A National Historic Landmark District (NHLD) is a geographical area that has received recognition from the United States Government that the buildings, landscapes, cultural features and archaeological resources within it are of the highest significance and worthy of preservation.
Once designated an NHL District, districts often become cultural destinations and generate economic benefits for the communities from history-related tourism.[1] NHLDs often qualify for preservation grant monies but dramatic or negative change to them can impact their integrity and create cause for concern over the loss of NHLD designation.[2] These threats can come from development or climate change as evidenced most recently with the catastrophic damage to the Lahaina NHLD from wildfires.
One of the largest NHLDs is the island of Nantucket, Massachusetts at over 30,000 acres; some are much smaller, including the Cobblestone National Historic Landmark District in New York state, which is under one acre in size.
Distribution by state
There are just over 100 National Historic Landmark Districts in the U.S., including: