The Keeper of the Register (more formally known as the Keeper of the National Register of Historic Places) is a National Park Service (NPS) official, responsible for deciding on the eligibility of historic properties for inclusion on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). ^{[1] [2]}

The Keeper of the Register role was created following the 1966 enactment of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The NHPA declared a national policy focus on preserving significant historic sites, and it has been amended several times since it was first enacted. The NHPA authorized the Secretary of the Interior to maintain a National Register of Historic Places, which has been delegated to the Keeper by the Director of the National Parks Service. ^[3]

The first person to hold the office was William J. Murtagh, whose term ran from 1967 through 1979. The Keeper's authority may be delegated as they see fit. ^[2] The State Historic Preservation Officer for each state submits nominations to the Keeper. Upon receipt, the Keeper has 45 days to decide whether to add the property to the NRHP. ^{[2] [4] [5]}

The Keeper of the Register role is supported by several regional reviewers, who review submissions for inclusion on the NHRP. ^[6] This team also is supported by several archaeologists, archivists, and historians. ^[6]

List of Keepers

• William J. Murtagh – 1967 ^[7]-1979 ^{[8][ self-published source]}
• Jerry L. Rogers – approximately 1981-1994
• Carol D. Shull – Acting Keeper 1979–1980, Keeper 1994–2005, Interim Keeper 2009 to January 3, 2015
• Jan Snyder Matthews – 2005–2009
• Stephanie Toothman – Keeper January 4, 2015 – June 2, 2017
• J. Paul Loether - Keeper June 3, 2017 – June 25, 2018
• Joy Beasley (NPS Associate Director, Cultural Resources Partnerships and Science) - Keeper July 2018 – current

References

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