Resource Identification FAQs

For purposes of Section 106, any property listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places is considered historic. The National Register is the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation; it is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the Department of the Interior. The list includes buildings, structures, objects, sites, districts, and archaeological resources. The listed properties are not just of nationwide importance; most are significant primarily at the state or local level. The protections of Section 106 extend to properties that possess significance but have not yet been listed or formally determined eligible for listing. 36 CFR § 800.16(l).

The National Register ofHistoric Places has outlined four main criteria against whichhistoric properties that are fifty years of age or older are assessed forsignificance. These criteria are the basis for which historic properties areevaluated in the Section 106 process. They are:

• Criterion A: properties that are associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history;
• Criterion B: properties that are associated with the lives of persons significant in our past;
• Criterion C: properties that embody the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or properties that represent the work of a master, or properties that possess high artistic values, or properties that represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;
• Criterion D: properties that have yielded, or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history 36 CFR § 800.4(c)(1)

The New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources maintains extensive files on the cultural resources documented in New Hampshire. These files are routinely accessed by cultural resources professionals for compliance with Section 106 of the Historic Preservation Act and RSA 227:C. Access is primarily through our Enhanced Mapping and Management Information Tool (EMMIT). EMMIT is a publicly accessible Geographic Information System administered by the New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources. This system gives subscribers a convenient means of accessing more than 16,000 records pertaining to the state’s historic and archaeological resources.

Access EMMIT  

If a project area has not been previously surveyed, consultation with the DHR is required to determine an appropriate scope of work. An Architectural Survey Plan, Individual Survey Form(s) and/or Historic District Area Form(s) may be required. Work must be completed by a qualified architectural historian.

If, after reviewing an RPR, the DHR requests that an archaeological survey be conducted for the project impact area, the proponent should engage the services of a qualified archaeological consultant.

Archaeological surveys are broken down into phases. A Phase IA generally includes background research and a site visit to determine archaeological sensitivity. If archaeological sensitivity is established, Phase IB testing will likely be required to determine the presence or absence of archaeological sites. If archaeological sites are identified within the project impact area, additional survey may be required.