Recommendations for CHCs

Develop an awareness of a CHC’s role and purpose 

This set of recommendations addresses basic training that CHC appointees can accomplish individually or collectively. 

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• As a commission, review Texas Local Government Code, Chapter 318. Make every effort to comply with statutory requirements (mission, structure, business, etc.)
• As a commission, complete Open Meetings Act Training. Post and conduct meetings accordingly, quorum must be present at every meeting.
• As a commission, view the Role of an Appointee webinar and associated training materials. 
• Statutes direct CHCs to prepare a plan for the preservation of the county’s historic and cultural resources. For guidance, review the Texas Statewide Historic Preservation Plan. 
• Appointees should be aware of threats to historic properties and archeological sites in their county. Understand your role in federal and state review.
• Learn the basics of historic preservation and how it can be a vital part of your community. As a commission, attend Preservation Boot Camp.

Evaluate organizational and leadership needs regularly 

Contribute to your organizational identity and stability by taking time to evaluate ongoing needs of the CHC and its appointees.

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• Make recruitment a priority. CHC appointees should demonstrate well-rounded organizational diversity in gender, age, geographic location within county, ethnicity, preservation knowledge, skillsets, etc. 
• Rotate leadership responsibilities. Consider self-imposed term limits for appointees to learn different roles and share the workload.
• Onboard new appointees. Request that experienced appointees train new appointees. Schedule CHC orientation/training at the beginning of each term of service (January of odd-numbered years).
• Develop a plan. At the beginning of each term, suggest achievable goals and objectives that fulfill your county's preservation needs.
• Review CHC bylaws frequently. Provide revisions with input from appointees, county commissioners and staff. 
• Verify appointee contact information including name, mailing address, phone numbers, and email addresses. Accurate contact information must be submitted to the THC during each appointment cycle.

Strengthen partnerships with communication and collaboration 

Fortifying your CHC’s network is essential regardless of the degree to which appointees are active. Here are ways that appointees can act now to improve relations with regional partners, county leadership, and THC staff.

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• Identify local and regional preservation partners and determine ways to support programming, spread news, share research, etc. 
• Maintain communication with THC and develop an awareness of THC programs. Learn how to contact staff members and respond to THC inquiries.
• Report to county commissioners court quarterly. Request a county staff member or commissioner be assigned to the CHC as a liaison.
• Invite partners and county officials to CHC programs and events. If possible, involve partners and county officials in program planning. 
• Meet with neighboring CHC chairs and appointees. Discuss common preservation challenges, goals, and borrow expertise and skills from one another. 
• Seek out underrepresented partners and communities. Collaborate to address gaps in county history and preservation needs. 

Archeology-related projects should be handled by professional archeologists and/or professionally trained avocational archeologists. The following recommendations are intended to help CHCs work with archeologists and existing repositories of archeological artifacts.

Develop an awareness of archeology

Learn a bit more about archeology discoveries in your county and the organizations that support and/or feature archeology. 

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• Visit the Archeology in Texas overview page to build a general understanding of work addressed by the THC and the Texas Archeological Stewardship Network (TASN). 
• Identify archeology organizations in your county and region such as societies, clubs, etc. Participate in any educational opportunities offered by these groups. 
• Contact museums, colleges, and universities to develop a list of contacts and repositories in your county. 
• Attempt to collect information about private artifact collections that exist in your county. Consult with THC archeologists prior to pursuing this item.

Contact THC staff with archeology issues

Make use of THC staff expertise when facing local issues that involve archeology. THC archeologists can help you understand state and federal policies related to historic property and provide more information. CHCs should also contact THC staff prior to pursuing archeology-related projects. 

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• Respond to correspondence from the THC and federal agencies. If the information is confusing, contact your county’s reviewer. Use the Contact Us webpage or call the Archeology Division mainline.
• Identify threats related to archeological resources and notify your county’s reviewer, particularly if digging is proposed or looting is involved.
• Familiarize CHC appointees with the state and federal laws that protect archeological resources and policies related to State Antiquities Landmarks. Archeology Division staff can provide training on this topic. 
• Share the Property Owner’s Guide to Archeological Sites with property owners in your county. Refer the public to THC archeologists to ensure that archeology-related issues are handled by professionals.

