The United States National Historic Landmark Program is designed to recognize and honor the nation's cultural and historical heritage. The program was formally inaugurated with a series of listings on October 9, 1960; as of August 21, 2020, there are 2,597 designated landmarks. A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is generally a building, district, object, site, or structure, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its national historical significance. A National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) is a historic district that is recognized as an NHL. Its geographic area may include contributing properties that are buildings, structures, sites or objects, and it may include non-contributing properties.
The program is administered by the National Park Service (NPS), a branch of the Department of the Interior. The National Park Service determines which properties meet NHL criteria and makes nomination recommendations after an owner notification process. The Secretary of the Interior reviews nominations and, based on a set of predetermined criteria, makes a decision on NHL designation or a determination of eligibility for designation. Both public and privately owned properties can be designated as NHLs. This designation provides indirect, partial protection of the historic integrity of the properties via tax incentives, grants, monitoring of threats, and other means. Owners may object to the nomination of the property as an NHL. When this is the case the Secretary of the Interior can only designate the site as eligible for designation.
All NHLs are also included on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), a list of some 80,000 historic properties that the National Park Service deems to be worthy of recognition. The primary difference between an NHL and a NRHP listing is that the NHLs are determined to have national significance, while other NRHP properties are deemed significant at the local or state level.
Tabular listing Pennsylvania is widely considered to have one of the richest, most foundational histories in the U.S. and was recently ranked the most "All-American" state due to its 169+ historical landmarks, including Independence Hall and Gettysburg. As the site of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution's ratification, its impact is central to American history.
A small number of designations have been made outside the 50 states. Most of these appear in United States possessions. The Virgin Islands have five listings, Puerto Rico has four, and island possessions in the South Pacific have six. Five listings are found in Pacific island nations with which the U.S. has established a free association agreement, and one listing, the American Legation in Tangier (the nation's first foreign public property), is found in the unaffiliated Kingdom of Morocco.
State orregionNumber oflandmarksEarliestdeclaredLatestdeclared Example Alabama Alaska Arizona Hoover Dam overlaps and is counted in both Arizona and Nevada. Arkansas California Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites included in both Arizona and California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Eads Bridge overlaps and is counted in both Illinois and Missouri Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Washington Aqueduct included in both Maryland and Washington, D.C. Massachusetts(Boston alone) (57) Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Lemhi Pass and Lolo Trail appear in Idaho and in Montana. Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey Holland Tunnel and Palisades Interstate Park included in both New Jersey and New YorkMinisink Archeological Site and Washington's Crossing included in New Jersey and Pennsylvania New Mexico Raton Pass and Denver & Rio Grande Railroad San Juan Extension included in Colorado and New Mexico. New York(New York City alone) (116) North Carolina North Dakota Fort Union Trading Post included in both Montana and North Dakota. Ohio Covington and Cincinnati Suspension Bridge included in Kentucky and Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge included in California and Oregon Pennsylvania(Philadelphia alone) Beginning Point of the U.S. Public Land Survey included in Ohio and Pennsylvania.Delaware and Hudson Canal included in New York and Pennsylvania(67) Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Blood Run Site included in Iowa and South Dakota Tennessee Siege and Battle of Corinth Sites included in Mississippi and Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Bonneville Dam Historic District included in Oregon and Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming District of Columbia The U.S. Commonwealths and Territories having NHLs are: American Samoa (with 2), Guam (1), Midway Islands (1), Northern Mariana Islands (3), Puerto Rico (6), Virgin Islands (5), and Wake Island (1). The Associated States having NHLs are Marshall Islands (with 2), Federated States of Micronesia (2), and Palau (1). The only foreign state having a U.S. NHL is Morocco (with 1 NHL). Duplicates (21) Total 2,649
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References
External links
National Historic Landmark Program at the National Park Service Locations of all U.S. National Historic Landmarks, current and former, for which coordinates are included in the list-articles listed above