Historic Buildings

The National Register is the official federal list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. National Register properties are recognized for having significance to the history of their community, state, or the nation.

The National Park Service administers the National Register of Historic Places. The National Park Service has a "Frequently Asked Questions" page on the National Register website.

If your property is designated on the National Register of Historic Places, it is automatically designated as a local historic landmark in Cottage Grove.

There are several ways to designate a building or neighborhood as a local historic landmark:

1. When any historic resource or neighborhood is officially entered into the National Register of Historic Places, the resource is automatically designated by HP overlay zoning as a local historic landmark.
2. In this case, the property owner or neighborhood group applies to the National Park Service for designation as a National Register Historic Landmark or National Register Historic District. The application is sent to the State Historic Preservation Office for review before being sent on to the National Park Service in Washington, D.C. for designation on the National Register of Historic Places. The affected property owner(s) will be given an opportunity to opt-out of the designation by the State Historic Preservation Office. Any property designated on the National Register is automatically placed on Cottage Grove's local landmarks list and protected by our local Historic Preservation Overlay District.
3. A group or person may nominate the historic resource for local historic landmark designation through a Type III Historic Preservation application.
4. A property owner or neighborhood group applies for this designation through the City of Cottage Grove's Community Development Department. The application is reviewed by the City's Historic Landmarks Commission at one of their regular meetings. The Historic Landmarks Commission bases their decision on criteria listed above.
5. The Historic Landmark Commission may recommend historic resources for local historic landmark designation based on a City-inventory of historic resources following the procedures set forth in the Historic Landmark Ordinance
6. During this inventory, a historic building specialist reviews the architectural character of a building or a neighborhood, its individual history and alterations which have occurred to the building(s) exterior. The Historic Landmarks Commission review the building(s) according to criteria listed above. Formal designation is made following the public hearing. Property owners have an opportunity to comment and opt-out of the designation.
7. The Planning Commission may recommend historic resources for local historic landmark designation following the procedures set forth in the Historic Landmark Ordinance.

Yes. Downtown Cottage Grove was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

The Downtown National Register Historic District is also designated as a "historic district" at the local level, which means that local Historic Preservation standards in the Cottage Grove Development Code apply to all "historic landmarks" in Downtown Cottage Grove.

The map at the bottom of the Historic Districts home page outlines the Downtown National Historic District

Yes. There are several dozen buildings listed as local "historic landmarks", as well as approximately a dozen buildings on the National Register of Historic Places that are not in the Downtown Historic District. For a list of local historic landmarks, see the main Historical Buildings home page.

Designation as a local historic landmark or historic neighborhood is intended to protect and encourage the continued use of historic resources. Designated resources are protected by the Historic Preservation Overlay District standards found in the Cottage Grove Development Code. These standards ensure that new construction or alterations on historic building or on adjacent properties are sensitive to the historic character of the resource and/or district.

Protections include the review of new construction adjacent to historic buildings. The Historic Landmarks Commission reviews new construction to ensure compatibility in scale, style, height, materials, architectural detail, and orientation with the adjacent historic building and neighborhood.

The Historic Landmark Commission also protects historic buildings from demolition. Demolition of historic buildings requires a public hearing before the Landmarks Commission, who can delay the demolition to give neighbors or other concerned citizens time to save the building.

Restrictions are placed on exterior alterations of historic buildings. Exterior alterations are reviewed by the Historic Landmarks Commission. Alterations including attaching decks or porches, replacing siding with different type of material, replacing windows with different materials or styles, removing historic ornamentation, changing roof lines, constructing an addition, etc. Minor exterior alterations (such as replacing missing historic features or repairing structures based on historic photographs) may be approved administratively by City Staff.

Interior alterations are not reviewed by the Historic Landmarks Commission, although building permits are required. If you have an intact historic interior, you should contact the State Historic Preservation Office before removing historic features. Removal of interior finishes may hurt your chances to qualify for state or federal financial incentives. If you are participating in the Special Assessment Program, you must receive SHPO approval for any changes you make to the interior of your building.

Routine maintenance is not reviewed. Routine maintenance includes cleaning, landscaping and minor repairs. In addition, paint colors are not reviewed.

Yes. If you want to change the exterior of your historic building, you should contact the City of Cottage Grove Community Development Department. Staff will help you determine if you need to get approval from the Development & Planning Division or the Historic Landmarks Commission for your project. You may also need to get building permits and specialty (sign, electrical, mechanical or plumbing) permits for your proposed work.

Please review the Cottage Grove Downtown Historic District Design Guidelines found on the Historic Building home page. They will help you figure out what kind of exterior changes might be appropriate on your historic building.