National Register

About the National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's list of cultural resources considered worthy of preservation. In Tennessee, the staff of the Tennessee Historical Commission administers this program in coordination with the National Park Service. 

There are over 2000 entries in the National Register from Tennessee. Every county in the state has at least one entry. Types of properties listed in Tennessee include homes, businesses, schools, bridges, cemeteries, churches, boats, archaeological sites, and historic districts with many properties. Listed properties have importance in history, architecture, or archaeology. Benefits of listing may be found here.

If you have questions about the National Register program, please see our new National Register FAQ page! This page addresses some of our most commonly asked questions, including what the National Register of Historic Places program is, what listing means for property owners, and what kinds of benefits accompany National Register listing. If the FAQ does not address your question or you still have concerns, please contact National Register staff directly at National.Register@tn.gov. 

Are you wanting to do work on a National Register-listed property, but want to make sure that the work does not affect the property's listed status? Our Technical Preservation Team is here to answer your questions! You can contact them directly at THC.Rehab@tn.gov. When you contact them please include as much information as possible including your name, contact information, the National Register-listed property you have a question about, and information on the proposed work.      

Are you interested in listing a property or district in the National Register? Please see our Listing Process page for more information!

Have you ever wondered what a bird's eye view of Tennessee's National Register-listed properties looks like?

You can now view National Register-listed properties on our Viewer, either by searching for a specific address or simply exploring the Viewer using the pan feature. National Register-listed properties are identified by purple triangles and polygons. Every public listing has a triangle. Some also have a polygon identifying the National Register boundaries. To view a listing, select the Identify button and then click on one of the purple triangles. To view the National Register documentation, you can search the listing name in NARA's online database or contact THC National Register Staff. 

The process of mapping is on-going, and additional polygons will periodically be added to the viewer. The viewer does not include points for restricted nominations, like archeological sites. Historic districts do not have a triangle for every included building, so check surrounding points to see if a property may be included in a district. If you do not see a particular site or point, please let our National Register staff know and we will be more than happy to clarify any questions you have. 

We encourage you to explore our many National Register-listed properties, and we are excited about what you may find in your own community!

All National Register inquiries and information packets should be emailed to National.Register@tn.gov.

NEW: Most of Tennessee’s National Register nominations are now available from the National Archives (NARA). The NARA versions usually have correspondence and maps available, where those on the National Register site do not. Most nominations submitted before 2015 are available. Any copies not on either of these sites can be obtained from our office.