Connect the public to archeology

Public programming that promotes archeology typically includes hands-on activities that attract a wide range of participants. These are great opportunities to share information about local history but also identify community questions related to archeology and connect people to archeology expertise. 

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• Learn more about Texas Archeology Month (TAM). Visit the TAM Partner Portal for more information on ways to get involved.
• Volunteer for TAM preparations or host TAM events. Keep an eye on the THC’s social media for volunteer opportunities. 
• Share details of public archeology events with the THC. Depending on workload, staff can provide professional support.
• Distribute archeology educational brochures at local outreach efforts. All THC archeology educational publications are available free of charge, please contact the Archeology Division and they will ship them to you.

The THC’s Cemetery Preservation program offers an additional, detailed framework with specific action steps to help a CHC shape its cemetery-related program of work. A series of associated webinars, forms, and guidance documents is available here. 

Establish a cemetery preservation network

Take time to communicate with THC cemetery preservation staff and cemetery representatives. Here are some ideas on how to proceed. 

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• Consider designating a CHC cemetery chair who will serve as the primary contact for cemetery-related matters including interacting with cemetery contacts, tracking cemetery preservation efforts, and Filing Notice of Abandoned or Unknown Cemeteries when necessary.
• If CHC does not have the capacity or expertise for a cemetery chair, identify a county resident with relatable experience to address cemetery preservation needs in the county.
• Decide if a cemetery committee is right for your CHC. If the CHC is involved heavily in cemetery work, this committee can help identify, prioritize, and oversee cemetery preservation work.
• Share CHCs & Historic Cemeteries: A Framework for Preservation and Disaster Preparedness Training for Historic Cemeteries with appointees so that everyone can be informed about cemetery preservation standards of care. 

Share information with THC staff

Texas has an estimated 16,000 cemeteries. With just three staff assigned to its Cemetery Preservation Program, the THC relies on each CHC to have a working knowledge of cemeteries in its county.

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• Check CHC files and correspondence to ensure that issues related to pending HTC designation applications have been resolved. Contact the THC, the applicant, and/or others who have a stake in resolving the issue to secure an agreed upon resolution.
• Identify and inventory all cemeteries in your county. Coordinate this effort with THC staff to ensure your data and the THC’s Atlas data aligns.
• Gather contact information for organizations or caretakers affiliated with county cemeteries; make note of cemeteries without affiliated organizations or caretakers. 
• Keep a running list of cemetery issues for CHC’s reference such as encroachment by adjacent property, weathering, lack of fencing, vandalism, and neglect. When needed, contact THC staff to discuss prioritization of these issues and suggestions for addressing them. 

Connect the public to cemetery preservation efforts

CHCs successfully work with the public to keep track of cemeteries, initiate HTC applications, and plan cemetery maintenance. Consider how these efforts present opportunities to educate and inspire. 

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• Help the public navigate the HTC application process, which is outlined here.
• When able, help the public research cemetery histories and prioritize preservation work for each cemetery. If this effort is more than appointees can manage, refer interested individuals to the THC’s Cemetery Preservation Program.
• When interpreting the history of cemeteries, consider focusing on broad topics and themes to expand the public’s understanding of these unique cultural landscapes.
• Promote cemetery preservation efforts that illustrate CHC service and celebrate successful collaborations with the public. 

CHCs are directed to promote historic and cultural sites to develop and sustain heritage tourism. The following recommendations are intended for CHCs to consider when planning heritage tourism efforts alongside local, regional, and statewide partners. 

Learn what it means to promote heritage tourism

The relationship between tourism and preservation is cyclical: a growing market for heritage tourism will encourage the restoration of historic sites, increase visitation and stimulate local economies, creating resources for additional preservation. 

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• Visit the THC’s Heritage Tourism page to learn about current initiatives and special projects.
• Seek training in interpretation and storytelling to learn best practices for sharing meaningful and relevant information with audiences.
• Get to know your regional heritage tourism partners. The Texas Heritage Trails Program fosters a statewide and regional network that promotes events and can provide marketing and occasionally financial support for projects. 

Establish a network for heritage tourism

Due to the limited resources of CHCs, partnerships are key to moving forward with heritage tourism related efforts. Local, regional and statewide networks offer new opportunities for participation and enhance already existing efforts. 

