Note: To read or print the PDF of a publication,
when available below,
Adobe Acrobat Reader must
be installed on your computer. DHR also can
provide a hardcopy of any of
the documents below
that are in PDF format. Please use the Publications
Order Form (see box to right) and enclose a check
payable to DHR for the
appropriate postage (as
indicated in the form). Send your orders to:
DHR, 2801 Kensington Avenue,
Richmond, VA
23221.
Archaeological Research, Technical, and Survey and Planning Reports.
Biennial Report on the Stewardship of State-Owned Property, May 1 2011 : In 2006, the General Assembly passed legislation that calls for DHR to develop two biennial reports, with the option that they might be combined, on the stewardship of state-owned properties. The 2011 report, which runs to 57-pages in length and includes several appendices, is now available for review. This PDF of the report is 3-plus megabytes.
Code of Virginia. The Virginia General Assembly provides the Code of Virginia online. There are a number of sections of the Code that deal with preservation laws. Search the Code here.
DHR Official Survey Manual (PDF). This is the revised (October 2011) version of the Survey Manual, officially known as the Guidelines for Conducting Historic Resources Survey in Virginia. (Chapters 6 and 7 of the manual, which are devoted to archaeological survey, were previously released in 2009.)
DHR Strategic Plan: 2010-2012. This plan provides an overview of the agency's mission, customers, trends, objectives, and measures for the next two state fiscal years, beginning July 2010 through June 2012.
Financial Incentives and Opportunities for Historic Preservation and Archaeology in Virginia (2008). Compiled by DHR's Pam Schenian, an architectural historian and CLG program coordinator, this 54-page document provides information on preservation funding opportunities that exist from local, state, and national sources. It provides funding options for museums, historic sites, homeowners, neighborhoods, localities, investors, and businesses.
First People: The Early Indians of Virginia (2nd Edition) (1992, 2006) by Keith Egloff and Deborah Woodward. Incorporating recent events in the Native American community as well as additional information gleaned from publications and public resources, this newly redesigned and updated second edition of First People brings back into print this concise and highly readable narrative. Full of stories that represent the full diversity of Virginia's Indians, past and present, this popular book remains an essential introduction to the history of Virginia Indians from prehistory to the present day. The book is available through DHR, the University of Virginia Press, or local bookstores.
A Guidebook to Virginia's Historical Markers (2007, University of Virginia Press). An excellent source for traveling or browsing at home. Available through bookstores, or the University of Virginia Press.
A Handbook and Resource Guide for Owners of Virginia's Historic Houses by Camille Agricola Bowman, an architectural historian and technical easement advisor with DHR. This book offers valuable information on the proper stewardship of a historic house as well as sources for additional expert guidance on various restoration repairs. The book is 64 pages, and includes more than 50 color photographs. Available for cost of shipping. Order form.
How to Research Your Historic Virginia Property (2004).
Interpreting the Standards Bulletins. Prepared by the National Park Service, these bulletins explain rehabilitation project decisions made by the National Park Service in its administration of the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program. The bulletins are case-specific and are provided as guidance only. They are not necessarily applicable beyond the unique facts and circumstances of each case.
Jordan's Point, Virginia: Archaeology in Perspective, Prehistoric to Modern Times by Martha W. McCartney. Jordan's Point, a nearly triangular promontory in the James River, is situated in Prince George County, just east of the confluence of the James and Appomattox Rivers. In 1607, when the first European colonists saw Jordan's Point, it was graced by the homes and cleared fields of natives they would call the Weyanoke. Virginia colonist Samuel Jordan established a community called Jordan's Journey around 1621. In time, the settlement became a hub of social and political life. By 1660, Jordan's Point had come into the possession of the Bland Family. This richly illustrated book tells the story of Jordan's Point, which spans thousands of years, through the cultural features that archaeologists have unearthed there. It is available from the University of Virginia Press or local bookstores.
Notes on Virginia: This annual journal of DHR reports on the latest in Virginia historic preservation matters, and includes listings of recent historic properties named to the Virginia Landmarks Register; historical highway markers approved for placement; easements donated to the Commonwealth; and other programs. (For copies of current or available back issues, contact Randy Jones; for a PDF of recent issues available online go here.)
Preservation Briefs. These in-depth reports prepared by the National Park Service provide valuable technical information and tips for important aspects of historic rehabilitation. Follow the Preservation Briefs link to the National Park Service Website for downloadable PDF versions of the briefs. Most Preservation Briefs also are available in print format from the Department of Historic Resources. For more information, go to the SOI's Standards.
Prosperity through Preservation (2008; updated Feb. 2010). Preservation pays. That is the conclusion of an economic study, “Prosperity through Preservation,” that was conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Center for Public Policy, in partnership with DHR. Prosperity through Preservation is a pamphlet that summaries the study's findings.
Putting Virginia's History to Work: Virginia's Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan (2001).
Putting Virginia’s History to Work, 2010-2015: Virginia’s Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan (2010)
Solving History's Mysteries: The History Discovery Lab. A DHR publication, this is the complementary classroom Teacher Guide and Activity Book to Solving History’s Mysteries: The History Discovery Lab. The exhibition and the guide use archaeological sites and historic places to illustrate the processes of discovering the tangible evidence of our past—how to read the history that is all around us.
Technical Assistance Reports and Updates. For help with the hands-on challenges of historic rehabilitations, these reports and updates, many prepared by DHR staff, provide technical assistance summaries on common problems that arise in maintaining and rehabilitating a historic property. Please also see Preservation Briefs.
Tourism Handbook: Putting Virginia's History to Work (2001). This DHR publication is a handy desktop reference and comprehensive guide to heritage tourism development for local and regional partners. (PDF only)
The Virginia Landmarks Register, edited by Calder Loth. Published in 1999, this 608-page 4th edition, with 1,780 illustrations, compiles the state's buildings, structures, sites, and districts that have been officially designated (through 1998) as historic landmarks by the Department of Historic Resources since 1966. The collection of nearly 1,800 entries represents the most comprehensive inventory of Virginia's rich and varied historic legacy ever published in book form. The book is available through DHR, the University of Virginia Press, or local bookstores.
Virginia's Historic Registers: A Guide for Property Owners (2007 revision).
