Architectural Surveys
Identifying What’s Worth Saving
Federal law requires each state to complete a survey of historic places. Indiana’s State Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology (DHPA) is responsible for the inventory.
Find Places Worth Saving in Every Indiana County
The information gathered by the Indiana Historic Sites and Structures Inventory has many uses and can be a valuable tool for saving, revitalizing, and preserving Hoosier landmarks, downtowns, and neighborhoods.
From 1978 to 2012, Indiana Landmarks partnered with DHPA to conduct surveys on a county-by-county basis, completing 85 of the 92 counties. The inventories were funded in part by grants from the U.S. Department of Interior, National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund program, administered by DHPA. Remaining counties were surveyed by other entities, including DHPA.
Because the survey began prior to digital data collection, we produced a printed report for each county that includes a list of all inventoried structures with ratings, brief histories of cities and towns, photographs and maps, and recommendations for potential listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Some reports remain available, some are out of print, and some have since been digitized.
Indiana Landmarks partnered with the University Library of Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis (IUPUI) to make out-of-print survey reports available online. Visit the library’s online digital collection or see the list below for more information.
The Indiana State Historic Architectural and Archaeological Research Database (SHAARD), maintained by DHPA also provides access to limited survey records. The inventory of SHAARD records continues to grow as more non-digital information is added. SHAARD also contains a GIS component to facilitate searches. Access SHAARD here.
Indiana Landmarks’ research library, located at our state headquarters, maintains a copy of each out-of-print report, which can be photocopied for a fee or scanned. (Local libraries in each county may have out-of-print reports in their research or lending collections.)
To purchase a survey report in print, or make an appointment to use the library’s research copy of an out-of-print report, contact Indiana Landmarks, 800-450-4534, 317-639-4534 or sstanis@indianalandmarks.org.
Reports Available for Purchase from Indiana Landmarks
Bartholomew, Benton, Blackford, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Decatur, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Fulton, Madison, Marion-Center Twp., Marion-Decatur/Perry/Franklin Twp., Marion-Pike/Lawrence Twp., Marion-Warren Twp., Marion-Washington Twp., Marion-Wayne Twp., Newton, Orange, Parke, Posey, Pulaski, Spencer, St. Joseph, St. Joseph-Mishawaka, St. Joseph-South Bend, Starke, Sullivan, Switzerland, Tipton, Union, Wabash, Warren, Washington, Wayne, and White.
Digitized Reports Accessible Through IUPUI Library
Boone, Brown, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, Dearborn, DeKalb, Delaware, Dubois, Elkhart, Fountain, Gibson/Warrick, Grant, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Harrison, Hendricks, Henry, Howard, Huntington, Jackson, Jasper, Jay, Jefferson, Jennings, Johnson, Knox, Kosciusko, Lake, LaPorte, Lawrence, Marshall, Miami, Montgomery, Morgan, Noble, Ohio, Owen, Perry, Porter, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Switzerland, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, Warrick/Gibson, and Whitley.
Six counties—Adams, Allen, LaGrange, Monroe, Steuben, Warren, and Wells—were surveyed by other organizations. To view results, consult the SHAARD database.