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• Establish a relationship with your closest Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau. 
• Join the THC’s Heritage Tourism email listserv where you can ask and answer questions, as well as share information about heritage tourism initiatives in your community. Subscribe here. 
• Participate with your heritage trail region. While each region provides different service offerings, all regions can help you:
  • List your heritage sites, attractions, and events on TexasTimeTravel.com 
  • Share your stories at heritage education events developed for regional partners
  • Participate as a co-op partner in travel and trade shows across the state
  • Participate in co-op advertising in Texas-targeted travel publications
  • Volunteer to serve on a project task force or the regional board of directors

Participate in heritage tourism efforts

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CHCs are known to be excellent community partners. Consider the following suggestions that focus on enhancing the visitor experience in your community. 

• Work with area business associations, chambers of commerce, and the public to nominate businesses for the Texas Treasure Business Awards program.
• Create visitor experiences out of assets that already exist rather than ones you must build. Let local history and traditions inspire you to create experiences that stand apart from the offerings found in other communities.
• Offer tours of historic neighborhoods, historic courthouse/jail complexes, and downtown districts. Reference the THC Historic Sites Atlas for a list of designated properties.

Historic designations identify properties in Texas that deserve protection, help qualify property owners for grant funding or tax incentives and help guide travelers to places of historic significance. CHCs can assist government and private groups planning new development by recognizing properties of local, state and national significance.

Develop Awareness of Historic Buildings

Review information available on the THC website and develop a better understanding of historic properties. 

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• Learn more about the technical meaning of “historic.” Property must possess three essential attributes: sufficient age, a relatively high degree of physical integrity, and historical significance.
• Review criteria and policies related to the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL) designation and the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) designation.
• Visit the Historic Sites Atlas and review entries for historic properties in the county. 
• Find out if your county (or cities in your county) have local historic designation programs. Review the parameters of these programs and determine what role, if any, has been assigned to the CHC.
• Identify the individuals and preservation organizations in your county that advocate and/or rehabilitate historic properties.

Navigate Preservation Issues with the THC's Help

Make use of THC staff expertise when working with historic structures. Regional reviewers can help you understand the regulatory process, the role CHCs may have in reviews, and preservation standards applied. 

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• Contact the architectural reviewer with questions about historic properties. Visit the Contact Us webpage. 
• Respond to correspondence from THC and federal agencies about proposed projects and regulatory reviews. If the information is confusing, contact the person identified in the correspondence or your county’s project reviewer.
• Identify threats to historically designated properties in the county and notify the THC, particularly if demolition is proposed. Threats include development or potential development, encroachment from adjacent properties, structural instability, removal of character defining features, non-compatible additions, and demolition.
• Review the various state and federal reviews connected to historic property. Awareness is enough to know what circumstances may potentially trigger regulatory reviews. 
• Familiarize appointees with Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties, especially the Standards of Rehabilitation.

Connect the Public to Historic Buildings

Educate the public about historic buildings and their role in local history. 

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• Share THC webpages that highlight successful historic rehabilitation projects: Texas Preservation Trust Fund projects, certified tax credit projects, and courthouse restoration projects. 
• Promote historic districts and buildings through newspaper articles, websites, social media, and publications, like marker brochures, cemetery maps, and walking/driving tours. 
• Provide historic property owners with the Best Practice Guide to Historic Property Owners Handbook  and potential funding sources for historic properties. 
• Identify historic buildings and sites for potential tours. If able, find partners who can develop or help the CHC develop virtual tours to be posted online. Consider citing text from marker and RTHL narratives and NRHP nominations.

CHCs are directed to carry out a systematic survey of their county through fieldwork and research to document historic resources. The following recommendations are intended to help CHCs begin a survey of their county.

Develop an understanding of historic resources surveys

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Begin by learning why surveys are integral to the identification of historic and cultural resources. There may be existing surveys of your county and communities within them. 

• Learn the benefits of a historic resources survey and how they contribute toward preservation of cultural and historic resources.
• Contact THC to see what historic resources survey reports are on file in the THC library.
  • Request copies of ones the CHC does not have on file.
  • If CHCs have historic resources survey reports that are not in the THC library, share reports with the THC.
• Review survey training, tools, and funding available on the THC website. Some survey efforts can be completed with volunteer labor. 

