Historic Sites Act
Encyclopedia
The Historic Sites Act of 1935 was enacted by the United States Congress
largely to organize the myriad federally-own parks, monuments, and historic sites under the National Park Service
and the United States Secretary of the Interior
. However, it is also significant in that it declared for the first time "...that it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings, and objects of national significance..." Thus it is the first assertion of historic preservation as a government duty, which was only hinted at in the 1906 Antiquities Act
.
Section 462 of the act enumerates a wide range of powers and responsibilities given to the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior, including:
• codification and institutionalization of the temporary Historic American Buildings Survey
• authorization to survey and note significant sites and buildings (this became National Historic Landmark program, which was integrated into the National Register after the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act)
• authorization to actually perform preservation work
Section 463 established the National Park System Advisory Board to assist the Secretary of the Interior with administration.
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
largely to organize the myriad federally-own parks, monuments, and historic sites under the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
and the United States Secretary of the Interior
United States Secretary of the Interior
The United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior.The US Department of the Interior should not be confused with the concept of Ministries of the Interior as used in other countries...
. However, it is also significant in that it declared for the first time "...that it is a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings, and objects of national significance..." Thus it is the first assertion of historic preservation as a government duty, which was only hinted at in the 1906 Antiquities Act
Antiquities Act
The Antiquities Act of 1906, officially An Act for the Preservation of American Antiquities , is an act passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by Theodore Roosevelt on June 8, 1906, giving the President of the United States authority to, by executive order, restrict the use of...
.
Section 462 of the act enumerates a wide range of powers and responsibilities given to the National Park Service and the Secretary of the Interior, including:
• codification and institutionalization of the temporary Historic American Buildings Survey
Historic American Buildings Survey
The Historic American Buildings Survey , Historic American Engineering Record , and Historic American Landscapes Survey are programs of the National Park Service established for the purpose of documenting historic places. Records consists of measured drawings, archival photographs, and written...
• authorization to survey and note significant sites and buildings (this became National Historic Landmark program, which was integrated into the National Register after the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act)
• authorization to actually perform preservation work
Section 463 established the National Park System Advisory Board to assist the Secretary of the Interior with administration.