Preserving the Enchantment: A Plan for New Mexico, 2007-2011

Historic Preservation Division, New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs

From executive summary: "Ask most any resident or visitor in the Land of Enchantment about the importance of cultural resources and you will hear a variety of reasons explaining their value and the ways they enrich our daily lives. These resources help define, educate and inspire us as a society. By giving us a better understanding of our shared heritage, historic structures and buildings, archaeological sites, cultural landscapes, and the preservation of traditions help us better comprehend the issues we face today as a state and a nation. At its core, preservation is a democratic process and one that fosters civic engagement. New Mexico’s cultural resources vary widely. They are documented in the 1,900 listings in the State Register of Cultural Properties and inventoried in the 154,000 archaeological sites found in our Archaeological Resources Management Section database. These resources tell the story of millennia- old human occupation in New Mexico. From the birthplace of American rocketry at White Sands Missile Range — a registered Cold War site — to the 11,000 year-old communities of hunters and gatherers at Black Water Draw, New Mexico cultural resources weave the fabric of the state’s heritage. The Historic Preservation Division is New Mexico’s designated State Historic Preservation Office under the National Historic Preservation Act. HPD administers state and federal preservation programs, which include identifying and documenting historic and archaeological resources, managing databases and archives of cultural sites, reviewing state and federally assisted projects, outreach and education about cultural resources, and managing financial-incentive programs. Identifying, evaluating and nominating resources is an ongoing partnership among the private sector and local, state and federal governments. It is possible to plan for the preservation of our environment, communities and overall quality of life when we are aware of the resources that comprise them. A significant economic tool, preservation plays an integral role in revitalizing neighborhoods and business districts statewide." Project funding was provided in part by a 2006 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office (project number NM-06-017, grant number 35-06-21534) administered by the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Preserving the Enchantment: A Plan for New Mexico, 2007-2011

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