Question 1

How do I apply for a new marker to be placed on the roadside, and what is the cost of sponsorship?

Accepted Answer

The formal process begins with submission to this department of an application packet. For more detailed information, see Application Process.

Question 2

What topics qualify for a state highway marker?

Accepted Answer

To qualify for a state historical marker, the topic must be about a person, place, event or institution that has statewide or national significance. To see whether a potential topic would be eligible for the marker program, see information about marker criteria by opening the marker application at the top of Marker Application process page.

Question 3

Where can I find a list of state highway markers in Virginia?

Accepted Answer

There are several sources for lists of Virginia historical highway markers. If you follow the link External Database Search, it will take you to a page offering three options for searching Virginia’s highway markers online. Also, A Guidebook to Virginia’s Historical Markers, compiled by Scott Arnold and published in 2007, is available from most bookstores or directly from the University of Virginia Press.

Question 4

I noticed that a marker is missing or damaged—whom should I contact?

Accepted Answer

To report a marker that is missing or damaged, please contact Jennifer Loux at Jennifer.Loux@dhr.virginia.gov. Please, if possible, provide the title of the marker, the location, and when you noticed the marker was missing or damaged.

Question 5

What does the letter and number code mean at the top of each marker?

Accepted Answer

These represent the unique code assigned to each marker to identify it. When the marker program was created in the late 1920s, the letter on the sign usually referenced a specific road (for instance, the letter “E” was assigned to markers installed along U.S. Route 1) and the number differentiated each sign within a letter grouping. Today the department assigns an alpha-numeric code based on what letter is most prominently affixed on current signs in the region where a new marker is to be erected. The number given is the next available one. Please note, however, in a few cases during the history of the program, the same alpha-numeric code was mistakenly assigned to different signs.

Question 6

How many historical highway markers are erected in Virginia?

Accepted Answer

There are more than 2,600 roadside markers that carry approved historical inscriptions, highlighting sites, individuals, buildings, and events of statewide or national interest.

Question 7

What does an official Virginia historical highway marker look like?

Accepted Answer

Virginia historical highway markers are in most cases approximately 42-by-40 inches. The markers are painted silver and currently cast in aluminum with black lettering for the text, which appears on both sides of the sign. The signs also include each marker’s unique topic title and assigned alpha-numeric identification code; the Seal of the Commonwealth within an upside down equilateral triangle positioned at the top of the sign; and the following signature line along the bottom: “Department of Historic Resources, [and the year in which the marker was created].” Alternative signature lines on Virginia markers include the names of other agencies that once managed the program, specifically, the Department of Conservation and Historic Resources; the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission; the Virginia State Library; and the Conservation & Development Commission.

Question 8

What is the meaning of the markers tagged with a Z letter identifier and number and where can I find information about these signs?

Accepted Answer

Markers with the Z letter followed by a number at the top of the sign represent markers that are placed at a county or state line. Unlike other markers, each side of a Z marker has different texts–one side of the marker provides information on the jurisdiction a traveler is entering, while the other side gives information about the jurisdiction one is leaving. The 1948 edition of State Historical Markers of Virginia has a list of these signs and their locations. DHR hopes to be able to provide the public an updated list online of these marker locations in the future.

Question 9

Who can submit a topic?

Accepted Answer

Historical societies or organizations, fraternal organizations, colleges and universities, local governments, private organizations, or individuals able to fund the marker can propose a new marker by submitting an application packet to DHR. Ultimately, a new marker must be presented to the Virginia Board of Historic Resources, the body authorized to approve all historical markers. Markers currently cost $3,000. In localities where VDOT does not maintain the roadways, there is an additional $400 charge for the post on which the marker is installed. In some jurisdictions, there may be additional costs associated with installation. For more information about nominating a new marker, see Application Process.

Question 10

If a building, cemetery, historic district, or archaeological site is on the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register does it automatically qualify for a historical marker?

Accepted Answer

Historic resources listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register or the National Register of Historic Places may qualify for a historical marker only if the level of significance is regional, state or national. That is, listing on either the state or national register does not automatically qualify a site or building for a marker.

Question 11

Can houses of worship and cemeteries get historical markers?

Accepted Answer

A house of worship may qualify for a state historical marker if it: (1) was founded in the colonial period, (2) was founded by African Americans in the Emancipation/Reconstruction era, (3) was the first of a denomination in a locality, or (4) presents significant architectural qualities. Most other houses of worship would more appropriately be noted on a local marker. Cemeteries should be listed on the state or national historic registers or be the final resting place of someone significant in state or national history.

Question 12

Are marker program files available to the public?

Accepted Answer

The marker program&#8217;s records prior to 1967 are housed at the Library of Virginia. Files on markers erected after that date are available for review in DHR&#8217;s archives. While markers approved in recent years often have thick research files, those from earlier decades may have very little information. For a few markers, there is no file at all.

