Historic Preservation Services
We offer the fastest and most affordable compliance services in the region. Don't believe us? Just ask your neighbor.
Why CARA?
Our Historians and Historic Preservationists have evaluated hundreds of properties, all while working closely with local government and private landowners to preserve architectural treasures and tell their story.
Our field crews use proprietary technology developed in-house to turbocharge data collection. This means a shorter time in the project area and higher quality results, all at a lower overall cost.
Historic Preservation consultation can be necessary in a variety of scenarios. These are some of the most typical:
Historical Architecture Survey and Evaluation is a review of all structures in or near a project area which are fifty years of age or older. These structures are documented through description, classification, architectural sketches, photography, and historical research so that they can be considered for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP).
HABS/HAER Documentation
The Historic American Building Survey (HABS) and the Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) document achievements in architecture and engineering. These records are housed by the Library of Congress. HABS/HAER documentation is often requested by a State Preservation Office (SHPO) in conjunction with an evaluation of special historic properties.
Historic Landscape Survey
Historic Landscapes are places that foster a sense of community, and offer identity at a local, state, or national level. These places can be places as small as a quarter-acre to an entire vista. As development encroaches on these places, it is increasingly important to document them for future generations. Measured drawings, written histories, photography, and many other forms of media are used to document these special places, which are housed in the Library of Congress.
Historical, Genealogical, and Literature Research
Projects often require research components to understand the historic context of a given structure, archaeological site, or object. Our historians and researchers excel at locating primary source materials from a wide variety of archival sources, and then synthesizing this information into a rich historical narrative. Research can include history of an individual from written or oral history accounts, genealogical studies, the investigation of a whole community, or the complex relationships between entire settlement systems.