National significance is ascribed to districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States in history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture, and that possess a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association and:

1. that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to and are identified with, or that outstandingly represent, the broad national patterns of United States history and from which an understanding and appreciation of those broad patterns may be gained; or
2. that are associated importantly with the lives of persons nationally significant in the history of the United States; or
3. that represent some great idea or ideal of the American people; or
4. that embody the distinguishing characteristics of an architectural type or specimen exceptionally valuable for the study of a period, style, or method of construction, or that represent a significant, distinctive, and exceptional entity whose components may lack individual distinction; or
5. that are composed of integral parts of the environment not sufficiently significant by reason of historical association or artistic merit to warrant individual recognition but collectively compose an entity of exceptional historical or artistic significance, or outstandingly commemorate or illustrate a way of life or culture; or
6. that have yielded or may be likely to yield information of major scientific importance by revealing new cultures, or by shedding light upon periods of occupation over large areas of the United States. Such sites are those which have yielded, or which may reasonably be expected to yield, data affecting theories, concepts, and ideas to a major degree.

Ineligible Properties and Exceptions to Exclusions

Ordinarily cemeteries, birthplaces, graves of historical figures, properties owned by religious institutions or used for religious purposes, structures that have been moved from their original locations, reconstructed historic buildings, and properties that have achieved significance within the last fifty years are not eligible for designation. If such properties fall within the following categories that may, nevertheless, be found to qualify:

1. a religious property deriving its primary national significance from architectural or artistic distinction or importance in historical fields other than religion; or
2. a building or structure removed from its original location but which is nationally significant primarily for its architectural merit, or for association with persons or events of transcendent importance in the nation's history and the association consequential; or
3. a site of a building or structure no longer standing but the person or event associated with it is of transcendent importance in the nation's history, and the association consequential; or
4. a birthplace, grave, or burial site if it is of a historical figure of transcendent national significance and no other appropriate site, building, or structure directly associated with the productive life of that person exists, or
5. a cemetery that derives its primary national significance from graves of persons of transcendent importance, or from an exceptionally distinctive design or an exceptionally significant event; or
6. a reconstructed building or ensemble of buildings of extraordinary national significance when accurately executed in a suitable environment and presented in a dignified manner as part of a restoration master plan, and when no other buildings or structures with the same association have survived; or
7. a property primarily commemorative in intent if design, age, tradition, or symbolic value has invested it with its own national historical significance; or
8. a property achieving national significance within the past fifty years if it is of extraordinary national importance.

For information about any of the programs described on this site, write the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, Michigan Historical Center, P.O. Box 30740, 702 W. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48909-8240, or call us at (517) 373-1630.

Tuesday, October 1, 2002
Michigan Historical Center, Department of History, Arts and Libraries
© 2002 Michigan Historical Center
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