City of Lincoln Planning Historic Places Designations

There are two basic types of historic district designations:

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register is administered by the National Park Service and is the "honor roll" of historic properties throughout America. Either individual properties or districts can be listed on the National Register, which is more honorary than regulatory. It does not restrict private owners from changing or even demolishing their properties, but it does cause additional reviews, sometimes quite lengthy, of any actions affecting those properties that are federally funded or approved.

Lincoln Landmarks designed under the Lincoln zoning code

Both districts and individual properties can also be designated as Lincoln Landmarks under chapter 27.57 of the Lincoln zoning code. Unlike National Register listing, designation as a Landmark provides a degree of protection for (and restriction upon) individual property owners. When the City Council approves a Landmark, it also approves a set of preservation guidelines for exterior changes to the landmark. Before an owner can change their property, their plans must be reviewed in light of those guidelines, especially if a building permit is required.

There are a couple other historic designations that apply in special cases. The Nebraska State Capitol and Fairview, William Jennings Bryan's home, are National Historic Landmarks. This is an elite list of the most important historic places in America. In Lancaster County outside Lincoln's zoning jurisdiction, the zoning codes does not provide a detailed procedure for designating landmarks, but the County Board has the authority to identify historic places by resolution, and has done so in a few cases.

For additional information, contact Ed Zimmer.

Historic Preservation in Lincoln