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Office of History and Archaeology news

Staff Updates: The State of Alaska currently has a hiring freeze in place and as of December 31, 2025, OHA has six vacancies. Until hiring waivers are approved and positions are backfilled, current OHA staff are in acting status: Sarah Meitl, Acting Chief, and Amy Hellmich, Acting Review and Compliance Coordinator.

OHA wants to give a big thank you and wish Abby Charles, our former Survey Unit Historian, the best of luck in her future endeavors! We will miss you Abby!

We want to thank everyone who was able to attend our workshop on April 24, 2026! Thank you for coming (in-person and virtually) and for the great conversations we had! If you missed it or would like copies of the presentation slides, please visit OHA’s webpage at 2026 Annual Workshop.

Nominations from Alaska: One of the Nation’s most recent listings is from Alaska. On June 12, 2026, the Keeper listed the Rohn CCC Cabin and Tatina Aviation Field Reserve located at the confluence of the South Fork of the Kuskokwim River and the Tatina (formerly Rohn) river in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area.

National Register Listing: Rohn CCC Cabin and Tatina Aviation Field Reserve, Confluence of the South Fork of the Kuskokwim River and the Tatina (formerly Rohn) river, Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, listed 6/12/2026. (Reference Number SG100013113).

Contact Information: OHA encourages sending inquiries and requests to the email addresses listed below.

To send by email:

Section 106: oha.revcomp@alaska.gov
State Permits: oha.permits@alaska
AHRS: oha.ibs@alaska.gov
Grants: ohagrants@alaska.gov
Surveys and Research: adam.brinkman@alaska.gov
General Inquiries: dnr.oha@alaska.gov

To send by USPS or other courier:

Alaska State Historic Preservation Office
c/o Office of History and Archaeology
550 W 7th Ave, Suite 1310
Anchorage, AK 99501

America250 Program: The America250-Alaska planning team has accomplished the following tasks to encourage broad, statewide participation:

• Launched Website: https://america250.alaska.gov/, from which all Alaskans can submit organization activities to the online calendar;
• Spotlight state and national activities via Facebook: America250Alaska; Instagram: alaskaamerica250; and YouTube: (coming soon);
• Set up Email: america250@alaska.gov

America250 Traveling Exhibit: The Alaska Office of History and Archaeology has created a traveling exhibit, Alaska's Fields of Dreams: America's Pastime in the 49^th State, for the America250 Alaska project. The exhibit consists of nine free-standing, 80" x 33.5" banners. The banners tell the history of Alaska Baseball, from the Indigenous version of the game to the Alaska Baseball League. Reserving the exhibit is free, except for shipping. To learn more, contact OHA's exhibit coordinator, Katie Ringsmuth at katie.ringsmuth@alaska.gov.

The America250 Week of Dreams is here! The full schedule of events in Anchorage and Fairbanks can be found here: Week of Dreams - America250-Alaska.

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Alaska Legislation

State funding for OHA
Governor Dunleavy signed the State Appropriations Operating Budget bill (HB 263) into law on June 24, 2026. The enacted FY27 Operating budget for OHA is $6,656,800.00 with 20 staff members. This will be the first year where OHA’s total funding is consolidated within the Operating budget rather than split between Operating and Capital budgets.

Federal Legislation

2027 Federal Funding
The FY27 budget process in Congress continues:

The House Appropriations Committee held a full markup on the FY27 House Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations bill in early June and voted 35-27 along party lines to advance the bill. The bill would fund the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) at $163.65 million, which is $17.409 million below FY26 enacted levels. Here is a breakdown of the proposed HPF funding levels in this version of the bill (numbers from Preservation Action, Volume 26, Number 16 [June 5, 2026]):

• $62.150 million for SHPOs (same as FY26)
• $23.750 million for THPOs (same as FY26)
• $25.5 million for the Save America’s Treasures grant program (same as FY26)
• $30.25 million for Competitive Grant Sub-activity (same as FY26)
• $11 million for the HBCU Preservation Grant Program (same as FY26)
• $7 million for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant program ($906,000 below FY26)
• $4 million for the Semiquinncentennial Grant Program ($907,000 below FY26)
• Congressional Directed Spending for HPF projects not included ($15.596 million below FY26).

The bill also includes a one-year authorization for the HPF, which currently runs through September. The House Interior Appropriations bill includes $3.2 billion for the National Park Service, $42 million below FY26 enacted levels. The bill also includes $6.2 million for the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, $2.085 million below FY26 enacted levels, a more than 25% cut. The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities is funded at $135 million each, $72 million below FY26 enacted levels. The bill also includes level funding for the Heritage Partnership Program which supports National Heritage Areas at $30.985 million and funds Cultural Programs at $40.327 million, a $1 million increase.

