New Jersey Historic Preservation Plan 1997

Preface: "With the creation of the Department of Environmental Protection in 1970 and passage of the New Jersey Register of Historic Places Act of 1970 to supplement the 1966 National Historic Preservation Act, New Jersey's Historic Preservation program became a formal component of state government. Since that time, the New Jersey State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has been located within DEP's Division of Parks and Forestry. Identified under various names for over twenty-five years - Historic Sites Section, Office of Historic Preservation, Office of New Jersey Heritage, and, currently, Historic Preservation Office - this state agency has been a major proponent for preserving historic properties in the state. As the primary office in the state government with expertise in historic preservation, the SHPO advocates the preservation of the state's irreplaceable historic and archaeological resources and provides statewide leadership in carrying out its mission to identify, evaluate, register, and protect historic properties in New Jersey. In carrying out this responsibility, and with the help of many groups and individuals, the Historic Preservation Office (HPO) has developed the New Jersey Historic Preservation Plan. This Plan is intended to guide preservation activities in New Jersey into the 21st century. Its success rests on the many citizens, organizations, government agencies, elected officials and preservation professionals who, by working together, will carry out a common preservation agenda which holds to a shared vision. New Jersey's historic and archaeological properties are among the state's most valuable resources. They reflect and illuminate the values of New Jerseyans. They are the physical evidence of the ways people have chosen to live, of our need for beautiful objects as well as function structures. The presence of historic properties, which display various styles, different historic periods, adds diversity and richness to our urban, suburban, and rural landscapes. This Plan brings together diverse people and challenges us to preserve the resources of our shared heritage. The Plan aims high - to encourage wide appreciation of the state's cultural resources; to mobilize the preservation community and enlist a wide range of partners in the process; and to create a climate where public policy and sustainable funding work. This Plan draws on numerous sources of information collection and expressed over several years. Since the late 1980s, the Historic Preservation Office and many other interested parties and organizations have gathered to give focus to New Jersey's historic preservation activities. In 1993 that participation was formalized through regional public meetings and planning sessions with selected groups. The Historic Preservation Advisory Committee was formed to identify and prioritize historic preservation needs in New Jersey. Their work resulted in the 1994 publication entitled Preserving Historic New Jersey: An Action Agenda. This document has served as the guide for the New Jersey Historic Preservation Plan. This Plan is intended to set the direction for the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office for the next five years and also serve as a guide for other public and private agencies in the state who have an interest in or a responsibility for managing historic resources." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the New Jersey Historic Preservation Office, Department of Environmental Protection, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

New Jersey Historic Preservation Plan 1997

See also

Collections