Tomorrow's Legacy: Oklahoma's Statewide Preservation Plan, 2005

Executive Summary: "Oklahoma's archaeological and historic resources are among the state's most valuable assets, and every Oklahoman has a role to play in their preservation. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society, is responsible for coordinating the development and implementation of 'Tomorrow's Legacy: Oklahoma's Statewide Historic Preservation Plan' (State Plan) which identifies the goals and priorities of the agencies, organizations, and individuals concerned about and responsible for protecting the state's rich heritage. Through a needs assessment, public meetings, consultation with preservation professionals, and evaluation of data from a variety of sources, the SHPO identified the threats to archaeological and historic resources and established priorities for fostering their preservation as expressed in six broad goals: 1) Increase the public's awareness of Oklahoma's archaeological and historic resources and the importance of their preservation; 2) Develop and maintain an effective statewide network to communicate preservation information, needs, and concerns; 3) Strengthen efforts to identify and evaluate archaeological and historic resources; 4) Develop appropriate strategies for the preservation of archaeological and historic resources and encourage the use of widely accepted treatment methods; 5) Provide incentives for the preservation of Oklahoma's significant archaeological and historic resources; and 6) Foster the consideration of archaeological and historic resources in public and private sector planning and decision-making processes. A successful statewide historic preservation program offers important economic, social, and educational benefits for all of Oklahoma's preservation partners to help meet these ambitious goals by carrying out the activities or programs appropriate to their responsibilities and resources. No one entity is solely responsible for protecting these irreplaceable archaeological and historic resources nor has the manpower and financial capability to take advantage of the opportunities or to meet the challenges for preservation of Oklahoma's heritage over the next five years. Working together, we can insure that tomorrow's legacy is as rich as the one we inherited." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Oklahoma State Historic Preservation Office, Oklahoma Historical Society, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number 40-05-20438, subgrant number OK-05-935).

Tomorrow's Legacy: Oklahoma's Statewide Preservation Plan, 2005

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