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Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

ACHP Business Meeting
The ACHP had their business meeting on June 4 in Washington, DC. A brief summary of the meeting can be found here, as well as a link to full recording: ACHP Meets for June 2026 Business Meeting | Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The next ACHP Business Meeting will take place on September 30, 2026.

eLearning
ACHP announces that three of their eLearning courses are now back online! These include “What is Section 106?”; “What Now? Protecting Historic Properties During Disaster Response”; and “Section 304 and Confidentiality”. Visit the eLearning course webpage (e-Learning Courses | Advisory Council on Historic Preservation) to check out these updated courses.

Preserve the Past, Build for the Future Webinar Series
The ACHP is offering four free webinars this year as part of their “Preserve the Past, Build for the Future 2026” Webinar Series. More information and registration links can be found here: Preserve the Past, Build For the Future Webinar Series | Advisory Council on Historic Preservation

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National Park Service

Tribal Heritage Grant (P25AS00501)
The Department of the Interior (DOI) in cooperation with the National Park Service’s (NPS) Tribal Heritage Grants Program (THG) is now accepting applications for competitive grants. The Tribal Heritage Grants Program focuses on protecting oral histories, traditional cultural practices, sacred and historic places, and enabling the establishment of tribal historic preservation offices. The THG Program is funded by the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and is administered by the DOI/NPS. Congress has appropriated approximately $900,000 for the Tribal Heritage Grants Program (THG) for FY2025. Applications are due July 27, 2026.

More information on the THG and applying can be found here: Tribal Heritage Grants - Historic Preservation Fund (U.S. National Park Service)


Semiquincentennial Grant Program (P25AS00503)
The National Park Service is accepting applications for the fourth round of funding for the Semiquincentennial Grant Program. This was created by Congress in 2020 to support the preservation of sites and structures listed on the NRHP that commemorate the founding of the nation. For the purposes of this grant program, the “founding of the nation” is defined as the period ending in 1815. Applications are due June 30, 2026.

More information can be found here: Semiquincentennial Grant Opportunity (U.S. National Park Service)


History of Equal Rights Grant Program (HER) (P25AS00499)
The Department of the Interior (DOI) in cooperation with the National Park Service's (NPS) History of Equal Rights (HER) is now accepting applications for competitive grants. The History of Equal Rights Grant focuses on preserving sites related to the struggle for any or all people to achieve equal rights in America. The History of Equal Rights grants are not limited to any specific group and are intended to include the broadest possible interpretation of sites associated with efforts to achieve equal rights. Applications are due July 21, 2026. More information can be found here: History of Equal Rights (HER)


Underrepresented Communities Grant Program (URC) (P25AS00510)
The Department of the Interior (DOI) in cooperation with the National Park Service (NPS) Underrepresented Communities Grant Program (URC) is now accepting applications for competitive grants. The purpose of the URC grant program is to expand the listings associated with communities currently underrepresented in the National Register of Historic Places and among National Historic Landmarks. Applications are due July 7, 2026. More information can be found here: Underrepresented Communities Grants


African American Civil Rights Grant Program (AACR) (P25AS00495 & P25AS00496)
The Department of the Interior (DOI) in cooperation with the National Park Service's (NPS) African American Civil Rights Grant Program (AACR) is now accepting applications for competitive grants. The African American Civil Rights Grant focuses on preserving and protecting sites and stories associated with the struggle for equality from the transatlantic slave trade forward. The AACR Preservation Grant funds physical preservation work and pre-preservation planning activities for sites that are listed in or determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or as a National Historic Landmark. Should a site not be listed, or not listed for its association with equal rights, then a new nomination or amendment must be created as part of the grant project. The AACR History Grant funds historic resource surveys, oral history projects, electronic programming development, cemetery and archaeological surveys, and research projects. Applications for both grants are due July 14, 2026. More information can be found here: African American Civil Rights Grant Program

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Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP)

Forum 2026
The APIAHiP’s biennial National Forum returns September 10-13 in Denver and Aurora, Colorado. Early Bird registration rates end on June 30 and Scholarship applications for attending are open June 1 – June 30. More information can be found here: 2026 — APIAHiP

Placekeepers Fund
The APIAHiP’s Placekeepers Fund is in place to distribute resources directly to communities that are working to document, recognize, and preserve historic sites that are important to Asian and Pacific Islander American history. There are two types of grants available: Designation and Planning Grants and On-Site Preservation Grants. The deadline to apply is June 30. More information can be found here: Placekeepers Fund | Preserve Heritage - Apply Today — APIAHiP

Preservation Field Guide is live. This free educational resource is built for communities that are new to historic preservation, centering APIA places and histories from the ground up: Preservation Field Guide | Explore Preservation Insights - Join Us Today — APIAHiP

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National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)

Protecting Native Places Grants
NATHPO’s 2026 Protecting Native Places (PNP) Grant applications are opening July 13, 2026. Grant awards will be $40,000 each again. They will be issuing 25 grants for a total of $1,000,000 in regrants to further assist THPOs in their work preserving sacred and cultural resources. The applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The applications open July 13, 2026 and close on July 31, 2026, or whenever they reach 25 applicants, whichever comes first. PNP grants are only available to full NATHPO members in good standing and 2026 PNP Grants are only open to full NATHPO members who DID NOT receive a grant in 2025. More information can be found here: Grant Opportunities - National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO).

