NISO Member News
Washington, DC. |. December 13, 2023
We are proud to announce that the National Archives Building in Washington, DC, has been declared a National Historic Landmark.https://t.co/xvpEWLkTPl#NationalHistoricLandmark pic.twitter.com/tI2oC9XC8I
— US National Archives (@USNatArchives) December 13, 2023
Additional Detail
The new status comes more than 50 years after the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in 1966, as part of the Federal Triangle. It was also listed individually in 1971. Only about 2,500 of the approximately 95,000 properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are recognized as National Historic Landmarks, meaning that less than three percent have received the designation. The status covers not only the National Archives Building but the entire 5.2-acre square and green spaces, the sculptures at both main entrances, and the small garden and monument stone to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which was dedicated in 1965.
“The National Archives Building had long been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The designation as a ‘Landmark’ further underscores the building's importance as documentation of our nation's architectural history,” said Mark Smith, executive for Business Support Services. “Much like the archived records it protects, the building itself is recognized for its importance in understanding our country's history.”
For additional details, the NARA website offers more.