Preservation Programs

Under the Historical, Prehistorical, and Archaeological Resources Act of 1973 (CRS 24-80-401 to 410), a permit is required for any archaeological or paleontological survey or excavation on Colorado state land. Permits are issued through the Office of the State Archaeologist of Colorado (OSAC).  

Click here for more information about Archaeology and Paleontology Permits.

The Centennial Farms & Ranches program, presented by History Colorado and the Colorado Department of Agriculture, recognizes four categories of honorees associated with the agricultural history of the State of Colorado.

Click here for more information about Centennial Farms & Ranches.

Certified Local Governments (CLGs) are counties or municipalities that have been endorsed by the State Historic Preservation Office (History Colorado) and the National Park Service to participate in the national preservation program while maintaining standards consistent with the National Historic Preservation Act and the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Archaeology and Historic Preservation. 

See the CLG home page for more information.

To ensure the preservation of state-owned artifacts and fossils, the Office of the State Archaeologist (OSAC) has established collaborative partnerships with institutions that serve as curatorial repositories for state-owned collections.

Find more information about State Collections.

The Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP) assists property owners in listing Colorado’s most historically and architecturally significant buildings, structures, and sites in the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties. 

More information is available on the National and State Register homepage.

History Colorado has adopted an active program of implementing the provisions of the 1990 Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). NAGPRA calls for the establishment of new relationships between museums and Native Americans—relationships that reflect a spirit of cooperative interaction and partnership. 

Learn more about History Colorado's NAGPRA program by clicking here.

Federal and state tax laws provide tax incentives for historic preservation projects that follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. These credits allow taxpayers to reduce, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the amount of income tax they owe to the government. 

Click here to learn more about Preservation Tax Credits.

The Program for Avocational Archaeological Certification (PAAC) is a mutually beneficial educational program for avocational and professional archaeologists. Established in 1978 by the Colorado Archaeological Society (CAS) and the Office of the State Archaeologist of Colorado (OSAC), it allows CAS members and other citizens to obtain formally recognized levels of expertise outside of an academic degree program.

Visit the PAAC homepage for more information.

History Colorado's State Historical Fund (SHF) fosters heritage preservation through tangible and highly visible projects for direct and demonstrable public benefit. A 1990 constitutional amendment legalizing gambling in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek created the State Historical Fund. The amendment mandates that a portion of gaming tax revenue goes to the State Historical Fund to fund historic preservation projects throughout Colorado. The Limited Gaming Act of 1991 (CRS 44-30-1201), authorizes History Colorado to administer the State Historical Fund as a statewide grants program. 

Get more information on the SHF homepage.

Join the preservation conversation!

History Colorado’s State Historic Preservation Office is renewing the statewide action plan for historic preservation, and inviting the public to collaborate in drafting the upcoming 2030 Statewide Preservation Plan. 

Click here for more information.