There’s a possibility downtown Oxford could end up being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Joe Frost, executive director of the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), informed the board last week he’s looking into it.
‘These are just very early, preliminary conversations,? he stressed.
The National Register is the official list of the country’s historic places that are worthy of preservation. It’s part of the National Park Service and its purpose is to ‘support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.?
Frost believes before proceeding, the DDA needs to thoroughly educate itself about the National Register in terms of what it is and what it does.
He said there are ‘a lot of misperceptions? about it, not necessarily in this community, but in general.
For example, Frost said it’s not a program in which the government tells owners what they can and cannot do with their properties.
‘It’s an honorary designation,? he explained.
According to the National Park Service website, there are more than 80,000 properties listed in the National Register, representing 1.4 million buildings, sites, districts, structures and objects. Almost every county in the U.S. has at least one place listed.
In 2006, the Village of Lake Orion became part of the National Register with its historic district, an area bounded by Elizabeth St., Hauxwell Drive, Front St. and Lapeer St.
The stone bridge over Indian Lake Rd. on the east side of M-24 is also listed in the National Register. Built in 1891, the single-span arch railroad bridge sits right on the border between Oxford and Orion townships.
From an economic development standpoint, Frost said being listed in the National Register as a historic district can be beneficial in that it’s the first step towards being eligible for federal preservation tax credits, which are administered through the National Park Service.
These credits have leveraged more than $45 billion in private investment, according to the park service website.