Illinois Historic Preservation Division

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Explore Illinois' rich past with the Historic Preservation Division in Springfield, dedicated to preserving and promoting the state's historical treasures.

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Historic Preservation Agency

The Illinois Historic Preservation Division, located in downtown Springfield, safeguards Illinois' historical sites and maximizes their educational value. It maintains state-owned historic sites and manages applications for the National Register of Historic Places.

A brief summary to Historic Preservation Agency

1 N Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield, Downtown, Illinois, 62701, US
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Local tips

Check the Illinois Department of Natural Resources website for a calendar of events at state historic sites.
Visit the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield for an in-depth look at Lincoln's life and legacy.
Explore the Old State Capitol, located next to the Historic Preservation Division, to see where Lincoln delivered his famous 'House Divided' speech.

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Other nearby places you may find interesting

Old State Capitol State Historic Site

Donner Party Historic Site

Donner Party Historic Site: A Somber Departure Point

Old State Capitol Historical Markers

Step Back in Time at the Old State Capitol Historical Markers

Getting There

Walking

From the Lincoln Home National Historic Site (426 South 7th Street), walk north on 7th Street to Capitol Avenue. Turn right and walk east on Capitol Avenue for four blocks to the Old State Capitol Plaza. The Historic Preservation Division is at 1 N Old State Capitol Plaza, next to the Old State Capitol building.
Public Transport

Take the Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD) Route 10 or 11 and ask the driver to drop you off at the Old State Capitol stop. Walk toward the Old State Capitol building; the Historic Preservation Division is at 1 N Old State Capitol Plaza. A single ride fare is around $1.00.
Driving

From I-55, take the Clear Lake Avenue exit and head west. Follow Clear Lake Avenue to 6th Street and turn north. Continue on 6th Street to the Old State Capitol Plaza. The Historic Preservation Division is located at 1 N Old State Capitol Plaza. Parking is available in the underground parking garage on 6th Street between Adams and Washington for $1.50 per 30 minutes.

Discover more about Historic Preservation Agency

The Illinois Historic Preservation Division, formerly the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of Illinois, and is a division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. It is tasked with maintaining State-owned historic sites and maximizing their educational and recreational value to visitors or on-line users. In addition, it manages the process for applications within the state for additions to the National Register of Historic Places and other federal preservation schemes.The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency (IHPA) was created by State law in July 1985. The agency's oldest bureau, the Illinois State Historical Library, was created in 1889, but the origins of the agency could be said to date back to the state's involvement in building and caring for the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, Illinois, in 1865. During the 20th century, the state of Illinois acquired and restored a wide variety of historic properties throughout the state.The agency also administers the Cahokia World Heritage Site which includes the largest pre-columbian construction in the Americas north of Mexico, having also acquired the site in the early 20th century for state protection. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (ALPLM), also in Springfield, Illinois, was dedicated in 2005. Unlike most modern presidential libraries, the Lincoln Library is state-owned.