Are there grants available for fixing up my old house?

Unfortunately, there are no grants available for restoring private residences or commercial buildings. However, people who own and renovate qualified historic commercial or residential properties may qualify for certain tax breaks. For more information about tax incentives for preservation, see our informational brief on Tax Benefits for Owners of Historic Buildings, or contact the Indiana Landmarks office nearest you.

Indiana Landmarks makes grants available to nonprofit organizations for professional architectural and engineering feasibility studies and other preservation consulting services, as well as organizational development and fundraising projects. The grants may not be used for physical restoration work.

Can you tell me if my house is historic?

Generally, a property must be at least 50 years old to be considered historic. Outstanding properties may be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s list of official landmarks. Properties listed in the Register have a demonstrated significance to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture.

Currently Indiana has more than 1,000 individual sites and over 150 historic districts listed in the Register. To see if a property is listed, check:

The National Park Service

http://www.nps.gov/nr/  

The Indiana Division of Preservation and Archaeology

http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/2823.htm 

How do I get my property listed in the National Register?

Anybody willing to undertake the necessary research and fill out the required forms can nominate anything to the National Register. However, the National Register recognizes only outstanding old properties, and it’s up to the nominator to prove that the property is outstanding.

The National Register is administered and maintained on the federal level by the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, and on the state level by the Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

For more information on nominating a property, request a copy of our National Register brochure, or contact DHPA.  

I want to fix up my old house. Do I have to get permission from you?

No. Contrary to what many people think, owners of historic properties have the freedom to modify their properties as they wish.

Even for places listed in the National Register, there are no restrictions on what you as a private owner can do with or to your property, providing you are not using federal or state money to do it. If you want to alter your property—and you are using private funds—you can do whatever you like. Any restrictions on what you can do with or to your privately owned property come from local or city ordinances.

If you live in a locally designated historic district, you will have to contact your local historic preservation commission for guidelines for making approved alterations to your property. In addition, Indiana Landmarks has covenants or easements on approximately 650 structures in Indiana. Exterior changes to those properties require our permission.

How do I find out if I live in a locally designated historic district?

The first step is to call your local government to find out if there is a local preservation commission. If so, the commission should be able to tell you if your home is in a locally designated historic district. Or you can also call the Indiana Landmarks office nearest you for further help.

Can you refer me to contractors who work on historic properties?

Indiana Landmarks maintains a database of contractors who have indicated willingness to working on historic properties, and who have asked to be listed. However, caveat emptor! We do not pre-qualify or endorse these contractors in any way. It is up to you to check references and decide if a contractor is right for you. To receive information from our contractor database, contact the director of our Library and Information Center at 800-450-4534, 317-639-4534 or sstanis@indianalandmarks.org.

For additional information on working with contractors, use our information request form  or call to ask for a copy of our “Hiring a Contractor” brochure. You might also check Angie’s List, a membership-based organization that rates and reviews service contractors in selected cities.

Where can I find out more about my historic property?

There are a number of places to begin tracking down information about a particular building. A good place to start is Indiana Landmarks’ “Historic House Research Handbook” a booklet describing the process and sources useful in tracking down the history of a property. For additional resources, contact the director of our Library and Information Center at 800-450-4534, 317-639-4534 or sstanis@indianalandmarks.org.