NEW Category Proposal: U.S. National Historic Landmarks

[+NW_history_buff]

Greetings, fellow waymarkers,

 

As I've gotten into Waymarking more and more, I've become more excited about the wonderful history that surrounds us and have gained a much better appreciation for the preservation of this history, whether it's preserving a home, a building, a bridge or a piece of art. Just about anywhere one goes in their travels, a town, city, or in the countryside, there is history to be appreciated. If any of you have waymarked a location in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places category or the NRHP Historic District - Contributing Buildings category, you will know what I mean. With these two categories in mind, I've discovered that there is no category that exists for U.S. National Historic Landmarks. These landmarks have their own database that reside within the National Park Service website domain, along with the National Register of Historic Places database. There are currently over 2400 National Historic Landmarks (and growing) that exist in every state of the U.S. New York alone has the largest collection of landmarks with almost 300 locations.

 

The following text is taken off the NHL website and says this: National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places designated by the Secretary of the Interior because they possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States. Today, fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this national distinction. Working with citizens throughout the nation, the National Historic Landmarks Program draws upon the expertise of National Park Service staff who work to nominate new landmarks and provide assistance to existing landmarks. National Historic Landmarks are exceptional places. They form a common bond between all Americans. While there are many historic places across the nation, only a small number have meaning to all Americans--these we call our National Historic Landmarks. National Historic Landmarks are exceptional places. They form a common bond between all Americans. While there are many historic places across the nation, only a small number have meaning to all Americans--these we call our National Historic Landmarks.

 

There was a National Historic Landmarks Managers group established a few years ago but has remained quiet the past few years with no activity. I've become an officer of this group and there is a U.S. National Historic Landmarks category that has been created that I will be creating a writeup for and will be posting here soon for input/feedback from fellow waymarkers. I am anticipating that this potential category will get some flack from waymarkers outside the U.S. for it not being global and restricted to the U.S. only. BUT... considering that this potential category complements the previously mentioned NRHP categories which are also U.S. restricted, I would hope that waymarkers will acknowledge this and give it the benefit of the doubt. I will also be following the same conventions as the other two NRHP categories to maintain continuity.

 

I welcome any and all feedback!

 

Happy Waymarking,

 

Doug

thebeav69

[+BruceS]

Though I like the National Historic Landmarks and have waymarked several they are a subset of the National Register of Historic Places. By law every National Historic Landmark is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There lies the problem, a category that is fully contained inside another category.

Edited January 5, 2013 by BruceS

[+silverquill]

No problem with a category being confined to one country or region. We have many, many categories that are limited this way.

 

The problem is, as BruceS has pointed out, ALL of these are part of the National Register of Historic Places, and many of them are already waymarked in that category. I suppose it might make a good variable, but I see no compelling reason to pull them out for a separate category. That would be 100% redundancy.

[+NW_history_buff]

No problem with a category being confined to one country or region. We have many, many categories that are limited this way.

 

The problem is, as BruceS has pointed out, ALL of these are part of the National Register of Historic Places, and many of them are already waymarked in that category. I suppose it might make a good variable, but I see no compelling reason to pull them out for a separate category. That would be 100% redundancy.

 

After going back into NRHP and looking at their database, I agree, a new category for National Historic Landmarks would be 100% redundant. With that said, I would HIGHLY suggest the officers in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places category ADD a variable to include a URL link option to the database for any National Historic Landmark locations they may come across. In this way, all bases are covered and would help educate other waymarkers to the variety of historic landmarks that exist.

[+BruceS]

No problem with a category being confined to one country or region. We have many, many categories that are limited this way.

 

The problem is, as BruceS has pointed out, ALL of these are part of the National Register of Historic Places, and many of them are already waymarked in that category. I suppose it might make a good variable, but I see no compelling reason to pull them out for a separate category. That would be 100% redundancy.

 

After going back into NRHP and looking at their database, I agree, a new category for National Historic Landmarks would be 100% redundant. With that said, I would HIGHLY suggest the officers in the U.S. National Register of Historic Places category ADD a variable to include a URL link option to the database for any National Historic Landmark locations they may come across. In this way, all bases are covered and would help educate other waymarkers to the variety of historic landmarks that exist.

 

I will add that as an optional variable tonight, good suggestion.

 

There are actually 4 National Historic Landmarks that are not listed on the National Register but that is a special exemption... The White House, The Capitol, Supreme Court and one other building that I don't recall

[+NW_history_buff]

BruceS,

 

I noticed you added the variable to include a link to the National Historic Landmark page. Thanks for the addition. The only other thing I noticed is that from reading the long description to the NHRP category, one section reads:

 

The Primary URL must be a link to the specific page of the Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces site that contains the listing for the historic site.