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National Trust for Historic Preservation

New President and CEO
On June 22, the Board of Trustees for National Trust for Historic Preservation unanimously elected Brent Leggs as the organization’s 11th President and CEO. Leggs previously served as executive director of the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, a division of the National Trust that he founded in 2017 through which he raised more than $200 million to preserve historic places across the country. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the National Trust organization to his new role. He succeeds Carol Quillen, who served as the National Trust’s President and CEO since January 2024. See here for more information: Brent Leggs Unanimously Elected as the 11th President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation | National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Heritage Now! Campaign
The National Trust for Historic Preservation and several other national, and international organizations are part of the Heritage Now! Global campaign to harness the potential of built heritage for a resilient, climate positive and just Future. As part of this campaign, there is a series of webinars over the summer: Upcoming Webinars | National Trust for Historic Preservation.
The next webinar in the series is Heritage-Informed Decarbonization Around the Globe on July 16. Recordings of the previous webinars can be found on YouTube.

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Public Projects Alert

Section 106 large project consultation in progress:

Graphite One Mine near Nome, USACE

Safer Seward Highway, MP 98.5-118, DOT&PF

Seward to Glenn Connection PEL, DOT&PF

Chilkoot National Historic Trail Comprehensive Trail Plan, NPS

Iditarod National Historic Trail Comprehensive Trail Plan Revision, BLM

Cook Inlet LNG, FERC

AK LNG, FERC

Ambler Mining District Access Road, AIDEA

West Susitna Access Road, USACE

Nikolai Nickel, USACE

Cold Bay – King Cove Road, USACE

Review and compliance agreement development for large projects in progress:

West Susitna Access Road, DOT&PF

Programmatic Agreement

USFS Heritage Program

Programmatic Agreement Amendment

USFS Sustainable Cabins

Programmatic Agreement

NPS Dyea and the Chilkoot Trail

Programmatic Agreement

For information on how to participate in the process, or on how to review and comment on the above projects, contact Amy Hellmich, amy.hellmich@alaska.gov.

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Heritage Subscription Information

Heritage is produced by the Office of History and Archaeology, Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation, Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Please send your comments, suggestions, and information by e-mail to dnr.oha@alaska.gov, mail to 550 West 7th Ave., Suite 1310, Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3565, or telephone 907.269.8700.

All issues are posted to our web site at dnr.alaska.gov/parks/oha and distributed to subscribers by e-mail. A paper copy can be sent to individuals and organizations that specifically request it.

To be added to the subscription list, please send an e-mail to dnr.oha@alaska.gov with "Heritage, subscribe" in the subject line.

If you do not wish to continue to receive Heritage, please send an e-mail to dnr.oha@alaska.gov with "Heritage, unsubscribe" in the subject line.

Much like the OHA office, the Heritage Newsletter is entering a stage of transition. We are working on updating our mailing list and delivery system. We will have more information on the future of the newsletter and its delivery soon.

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Preservation Calendar

2026

JUNE

• June 27 - July 4 – Alaska’s Week of Dreams. For a complete schedule of events and other America250-Alaska programs, visit: Home - America250-Alaska.
  
  

• June 30 – Deadline to apply for the NPS’s Semiquincentennial Grant Program: Semiquincentennial Grant Opportunity (U.S. National Park Service).
  
  

JULY

• July 27 – Deadline to apply for Tribal Heritage Grant through NPS’s Tribal Heritage Grants Program: Tribal Heritage Grants - Historic Preservation Fund (U.S. National Park Service)
  
  

• July 31 – Deadline to apply for NATHPO’s 2026 Protecting Native Places grants: Grant Opportunities - National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)
  
  

SEPTEMBER

• September 10-13 – Biennial National APIAHiP Forum in Denver and Aurora, Colorado: 2026 — APIAHiP
  
  

• September 21 – Alaska Historical Commission meeting, Anchorage.
  
  

• September 22-25 – Council of Geographic Names Authorities (CoGNA) Annual Conference in Sacramento, California: Annual Conference
  
  

• September 30 – ACHP Business Metting, time and location tbd.
  
  

OCTOBER

• October 7-10 – Alaska Historical Society, Homer
  
  

• October 7-10 – Museums Alaska Annual Conference, Juneau
  
  

2027

MARCH

• March 3-7 – Sharing Our Knowledge conference, Ketchikan. For more information and volunteer opportunities, contact Joaqlin Estus at jmestus50@gmail.com