BlockHow to read a National Register nomination
A nomination is a historical argument prepared for a specific listing decision. It can be rich evidence, but it should be read with its date, preparer, maps, photographs, bibliography, and later changes in view.
A careful starting sequence
- Begin with the property name, location, classification, and resource count. Confirm that they describe the same place and period as your question.
- Read the physical description before the significance statement. Note what the document says is original, altered, contributing, or noncontributing.
- Read the significance statement as a sourced interpretation. Follow its footnotes and bibliography back to primary records where possible.
- Use the boundary description and map to understand the nominated area. A National Register boundary is not automatically every legal, planning, or local-history boundary.
- Check the nomination date and amendments. The National Park Service guidance and sample materials help identify the form sections and supporting documentation.
Work with your copies
Use a PDF workspace to annotate your private copy. Quote and cite the original nomination file, not the annotation export.
Open a scanned document in PDFb2