Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative: Tri-County Historic Resource Survey Project Summary

Strawley, Candice; Harvey, Benjamin

Introduction: "Commonwealth Heritage Group, Inc. (Commonwealth) has completed this reconnaissance-level historic resource survey as of three county survey effort for the Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO). In 2014, the PA SHPO was awarded $1.5 million from the National Park Service as part of the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-2), with the purpose to assist with the stabilization and repair of historic resources damaged by Hurricane Sandy, and to support disaster-related planning initiatives for historic resources. The 'Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Standard All-Hazard Mitigation Plan' has identified flooding as the leading natural hazard threatening the built environment in Pennsylvania communities (PEMA 2013). In part to help plan for future flooding events, the PA SHPO retained Commonwealth to conduct a reconnaissance-level historic resource survey in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties in support of the Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative. This survey project, known as the Tri-County Historic Resource Survey (Tri-County Survey), surveyed and inventoried properties 45-years in age or older located within the 100-year (1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Area) and 500-year (0.2% Annual Chance Flood Hazard Area) floodplain, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For this project, Commonwealth partnered with cultural resources staff from ACS Group's Harrisburg office. The project was completed in three stages, one for each of the three counties. Commonwealth documented a total of 1,391 resources as part of this survey effort. Of these, 782 resources were located in Dauphin County, 378 in Cumberland County, and 231 in Perry County. A customized Flood Hazard Abbreviated Form was prepared for each surveyed resource, which provided flood risk information, as well as descriptive information about the building's appearance and potential significance. Building elevation data was captured for 1,298 of the 1,391 resources. Commonwealth recommended 41 resources as individually eligible o the National Register, recognized 39 resources as community landmarks, and identified seven historic districts, six of which were recommended National Register eligible." Project funding was provided in part by a Historic Preservation Fund grant to the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office, Historical and Museum Commission, administered by the State, Tribal, Local Plans and Grants division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior (grant number P20AF00043).

Disaster Planning for Historic Properties Initiative: Tri-County Historic Resource Survey Project Summary

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