FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 28th, 2025
CONTACT: Kevin Larsen, Media Director, 605-773-6000. Kevin.Larsen@state.sd.us

Public Comments Needed for Statewide Historic Preservation Plan Update

PIERRE, S.D. – All State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) throughout the country are tasked with developing a historic preservation plan for their state and a process for designing and implementing that plan. These plans are approved by the National Park Service and serve as public documents for guidance and decision making about historic properties in addition to other preservation subjects.

In South Dakota, the State Historic Preservation Office has just released a survey as part of the planning process in drafting the next statewide plan for 2026-2030. The South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office invites South Dakotans to make their voices heard and to share their opinion as this plan will be designed with all South Dakotans in mind. The survey asks participants to lend their thoughts on various historic preservation matters including future nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, challenges in the preservation field, what SHPO should prioritize in these next five years, and much more.

Please submit the survey questionnaire by visiting the historical society website at https://history.sd.gov/preservation/default.aspx.

About the South Dakota State Historical Society

The South Dakota State Historical Society is a division of the Department of Education. The State Historical Society, an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution since 2013, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.