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Letters
Lay of the Land
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Fifty years ago, the Johnson Administration and the Congress enacted the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA), which committed the Federal government to work to preserve the nation’s archaeological sites and historic structures and sites (see “The Act That Changed Archaeology,” page 38). No longer could tax dollars be used to destroy the nation’s heritage without a thorough study of alternatives. State Historic Preservation Offices were created in all 50 states to enforce the new law and to work to find alternatives to destruction. A National Register of Historic Places was created to list the nation’s most important cultural resources and encourage, but not necessarily require, their preservation.
Over the past 50 years the NHPA has caused thousands of archaeological sites throughout the nation to be preserved, or at least studied. In the process, it changed the practice of archaeology in our country. Hundreds of archaeologists have been employed to survey areas affected by construction projects in which the federal government is involved—highways, schools, military facilities, etc.—to see if important archaeological resources would be affected. The NHPA requires a plan to mitigate these resources if they are in the path of federally funded development. This may mean moving a highway a few yards, or it may mean excavating a site to recover the information within. As many as 90 percent of archaeological projects in the United States are now related to the NHPA.
Of course, when archaeologists impact large construction projects, some people object. “Why let these old things get in the way of progress?” they ask. Yet few doubt that the National Historic Preservation Act has proven its worth. Americans have a better sense of their heritage than ever before. We can all do more to preserve our collective past, and we should all work to extend and expand the legacy of this very successful legislation.
Mark Michel, President