Determine your county's survey needs

Consider the following when determining the survey needs of your community. CHCs are keenly aware of their county’s historic assets and the communities that could benefit most from the survey. 

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• Consult with THC staff regarding types of surveys and whether a volunteer or professional survey will meet the needs of your project.
• Create a list of known historic resources in the county. Most can be found on the THC Historic Sites Atlas online.
  • Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHL)
  • State Antiquities Landmarks – architectural only (SAL)
  • Historic Texas Cemeteries (HTC)
  • National Register of Historic Place (NRHP) individual properties and districts
  • Local landmarks and districts
• Work with county or city staff to plot known historic resources on a map; digital format preferred.

Prepare for a historic resources survey

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Advocacy and partnerships are vital to producing a historic resources survey of your county. CHCs can organize readily available information to aid in the survey process and ensure information is shared appropriately. 

• Begin the planning process for a historic resources survey if a county-wide survey has not been done, or the previous survey is over 10 years old.
• Gather locally available county history into one location (books, papers, documents, photos, etc.) that is accessible to the CHC and/or public.
• Share data collected from countywide or local survey work with county commissioners and THC.

The THC marker program staff manage more than 200 marker applications and inquiries for more than 16,000 existing markers. Contact markers@thc.texas.gov for all marker-related inquiries. 

Verify CHC Contacts for Marker Issues

Prioritize improving communication with THC marker staff, marker applicants, and the public. Consider the following recommendations. 

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• Ensure that the current marker chair is prepared to fulfill responsibilities. See the marker chair job description here.
• If CHC doesn’t have a marker chair, designate an appointee to take this position. If a marker chair isn't designated, the CHC chair will be the point of contact for marker-related inquiries from the THC and the public. 
• Submit marker chair contact information to the THC. Please take time to check with individuals and ensure contact information is accurate.
• Review the historical markers webpage and become familiar with marker procedures.  THC’s marker cycle and policies have been updated recently. 
• If appointees are unfamiliar with marker applications, consider working with a local historian or neighboring CHC with experience in the marker application process.
• Determine whether a marker committee is right for your CHC. If the CHC has multiple marker projects, this committee can identify, prioritize, and organize marker-related projects. Committee members can be tasked with keeping track of marker program policy updates.

Consult With THC Marker Staff Regularly

The THC relies on CHCs to keep track of specific marker issues in their counties. 

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• Inventory and periodically assess the physical condition of RTHL markers, HTC markers, and subject markers.
• Keep a running list of marker issues for the CHC’s reference. Report inaccurate or damaged markers to THC Marker Staff. 
• Check CHC files and email correspondence to ensure that pending issues have been resolved. Contact THC staff and/or application sponsors who have a stake in resolving the issue to secure agreed upon resolution. 
• Contact THC staff with issues related to marker relocation and replacement. Review the THC’s policies prior to discussing these options with the public.
• Share marker dedications and marker installation information with the THC. If appropriate, details are posted on the THC’s event calendar located here. 
• Identify historical markers which are candidates for recycling. The THC has partnered with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to recycle THC aluminum markers and poles. This program allows CHCs to utilize local TxDOT offices as drop-off centers for markers that are damaged, obsolete, or otherwise have been deemed by the THC as appropriate to recycle. Contact THC marker staff for details on the initiative.

Connect the Public to Historical Markers

Historical markers are the traditional interpretive tool used by CHCs to promote local history to the public. 

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• Help the public navigate the marker application process, outlined here. Consider posting marker chair contact information on the CHC’s website for accessibility.
• When able, help applicants research marker topics. Direct interested individuals toward marker research guides and toolkit located here.
• Work with local communities, partners, and THC staff to identify potential marker topics, especially underrepresented topics in the historical marker program. 
• Shortlist potential Undertold Marker topics and identify partners who may want to pursue applications to address gaps in county history. More on THC’s Undertold Program here.
• Use marker dedications to reinforce the importance of local history and the CHC’s dedication to public service. General planning guidance is provided here.
• Use marker inventories to create educational guides, thematic tours or promotional materials to support public education and heritage tourism.