WELCOME TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION

The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) works to advocate for the preservation of historic properties and archaeological sites across South Dakota through providing access to funding opportunities, education, consultation, research, and promotion of heritage tourism. SHPO also manages the National Register of Historic Places program in South Dakota and reviews federal, state, and local government activities to understand their affects on cultural and historic resources. Below you will find SHPO's most recent news and deadlines, as well as a more comprehensive list on what the office works on. For any questions, comments, or concerns, please click the contact page and reach out!

Public Input and Annual Work Plan Suggestion Form:

SHPO is asking the public for input as they prepare for federal fiscal year 2025! As the forms are filled out below, SHPO asks the public to think about the following questions: what properties or areas in South Dakota should be inventoried, what properties should be considered for the National Register of Historic Places, what properties may be at risk or endangered, and what kind of technical preservation assistance is most beneficial for mantaining historic properties around the state? Public input on these topics will help SHPO prepare an annual work plan to continue emphasizing preservation efforts throughout the state.

Suggestion Form (pdf)

Suggestion Form (word)

Forms are due by October 31st, 2024. They can be either emailed to SHPO@state.sd.us or mailed to 900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501-2217. For any questions or concners, reach out to SHPO at (605)773-3458 or SHPO@state.sd.us!

SHPO NEWS AND DEADLINES

• Welcome to Garry Guan our new State Historic Preservation Officer and director of the Preservation Office! His first day is Sept. 24th. For his contact information and others, please click here.
• A new survey report for Perkins and Harding Counties has just been posted to our 'In the Spotlight' page, click here to take a look!

WHAT DOES SHPO DO?

The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) manages a wide range of Historic Preservation matters throughout the state of South Dakota.  Some of the tasks our office performs include:

• - Surveying and maintaining inventories of historic properties throughout the state. Take a look at our CRGRID for surveyed architectural properties in the state.
• - Nominating eligible properties to the State and National Register of Historic Places.
• - Providing public information, education, training, and technical assistance relating to historic preservation. Our 'Documents and Forms' page has a wide variety of materials regarding the different type of properties in South Dakota.
• - Working with local governments across the state in creating local historic preservation programs and Certified Local Governments.
• - Administering grant and tax incentive funding programs to assist in the stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic properties. These programs include the Deadwood Fund Grant, the State Property Tax Moratorium, and the Federal Tax Incentive. 
• - Administering a state historical marker program.  A current list of historical markers can be found here.
• - Working with federal and state agencies and local governments in carrying out their historic preservation responsibilities, especially on projects that might affect historic properties, under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and SDCL 1-19A-11.1.
• - Hosting an archaeology camp with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that teaches students about the field of archaeology, why archaeological digs are done, and what we can learn from the artifacts found. 
• - Administering a Student Essay Contest open to all 4^th grade students in South Dakota. The topic for the essay contest is 'This Place Matters' where students write about a place in South Dakota that's at least 50 years old and explain to us why that place matters to them.