FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 16, 2026

CONTACT:  Kevin Larsen, Communications Director, 605-773-6000, Kevin.Larsen@state.sd.us

Deadwood receives official certification from the National Park Service

PIERRE, S.D. – The City of Deadwood’s Historic Preservation Commission recently received official certification from the National Park Service for its acceptance into the Certified Local Government program. Deadwood is the newest city to join a growing group of governments in South Dakota certified through this federal program.

In 1980, the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was amended to create the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, an initiative jointly administered by the National Park Service and State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs) to promote federal, state, and local partnerships in historic preservation. Since the creation of the CLG program, twenty-three South Dakota counties and cities have been certified by the National Park Service to gain CLG status.

The CLG program is one way to introduce local participation in historic preservation. By achieving certification, governments are eligible for various benefits, such as reviewing nominations to the National Register of Historic Places within their jurisdiction, receiving hands-on assistance from the SHPO, and the opportunity to apply for CLG-specific sub-grants passed through the state’s allocation of the federal Historic Preservation Fund grant.

Kevin Kuchenbecker, Planning, Zoning & Historic Preservation Officer for the City of Deadwood, said, "The City of Deadwood and the Deadwood Historic Preservation Commission are honored to receive Certified Local Government certification and values our longstanding partnership with the South Dakota State Historic Preservation Office.” 

For more information on the Certified Local Government program in South Dakota, please visit https://history.sd.gov/preservation/commissions.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, is headquartered at the South Dakota Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. The center houses the society’s world-class museum, and archives, historic preservation, publishing and administrative/development departments. For questions or memberships, call 605-773-3458 or visit www.history.sd.gov for more information. The society also has an archaeology office in Rapid City; call 605-394-1936 for more information.