historic and prehistoric sites throughout the State.
The duties of the HPD are to:
- Maintain records of identified historic and prehistoric sites and make those records available for research, education, and planning for future development.
- Work with property owners and interested citizens to nominate historic sites and districts to the National Register of Historic Places and the state Register of Cultural Properties so that the historic significance of these places can be recognized, so that they will be considered in planning for development, and so that their owners will be eligible for preservation incentives.
- Administer state and federal rehabilitation tax credit programs, a low-interest revolving loan fund, and state and federal grant programs, all designed to provide incentives for communities and private owners to preserve their historic sites and districts.
- Provide information and technical assistance to agencies, local governments, and private owners to aid them in preserving, restoring, stabilizing, and effectively reusing historic properties.
- Develop education and outreach programs to inform the public about the value of preserving the past and to enlist their support for heritage preservation.
- Administer state and federal laws that provide protection for historic and prehistoric properties.
- Assist local governments in developing effective preservation ordinances and plans.
HPD's mission is based on a philosophy of preservation, conservation, and beneficial use of historic and prehistoric sites.
A early 1950s instrumentation site at White Sands Missile Range. The cinder block building is an elevated cinethedolite shelter and featured two hydraulic hoists that would lift two heavy Askania Cinetheodolites (photographic instruments) through openings in the roof where they would track and film missile flights.
In the 1960s the astrodome was added to house a singular camera and operator. Hundreds of similar instrumentation sites were built at White Sands Missile Range in the 1950s and 1960s to support tests of the Nike Hercules and Ajax missile systems amongst many others. The Cultural Resources program at White Sands Missile Range continues to actively document, evaluate and interpret these Cold War era resources.