HISTORIC CEMETERIES - The City and Borough of Juneau

IINTRODUCflONHistoric PreservationThe Survey and Inventory of Historic Cemeteries in Douglas, Alaska is a continuation of theCity and Borough of Juneau Community Development Department's efforts to identify,survey, and preserve historic resources. The historic cemeteries tell a unique story of thepeople of the areaand are deserving of recognition as such. With this in mind, a goal of thisproject was to use survey information to evaluate the historic resources for theirpotentialeligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.Thepreservation of our country's cultural resources is imperative and efforts to accomplishthis task are evident in the actions of government andprivate citizens alike. Many of theseefforts began withthe Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Historic Sites Act of 1935 whichestablished the National Historic Landmarks Survey. The National Historic Preservation Actof 1966 authorized the National Register of Historic Places, expanding Federal recognition tohistoric properties of local and state significance.The National Register of Historic Places is the official Federal list of districts, sites, objects,buildings, and structures significant in American history, architecture, archeology,engineering, and culture. Significance may be found in four aspects of American historyrecognized by the National Register Criteria:Criterion ACriterion BCriterion CCriterion DAssociation with historic events or activitiesAssociation with important persons,Distinctive design or physical characteristics, orPotential to provide important information about prehistory or history.TheNational Register is administrated by the National Park Service in partnership withtheState Historic Preservation Officer. Communities, such as the City and Borough of Juneau,having a certified local historic preservation program, called Certified Local Governments(CLGs), make recommendations, based on identification and surveys such as this one, to theSHPO on the eligibility of properties within their community.Cemeteries may be eligible for listing on the National Register under Criteria A, B, or C (asidentified above) provided they meet special requirements known as Criteria Considerations.Cemeteries nominated under Criterion D for the importance they may yield do not need tomeet the special requirements. Again from Bulletin #41: "Though the tradition of cleaningup and beautifying old cemeteries is a long one, the current interest in these subjects partlyowes to widespread incidents of abandonment, theft, vandalism, real estate development, andenvironmental hazards such as acid rain, which have pushed cemeteries to the forefront ofpreservation issues. National Register listing is an important step in preserving cemeteriesbecause such recognition often sparks community interest in the importance of these sites inconveying the story of its past. Listing also gives credibility to State and local efforts toInventory andSurvey ofHistoric Cemeteries in Douglas, Alaska Page 2