Indiana's Cultural Resources Management Plan 1998-2003

From Chapter 1: "The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 required each state receiving Federal preservation funds to prepare a statewide comprehensive preservation plan to guide decisions and policies on preservation and archaeology within the state. In Indiana, the first comprehensive plan was prepared between 1980 and 1989. It emphasized assembling information on the stat's historic properties and archaeological sites through theme studies called historic contexts. The Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) then made decisions regarding the use of federal funds and the expenditure of time that were designed to close the gaps revealed by the contextual studies; i.e. registration, protection, and treatment of properties and sites. Since 1989, the need for greater public participation in defining visions, threats, and opportunities for historic properties and archaeological sites has been recognized by both the National Park Service (NPS) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). As a result of this recognition, the NPS mandated in 1991 that each State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) coordinate the preparation of a new statewide historic preservation plan based on the opinions and suggestions of a wide assortment of interested constituencies - the historic preservation and archaeology communities, as well as citizens, agencies, and private organizations that are affected less directly by preservation decisions and policies. ...In 1997, the Division staff renewed its efforts to finalize a draft version of the plan. Staff members reviewed the plans of a number of other states in order to identify commonalities and to gain a better understanding of how the plan should be formatted. A four-section outline was adopted. The first section contained the archaeological and historical background upon which discussions of the state's cultural resources could be based. The second section focused on the cultural resources themselves, and the specific threats faced by these resources. While it seemed natural to combine discussions of historical context and resource types into one chapter, separating them into two discrete, manageable chapters allowed one the option of reading over the historical background or delving straight into the discussions of cultural resources. Logically following the first two, the third section contained the actual components of the plan that will result in preservation activities, efforts, and programs. Goals and strategies were the operative elements to realize the vision for preservation in Indiana. The three top-ranked threats were translated into goals. To these was added a fourth 'umbrella' goal of promoting preservation by greater DHPA involvement with other agencies, organizations, and groups that could be partners for preserving the state's cultural heritage. The opportunities for preservation were translated into objectives under each goal, and specific strategies were placed under each objective. The breakdown of each goal into objectives and strategies allowed for the achievement of intermediate, incremental successes prior to completion of the six-year plan cycle. The fourth and final section of the plan identified and described the more active partners in the preservation of Indiana's cultural resources at the national, state, and local levels." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology, Department of Natural Resources, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Indiana's Cultural Resources Management Plan 1998-2003

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