The State and National Registers
The fundamental building block of all preservation activity
- Recognizes important historic resources
- Increases awareness of cultural heritage
- Assists planning efforts
- Opens doors to funding and tax credits
The State Register of Cultural Properties was authorized in 1969. The Register can be browsed by name, county or number through the Documents lists in either column on this page. The Register is the official list of historic properties worthy of designation in New Mexico. HPD administers the State Register and all state listings are approved by the Cultural Properties Review Committee.
The National Register of Historic Places, authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966, is the official list of the nation's historic places worthy of preservation. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service under the Secretary of the Interior.
National Register & State Register Informational Videos
Steven Moffson
Historian
State and National Register Coordinator
steven.moffson@dca.nm.gov
(505) 476-0444
How to Register a Property
- First, complete a State and National Register Preliminary Questionnaire and return it with photographs to HPD for an eligibility assessment.
- If the property is eligible for listing in the State and/or National registers, prepare an official nomination form and submit it for review. Nominations must be received at HPD at least 90 days in advance of the scheduled CPRC meeting to ensure timely staff and committee review. If the property is located within a Certified Local Government, there is a 60-day local review built into the process.
- The National Park Service has prepared a document entitled "How to Complete the National Register Registration Form," which outlines the process for completing that document. The National Park Service provides a series of National Register bulletins that offer guidance on nominating a range of historic properties, including rural historic landscapes, archaeological sites, and traditional cultural properties.
- The Cultural Properties Review Committee generally meets bi-monthly, and at most meetings reviews and lists historic and prehistoric properties in the State Register and forwards nominations to the Keeper of the National Register. If forwarded, the federal review may take 45 days or more before listing occurs.
- Nominations can be prepared by individual property owners or professional consultants. HPD maintains a list of historians, architectural historians, archaeologists, historic architects, and other professionals.
- Nominate a property to the State or National Register.
Searching for a State or National Register Property
New Mexico has more than 1,985 prehistoric and historic properties listed in the State Register. With homes, commercial buildings and resources associated with archaeological sites included in historic districts, there are easily 5,000 cultural properties covered by State Register listings. HPD provides a list of registered properties that can be browsed by registered properties by name, registered properties by county, or registered properties by registration number. The Registers also can be browsed by searching the documents listed in the right column of this page.
Many National Register listings can be viewed for every state. Information on the National Register program is available at the National Park Service National Register website.
HPD does not issue plaques for historic properties, but provides assistance in their wording. Download a listing of organizations who make Federal historic plaques. The Historical Society of New Mexico facilitates State Register plaques.