Florida Records 200,000 Historic and Cultural Resources

Secretary of State Ken Detzner announced today that the Florida Master Site File has reached a milestone of 200,000 historic and cultural resources recorded within the State of Florida. The Florida Master Site File is the State of Florida's official inventory of historic and cultural resources. Resources recorded are usually 50 or more years of age and include buildings, structures, bridges, objects, cemeteries, districts, historic and prehistoric archaeological sites, and traditional cultural properties.

“The Florida Master Site File is the State of Florida's official inventory of historic and cultural resources and the first line of defense in identifying and protecting historic properties within our state,” said Secretary Detzner. “As Florida celebratesthe 450^th anniversary of the founding of the city of St. Augustine, it is significant that recent cultural resource surveys of that city have contributed to the Florida Master Site File’s accomplishment in recording 200,000 historic and cultural resources.”

Under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966, each state is required to maintain an inventory of its historic and archaeological sites. Following state implementation of the NHPA through the Florida Historic Resources Act in 1967, the Florida Master Site File was officially established in 1970. The primary criteria for recording a resource in the Site File is its age. However, information collected in the Site File is frequently used to document whether a resource meets the stricter criteria of historical significance, which may establish eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

Two cultural resource surveys contributing to the achievement of the 200,000 inventory were funded by grants from the Florida Division of Historical Resources to the City of St. Augustine. One project recorded the historic structures of the city-controlled portion of Anastasia Island. This previously undocumented area yielded 775 resources, of which 632 were determined to be historically significant and potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The second grant project took on the monumental task of collating all available archaeological investigations undertaken in St. Augustine’s colonial downtown district over the past 75 years.

“Information from over 250 discrete locations was examined and has now been referenced for easy retrieval in the Site File’s Geographic Information System (GIS),” said City Archaeologist Carl D. Halbirt. “The grant awarded to the City of St. Augustine by the State of Florida is a fitting contribution to the 450^th anniversary of the community’s founding in 1565.”

As a result of this project, all known archaeological investigations within the colonial downtown district are now available to researchers in an easily accessible format in one location – the Florida Master Site File.

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About The Florida Master Site File
The Florida Master Site File is the State of Florida's official inventory of historic and cultural resources; resources recorded are usually 50+ years of age. Categories of resources recorded include buildings, structures, bridges, objects, cemeteries and districts, historic and prehistoric archaeological sites, and traditional cultural properties. Federal law mandates that each state maintain this inventory. The primary criteria for recording a resource in the Site File is its age. However, information collected in the Site File is frequently used to document whether a resource meets the stricter criteria of historical significance, which may establish eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The Site File also maintains copies of archaeological and historical survey reports and other manuscripts relevant to history and historic preservation in Florida. Site File staff are available to assist citizens, government agencies and historic preservation professionals in performing searches and obtaining information from the Florida Master Site File inventory. For more information, visit flheritage.com/preservation/sitefile.

About The Bureau of Historic Preservation

The Florida Department of State’s Bureau of Historic Preservation conducts historic preservation and folklife programs aimed at identifying, evaluating, preserving and interpreting the historic and cultural resources of the state. The Bureau manages a grants-in-aid program to help preserve and maintain Florida’s historic buildings and archaeological sites, and coordinates the State Historic Markers program and the Florida Main Street Program.  Under federal and state laws, the Bureau oversees the National Register of Historic Places program for Florida, maintains an inventory of the state's historical resources in the Florida Master Site File, assists applicants in federal tax benefit and local government ad valorem tax relief programs for historic buildings, and reviews the impact that development projects may have on significant historic resources. The Florida Folklife program identifies and promotes the state's traditional cultures, and coordinates folklife apprenticeship and award programs. For more information visit flheritage.com/preservation.

About The Division of Historical Resources

The Florida Department of State’s Division of Historical Resources (DHR) is responsible for preserving and promoting Florida’s historical, archaeological, and folk culture resources. DHR directs historic preservation efforts throughout the state in cooperation with state and federal agencies, local governments, private organizations, and individuals. The director of DHR serves as the State Historic Preservation Officer, acting as the liaison with the national historic preservation program conducted by the National Park Service. The Division is comprised of two Bureaus or major program areas: archaeological research and historic preservation. For more information, visit flheritage.com.