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DHPA  > About Us > Mission Statement DHPA Mission

The Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology promotes the conservation of Indiana's cultural resources through public education efforts, financial incentives including several grant and tax credit programs, and the administration of state and federally mandated legislation.

The Division facilitates state and federal preservation programs and is the staff of the State Historic Preservation Officer.

The chief services of the Division are:

  • The statewide survey of historic buildings, districts, and landscapes. The DHPA is the repository of National Register nominations and other materials related to the statewide survey.
  • Environmental Review of state and federal actions affecting historic and archaeological properties and resources.
  • Administers programs for protecting and preserving Indiana's prehistoric and historic archaeological sites and the valuable information that they contain. The DHPA is the central repository of archaeological records and reports for the state and also houses the state's official computerized database of archaeological site information.
  • Technical assistance to owners in the restoration of historic properties, including those owners seeking state and federal rehabilitation income tax credits.
  • Grant assistance for historic preservation projects.
  • Technical assistance to local preservation commissions, including administration of the Certified Local Government (CLG) program.
  • Historic preservation and archaeology education, including sponsorship of Archaeology Month, Historic Preservation Month, the Underground Railroad Initiative, Historic Theater Initiative, and other ongoing educational programs.
  • The Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD) of the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) allows users to search information on known historic resources throughout Indiana. The data contained in SHAARD was collected from previously conducted cultural resource inventories, National and State Registers listings, research projects, and cultural resource management project reports.

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