 

Only as an alternative, the link may be to an individual listing on the Landmark Hunter site. Landmark Hunter or FindTheData. (It is not possible to link directly to an individual listing in the official NRHP database).

 

I disagree with the last sentence saying it is not possible to link directly to an individual listing in the official NRHP database. It IS possible, I've used the official NRHP database to link my previous NRHP waymarks many times. The main caveat to doing this is that the official site goes down frequently for minutes on end. I've contacted the NPS folks and asked them 'What gives?' and they replied that they are in the process of updating servers and equipment and to be patient (typical P/C answer).

 

I might suggest reviewing the official database site for NRHP (here) and let me know how it works for you. I recently submitted a NRHP waymark from Seattle, WA and the Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com database stopped at the letter 'V' for King County and my waymark name fell under 'W', but I was able find the individual listing for it in the NRHP database here.

[+BruceS]

BruceS,

 

I noticed you added the variable to include a link to the National Historic Landmark page. Thanks for the addition. The only other thing I noticed is that from reading the long description to the NHRP category, one section reads:

 

The Primary URL must be a link to the specific page of the Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces site that contains the listing for the historic site.

 

Only as an alternative, the link may be to an individual listing on the Landmark Hunter site. Landmark Hunter or FindTheData. (It is not possible to link directly to an individual listing in the official NRHP database).

 

I disagree with the last sentence saying it is not possible to link directly to an individual listing in the official NRHP database. It IS possible, I've used the official NRHP database to link my previous NRHP waymarks many times. The main caveat to doing this is that the official site goes down frequently for minutes on end. I've contacted the NPS folks and asked them 'What gives?' and they replied that they are in the process of updating servers and equipment and to be patient (typical P/C answer).

 

I might suggest reviewing the official database site for NRHP (here) and let me know how it works for you. I recently submitted a NRHP waymark from Seattle, WA and the Nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com database stopped at the letter 'V' for King County and my waymark name fell under 'W', but I was able find the individual listing for it in the NRHP database here.

 

You can bring up the search page however the url going to the individual page will not display the intended page. The url displayed is tied back to search you have done. In the example you posted you see that it does not work if you click the link. It is tied back to the first record that came up in the search recordid=0 is the first record in search. It would be great if they had it tied to item number.

 

Edit to add:

 

I have found if the the nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com site does not make it through the whole alphabet the data is actually there, just the page numbers are missing. To get to next page just go to end where it says state and a number just increase the number by 1. In your case change it to state6 ... last part of Kings County listing link.

Edited January 18, 2013 by BruceS

[+NW_history_buff]

OK, I notice that the search is basically a built-in window within the database page, so you're right, there isn't a link, per-se, to an individual listing. BUT... there IS a PDF link to an individual listing for each NRHP listing! Each PDF has its item# as part of the web address:

 

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/74001961.pdf

 

This might be able to be a good resolution and the PDF is also a great document to obtain specific and detailed info of the location being waymarked for use in the long description writeup!

Edited January 18, 2013 by thebeav69

[+BruceS]

OK, I notice that the search is basically a built-in window within the database page, so you're right, there isn't a link, per-se, to an individual listing. BUT... there IS a PDF link to an individual listing for each NRHP listing! Each PDF has its item# as part of the web address:

 

http://pdfhost.focus.nps.gov/docs/NRHP/Text/74001961.pdf

 

This might be able to be a good resolution and the PDF is also a great document to obtain specific and detailed info of the location being waymarked for use in the long description writeup!

The pdf's are good as they are the original nomination forms. The problem is that the National Park Service has not digitized all states, actually have done only a few. Washington and Utah are two that have been and they are adding others however more than half the states have not been digitized.. All the NHL's have been digitized.

[+NW_history_buff]

LOL./.. you're right, I didn't even think of adding the next number for the King County page! Thanks, I'll add the info to my waymark submission.

 

And DARN on the NPS PDFs... I guess I just assumed all states had them. Oh well, they just need to pay me 50k/ year and I'll be happy to do that job for them!

[+BruceS]

LOL./.. you're right, I didn't even think of adding the next number for the King County page! Thanks, I'll add the info to my waymark submission.

 

And DARN on the NPS PDFs... I guess I just assumed all states had them. Oh well, they just need to pay me 50k/ year and I'll be happy to do that job for them!

 

What I find surprising is that many states have a digitized collection of them and I would think the states would provide the digitized copies. My home state has digitized nearly 100% of their NRHP sites and have them available online at their own website however the NPS does not have them. I use the state site all the time as a source.