Alabama is a state founded centuries ago, and through its history, we can learn a lot about what makes it original and special. Residents are proud of their heritage and to protect that, the state has made all efforts to preserve and protect its historic sites, buildings and archives. This is made possible with the help of government institutions, such as the Alabama Historical Commission, the Alabama Historic Landmarks Program, along with historians, archaeologists, architects and other specialists in the field.
There are entire neighborhoods that need preservation and protection, plus residents are buying residents with historical value more and more. In order to keep these buildings safe and unchanged, and let them tell stories from the past, the AL government has established the following entities and programs:
Alabama Historical Commission
On a general level, the main responsibility for the state’s history and landmarks is given to the Alabama Historical Commission. This government agency keeps all historic sites, buildings and monuments safe and protected. Commission members are influential people working as archaeologists, architects, historians and even representatives of various universities. The AHC covers the Alabama Historic Landmarks Program and the Alabama Statewide Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan.
Some of the most famous historic sites are the following:
Alabama Historic Landmarks Program
The Alabama Historic Landmarks Program is developed by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior with the help of the Historical Commission in order to help preserve, protect and interpret all historic places in the state. While illustrating the different periods of Alabama history, the historic landmarks must also be kept safe from demolitions, destructions, weather conditions and more, in order to present AL history at its best. All historic sites selected for the program must hold a status of being a center of art, commerce, architecture, archeology, military, politics or society at a certain period of time in history. Only then can they receive the National Historic Landmark Status and represent what they once stood for.
Alabama Statewide Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan
The main goal of the Alabama Statewide Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan is to preserve the state’s cultural resources by working with individuals and organizations on a local, regional and state level. In addition, the SCHP is dedicated to find, identify and evaluate the worth and value of historic sites, buildings, events or people and to try to protect them from destruction, neglect or inappropriate use. Such sites are historic cemeteries, neighborhoods and downtowns, archaeological sites and more.