Utah Preservation Magazine | Photo Documentation | Research Your House | Measuring Floor Plans
Information and ResearchThe State Historic Preservation Office maintains files on hundreds of historic buildings throughout the state. Local historic preservation commissions also keep files on buildings in the community.
Contact us to find out if we have information on your building.
Cory Jensen at (801) 533-3559 or fax: (801) 533-3503
State Historic Preservation Office
Utah Division of State History
300 S. Rio Grande Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Here are some helpful resources:
How to Research Your House (PDF)
A description of the many resources that you should consult when researching your house.
Survey Forms and Guidelines
Intensive Level Surveys (ILS) involve three separate tasks: (A) research on the property and its owners, (B) documentation
of the property's physical appearance, and (C) completion of the Historic Site Form.
Reconnaissance Level Surveys (RLS) are required for all proposed historic districts and are conducted by professional architectural historians. These surveys involve photographing and mapping all buildings in the district, recording their
basic characteristics (such as style, materials, plan, and estimated age), and assessing whether or not they contribute to
the historic character of the district.
Utah Preservation: Building on the Past
Articles on successful preservation efforts across the state can be found in this periodical. Brief article descriptions are available online.
Guidelines for Photographing Historic Buildings
Recommendations on the equipment, film and techniques to employ when photographing historic buildings in order to
produce the best possible photographic documentation.
Guidelines for Measuring Historic Building Floor Plans
Recommendations on the tools, measuring techniques and drawing techniques to employ when developing floor plans of historic buildings in order to produce the best possible documentation.
How to Read an Historic Building
The National Park Service has prepared this online course which is specially designed to help you identify those tangible elements or features that give historic buildings their unique visual character.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS)
The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) operates under congressional authority from the Historic Sites Act of 1935
to document historic structures and make available to the public, an archive of records of America's architectural heritage.
You can now search their site to view drawings and photos online!