WASHINGTON – The National Park Service (NPS) signed six Tribal Historic Preservation agreements with Tribes across the country in the 2024 fiscal year that ended September 30, transferring to Tribes certain historic preservation responsibilities that would otherwise be the responsibility of the state in which a Tribe is located. 

The NPS has the responsibility under the National Historic Preservation Act to administer the Tribal Historic Preservation Program. The program assists federally recognized Tribes in strengthening their historic preservation programs managed through Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs) on Tribal lands. 

The following sovereign Tribal nations joined the more than 220 others that have previously stood up THPOs in partnership with the NPS:  
- Tule River Indian Tribe, of California 
- Pueblo of Nambé, of New Mexico 
- Rappahannock Tribe, of Virginia 
- Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, of Michigan 
- Nisqually Indian Tribe, of Washington 
- Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma  

The NPS works with each Tribal applicant while they develop their program plan, which may take a year or more. The program also consults with the appropriate State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) and other Tribal and federal preservation partners during the process before acceptance of the final plan and development of the THPO agreement.

One of the historic preservation responsibilities that most Tribes assume in the THPO agreement is to provide public information, education, training, and technical assistance for historic preservation efforts. Another function includes surveying historic places to create and implement a comprehensive historic preservation plan for the Tribe. 

In 2023, for example, the Walker River Paiute Tribe’s THPO supported recovery efforts after significant flooding from the Walker River impacted their reservation lands in Nevada. The THPO surveyed, documented, and monitored cultural resources, historic sites, structures, and artifacts on over 23,680 acres. These assessments helped to draft strategies that aim to ensure the preservation of the Tribe’s cultural heritage for future generations in the face of natural disasters. 

The NPS works with the country’s 574 federally recognized Indian and Alaska Native Tribes to support potential new THPO programs. For more information about the Tribal Historic Preservation Program, visit the program website: nps.gov/thpoprogram.  

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 430+ national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.