Preservation
An important part of the Westchester County Historical Society mission is the protection of Westchester’s important historic buildings, districts and landscapes. In 1998 the Westchester Preservation League merged into the WCHS, and the Society began to actively advocate on preservation issues. Our library and archive compiles records on historic buildings, districts and landscapes including all the County, State and National Register sites listed to date and going forward.
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U. S. Department of the Interior. The places on the list are historic and worthy of special recognition. They are not limited to buildings, and include sites as diverse as the Bronx River Parkway Reservation, Playland and the Old Croton Aqueduct. Listing on the National Register provides recognition of a site for its historic value, but does not provide protection from alteration or destruction unless federal funds are being used.
Nominations are usually made by individual owners, neighborhood associations, historical societies or local governments. They are approved at the state level for the New York State Register of Historic Places and then forwarded to Washington, DC, for final approval and listing in the National Register. All listings must have the consent of the owner, or in the case of a district, a majority of the owners.
More information about the National Register here.
To look up National Register sites go here.
The Clio Project
The WCHS has launched a digital history project listing of all the National Register sites in Westchester through an app; The Clio. Over the next two years the 231 sites will be entered into this free open source app for all Westchester residents and visitors to enjoy and learn about. This project is made possible by grants from: the Westchester Community Foundation, a division of the New York Community Foundation; the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area; and the Scarsdale Historical Society.