Question 13

Marker or Register--which is the program for me?

Accepted Answer

Marker
Register

Application process with deadlines based on quarterly schedule. Deadlines are in February, May, August, and October.
Nomination materials accepted any time of year. Nominations approved at quarterly board meetings (March, June, September, December).

Competitive application
Not competitive

Applicant/sponsor must pay for fabrication of marker (currently approx $3,000).
No cost to pursue register nomination, however, many property owners choose to hire an experienced consultant to prepare documentation because of complex technical requirements.

Topics of local significance do not qualify. Topics must be of regional, statewide, or national significance.
Properties may be listed under local, state or national level of significance.

Physical status of a place not a factor in marker topic selection. A building or site that has been demolished may still be a viable marker topic.
Physical status (integrity) plays an important role in determining if a building/site/neighborhood etc. qualifies for the Registers. Heavily altered buildings or locations may not qualify.

Process may take between a year and 15 months from initial application to installation.
Process may take up to a year from initiation of the process to approval by the National Park Service and often longer depending upon the complexity of the nomination.

Topics and final text must be approved by the governor-appointed Board of Historic Resources
Nomination materials must be approved by the governor-appointed Board of Historic Resources and the DHR Director-appointed State Review Board. After approval by these boards, the National Park Service provides final approval for listing in the National Register.

Highway markers, applications, and approvals do not have any bearing on grants or other incentive programs.
Successful listing in the Registers makes a property eligible for application to certain state and federal historic preservation grants, rehabilitation tax credits, and qualifies a property for DHR&#8217;s Easement program.

Markers are not honorific in nature. Their purpose is educational rather than celebratory.
The purpose of listing a property in the Registers is for documentation and planning purposes and to acknowledge that a place is worthy of preservation. A resulting benefit of listing in the Registers is that a property becomes eligible for application to certain state and federal historic preservation grants, rehabilitation tax credits, and DHR&#8217;s Easement program.

Marcador	Registro
Proceso de solicitud con plazos basados en el cronograma trimestral. Las fechas límite son en febrero, mayo, agosto y octubre.	Materiales de nominación aceptados en cualquier época del año. Nominaciones aprobadas en reuniones trimestrales de la junta (marzo, junio, septiembre, diciembre).
Aplicación competitiva	No competitivo
El solicitante / patrocinador debe pagar por la fabricación del marcador (actualmente aproximadamente $3,000).	Sin costo para buscar la nominación del registro, sin embargo, muchos propietarios optan por contratar a un consultor experimentado para preparar la documentación debido a los complejos requisitos técnicos.
Los temas de importancia local no califican. Los temas deben ser de importancia regional, estatal o nacional.	Las propiedades pueden enumerar bajo nivel de importancia local, estatal o nacional.
El estado físico de un lugar no es un factor en la selección del tema del marcador. Un edificio o sitio que fue demolido aún puede ser un tema de marcador viable.	El estado físico (integridad) juega un papel importante en la determinación de si un edificio/sitio/vecindario, etc. califica para los Registros. Es posible que los edificios o ubicaciones muy alterados no califiquen.
El proceso puede demorar entre un año y 15 meses desde la solicitud inicial hasta la instalación.	El proceso puede demorar hasta un año desde el inicio del proceso hasta la aprobación por parte del Servicio de Parques Nacionales y, a menudo, más dependiendo de la complejidad de la nominación.
Los temas y el texto final deben ser aprobados por la Junta de Recursos Históricos designada por el gobernador	Los materiales de nominación deben ser aprobados por la Junta de Recursos Históricos designada por el gobernador y la Junta de Revisión Estatal designada por el Director del DHR. Luego de la aprobación de estas juntas, el Servicio de Parques Nacionales proporciona la aprobación final para su inclusión en el Registro Nacional.
Los marcadores, solicitudes y aprobaciones de carreteras no tienen ninguna relación con las subvenciones u otros programas de incentivos.	La inclusión exitosa en los Registros hace que una propiedad sea elegible para la solicitud de ciertas subvenciones estatales y federales de preservación histórica, créditos fiscales de rehabilitación y califica una propiedad para el programa de servidumbre de DHR.
Los marcadores no son de naturaleza honorífica. Su propósito es educativo más que festivo.	El propósito de incluir una propiedad en los Registros es con fines de documentación y planeación y para reconocer que un lugar es digno de preservación. Un beneficio resultante de la inclusión en los Registros es que una propiedad se vuelve elegible para la solicitud de ciertas subvenciones estatales y federales de preservación histórica, créditos fiscales de rehabilitación y el programa de servidumbre del DHR.

Marcadores de carreteras

Información

Enlaces importantes

Preguntas frecuentes

Contáctenos

Jennifer Loux

Revisión federal y estatal

Arqueología submarina

Registros históricos

Gobierno local certificado

Archivos de DHR

Divulgación comunitaria

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