Historic Contexts

As stated in The Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, "the development of historic contexts is the foundation for decisions about the identification, evaluation, registration and treatment of historic properties, and surveys." A historic context provides the basis for evaluating significance and integrity. It groups information about historic properties that have common theme, place, or time. Historic contexts are intended to provide a framework for identifying and evaluating resources by focusing on and explaining what aspects of geography, history and culture significantly shaped the physical development of a community or region's land use patterns and built environment over time, what important property types are associated with those development patterns, why they are important, and what characteristics they need to have to be considered an important representation of their type and context. More information on writing a historic context and preparing multiple property documentation can be found in the National Register Bulletin: How to Complete the National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form, National Register Bulletin: Technical Information on Comprehensive Planning, Survey of Cultural Resources, and Registration in the National Register of Historic Places, and this Sample Outline.

The following are historic contexts and multiple property documents that have been developed nationwide and within Alaska. Historic contexts that have been formally accepted by the Keeper of the National Register are noted with MPD after the title. The predecessor to multiple property nominations was thematic nominations; those formally accepted by the Keeper are noted with TR after the name.

Nationwide Contexts:

• Historical Residential Suburbs in the United States, 1830-1960 MPD

• Light Stations of the United States MPD

• Growth Efficiency and Modernism: GSA Buildings of the 1950s 60s and 70s

• Public Housing in the United States, 1933-1949 MPD

• A Model for Identifying and Evaluating the Historic Significance of Post-World War II Housing

• Nationwide Historic Context Study of US Army Reserve Centers

• Context Study of US Quartermaster General Standardized Plans 1866-1942

• Thematic Study for Identification and Evaluation of US Army Cold War Era Military Industrial Properties

• USPS Facilities 1940-1971

Transportation Contexts

• Alaska Roads Historic Overview: Applied Context of Alaska's Roads

• Methodology for Assessing NRHP Eligibility of Alaska's Roads

• DOT Section 106 PA (full text)

• Section 106 PA Appendix J – Historic Roads Consideration for Standard Consultation Projects

• Bridging Alaska: Historic Context for the Inventory of Alaska's Highway Bridges DRAFT

• Historic Properties Associated with the Valdez Trail, 1898-1943: Transportation along the Valdez Trail MPD

• Historic Context Report for Transit Rail System Development

• Early Transportation Routes Fort Wainwright, Alaska

Mining Contexts

• Prospects and Producers: Historic Context for Mining Properties, Chugach and Tongass National Forests, Alaska, 1850s-1950s

• Historic Properties Associated with Mineral Development in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, Alaska, 1898-1942 MPD

• Early Mining History: Fort Wainwright and Fort Greely, Alaska

• Kantishna Historic Mining Resources of Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Community Contexts

• South Addition Historic Context Statement & Building Survey - Anchorage, Alaska

Military Contexts

• The Architecture of the Department of Defense: A Military Style Guide

• Alaska Federal Scout Readiness Centers (FSRCs), 1959-1974

• Military Development and Infrastructure, Glacier Bay Vicinity: Second World War Facilities in the Glacier Bay Region, 1939-1946 MPD

• Elmendorf Air Force Base Volume I Historic Context of World War II Buildings and Structures

• LORAN- A Historic Context

• History of the Aircraft Control and Warning Systems in Alaska: Air Defense of Arctic Skies

• The Coldest Front: Cold War Military Properties in Alaska

• Nike Hercules Operations in Alaska: 1959-1979

• Northern Defenders: Cold War Context of Ladd Air Force Base Fairbanks, Alaska 1947-1961

• Cold War Historical Context 1951-1991 Fort Richardson, Alaska

• Defending Attack from the North: Alaska's Forward Operating Bases during the Cold War

• The WWII Heritage of Ladd Field

Recreation Development and Management Contexts

• The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Historic Properties in Alaska: Admiralty Island Civilian Conservation Corps Canoe Route, 1933-1937 MPD

• Historic Context and Evaluation of Ranger Boats in Alaska Chugach and Tongass National Forests

• Everyone's Cabin in the Woods: Historic Context for Public Recreation Cabins in the Alaska Region (USFS) 1960-1971

• Patrol Cabins, Mount McKinley National Park TR

• Rediscovery, Scientific Study, and Tourism within Glacier Bay Region MPD

• Tourism and Early Park Development Resources of Katmai National Park and Preserve MPD

Exploration/Settlement/Homesteading Contexts

• Homesteading and Related Settlement, Glacier Bay Region: Homesteads and Homesites at Strawberry Point, Dundas Bay, and Lituya Bay 1914-1964 MPD

• The Settlement and Economic Development of Alaska's Matanuska-Susitna Valley MPD

• European Exploration and Expansion in the Glacier Bay Region: European Exploration, Exploitation, and Impact Upon the Fairweather Coast and Glacier Bay, 1741-1841 MPD

• Yukon River Lifeways TR

Other

• Deconstructing Ubiquity: The Interpretative Value of Metal Drum Containers. Andrew Higgs, Northern Land Use Research Alaska, LLC, Fairbanks, Alaska. January 2017.

• An Overview of Alaska's Prehistoric Culture. Office of History and Archaeology Report 173

Architectural Context

• Mid-20th Century Architecture in Alaska