Several types of historic districts exist and they serve different purposes. Wabash is fortunate to have all types of historic districts which protect the character of our historic downtown and neighborhoods, promote a sense of pride within our community, support our tourism efforts and allow building owners to take advantage of rehabilitation tax credits.
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The National Register is a list of properties that the National Park Services feels worthy of preservation because those places are significant to American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering or culture. The National Register is an important program, because the recognition of the properties listed helps boost awareness of a historic property’s significance, which gives a community a sense of pride and often draws tourists. Also, building owners that own properties that are listed in the National Register can use rehabilitation tax credits on qualifying work to their buildings and homes.
There are many misconceptions that go along with the National Register of Historic Places. It is important to understand that the National Register is a recognition program only and private building owners can do what they wish to their property. Many people think that if their building or home is listed in the Register that there are restrictions placed on their property, that they have to pay more taxes, or that they have to open their home for tours during certain times of the year. These are misconceptions that go along with this program, and simply aren’t true.
While National Register listed properties are often a single building, a district, made up of a large number of historic buildings or homes can also be listed. Wabash has three National Register historic districts, one of which is the Downtown Wabash Historic District. Click on the link below to view a detailed map of the National Register Downtown Wabash Historic District.
Very much like the National Register, the Indiana Register is a recognition program for buildings, sites and structures that are important to the State’s history. Any building or district that is listed in the National Register is also listed in the State Register. Like the National Register, private building owners do not have restriction to follow, they do not pay more taxes, and they are not mandated to open their properties for tours.
The City of Wabash adopted a Historic Preservation Ordinance, which created a body of five city citizens called the Historic Preservation Commission to look over the historic architecture in Wabash. A preservation commission is much like the community’s planning or zoning board. Local historic districts can be created to protect the historic character of a single building or a group of buildings – a district – within the city. When a local historic district is designated, design guidelines are attached to that district, and people within that district must follow the guidelines when making exterior changes to their building. These changes are approved by the Historic Preservation Commission.
Local districts are important because they preserve the precious character of the architecture within the city. The design guidelines are a planning tool which outlines how the city and its building owners want the city to look in the long term. The guidelines are created by the Commission with input from the building owners. Also, the Commission serves as a design resource to community members who are doing work to their historic buildings.
When it comes to local districts, it is important to understand that the City Council creates the districts, not the Commission. The Commission must petition the Council to designate local districts and each district and the guidelines that go with that district are a new ordinance adopted by the Council.
The downtown area of Wabash is designated as a local historic district. Click on the links below for the full design guidelines and a map of the Downtown Wabash Local Historic District Map.
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