Board Members

The State Review Board and the Virginia Board of Historic Resources

What boards are involved in the operations of the DHR? A key component of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources is its coordination with two appointed citizen boards, the State Review Board, and the Board of Historic Resources. The State Review Board—appointed by the agency director—consists of professionals representing the fields most relevant to the functioning of the agency: they include archaeologists (historic and pre-historic), architects, historians, architectural historians, and preservationists. The Board of Historic Resources—appointed by the Governor—consists of citizens of the Commonwealth with an interest in and commitment to historic preservation.

When do the boards meet? The State Review Board and Board of Historic Resources meet jointly each quarter.

What does each board do? Both boards consider completed National Register nominations. Nominations are made first to the Virginia Landmarks Register, and once listed there, are forwarded on for consideration for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. While the form for both is the same, nominations are first presented for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register.

The Board of Historic Resources votes on whether a nomination has made a case for listing on the Virginia Landmarks Register. If the board votes to accept the nomination, it is officially listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register at the completion of voting.

While the State Review Board does not vote to officially accept or reject nominations at the state level, it does make recommendations to the agency director for federal listing on the National Register of Historic Places. When the State Review Board votes to recommend that a property should be listed on the National Register, the nomination is reviewed by the agency director, and is typically sent to the Keeper of the National Register within a month. The Keeper’s Office has a 45-day review period after which it either accepts or rejects a nomination for listing.

What is the board’s role in the National Register evaluation process? During the National Register evaluation process, the State Review Board takes into consideration the recommendations of the Department of Historic Resource's National Register Evaluation Committee, which meets bi-weekly throughout the year. The board's approval of a Preliminary Information Form signals the applicant that he or she may prepare a National Register nomination. The board considers Preliminary Information Forms at each of its quarterly meetings. In a typical meeting, the board considers completed National Register nominations in the morning session, and in the afternoon, Preliminary Information Forms.

After receiving approval for the Preliminary Information Form, the applicant then proceeds to the National Register Nomination. That nomination is prepared and submitted to the appropriate regional office for review. Staff provides advice on how to research a resource and meet the rigorous National Park Service standards of documentation. The department places the nomination on the agenda of the next upcoming quarterly board meeting.

A motivated applicant may see his or her Preliminary Information Form considered in one quarterly Board meeting, and his or her completed National Register nomination considered in the next quarterly meeting.

As mentioned above, at the meeting, the board votes to accept or reject the nomination. Once the board approves the form, it instructs the State Historic Preservation Officer to send the form to the Keeper of the National Register in Washington, D.C., for consideration for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.

State Review Board Members
Elizabeth A. Moore, Ph.D., Chairman, Martinsville
Lauranett L. Lee, Ph.D., Vice-Chairman, Chesterfield County
Ann F. Alexander, Ph.D., Christiansburg
R. Madison Spencer, Charlottesville

Virginia Historic Resources Board Members
Patrick H. Butler, Ph.D., Chairman, Alexandria
Helen T. Murphy, Vice-Chairman, Mt. Holly
Brian C. Broadus, Albemarle County
Jeanne S. Evans, Virginia Beach
Carter L. Hudgins, Ph.D., Fredericksburg
Ora S. McCoy, Appomattox
Addison B. Thompson, Richmond

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