By Kathryn Peterson
The Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) plays a critical role in preserving Utah’s cultural and historic resources while helping communities thrive today. To better understand the work of SHPO and how it impacts Utahns, we talked with Dr. Chris Merritt, director of the Utah SHPO, who shared insights about the office’s programs, goals, and the public benefits of historic preservation.
About Chris Merritt
Chris Merritt is the director of the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. With 20+ years of experience in both state and federal preservation programs, Merritt leads a team focusing on community engagement, economic development, and accessible historic preservation practices.
Q1: Can you give an overview of SHPO and what you do?
A1:
All 50 states and nine territories operate a SHPO, established by Congress in 1966 through the National Historic Preservation Act. This landmark legislation recognized the importance of preserving historic places for community benefit.
Utah’s SHPO began in 1969 with its first federal grant. Today, funding comes primarily from the Historic Preservation Fund, managed by the National Park Service and funded by offshore oil royalties — not taxpayer dollars. Utah receives approximately $1 million annually, which the state matches by 40%, bringing total core funding to roughly $1.4 million. This structure ensures cost-effective preservation: Utah taxpayers directly contribute 40% but receive 100% of the program’s benefits.
Q2: What programs does Utah SHPO manage?
A2:
Utah SHPO administers a combination of state-funded and federally mandated programs.
State-Funded Programs:
- Ancient Human Remains Program
- Cultural Site Stewardship Program
- Cemeteries Program
- Utah Main Street Program
Federally Mandated Programs:
- Review and compliance (Section 106 reviews)
- National Register of Historic Places
- Certified Local Government (CLG) Program
- Tax credit programs
- Records and data management
Q3: How does SHPO review and manage projects?
A3:
SHPO reviews all federal and state projects to ensure compliance with preservation laws — handling approximately 1,500-1,700 cases annually. Most projects have no impact on cultural resources because preservation is incorporated early in planning.
The office also serves as Utah’s central repository for historic and archaeological data, managing more than 400,000 records. This centralized approach allows developers and agencies to access all relevant information through a single point of contact, streamlining preservation efforts.
Q4: How does SHPO support local communities?
A4:
SHPO passes through typically 15–18% of our federal budget to supporting planning, restoration, and preservation projects in local communities, which is above what we are required to do at 10%. Rural communities benefit disproportionately, as smaller grants have a larger relative impact.
The office provides technical support, including guidance on applications, matching funds, and on-site visits. Staff expertise, including a preservation architect, is made available to communities that might otherwise lack professional guidance.
Q5: How does SHPO connect preservation with economic development?
A5:
Through the Utah Main Street Program, SHPO links historic preservation with economic development. Historic buildings are assets, not obstacles. Maintaining historic fabric helps preserve community identity, distinguishes towns, and drives visitation. The program focuses on keeping historic buildings relevant, useful, and economically viable, rather than converting every structure into a museum.
Q6: How does SHPO balance preservation with modern needs like accessibility or adaptive reuse?
A6:
SHPO provides expertise and options, but communities make final decisions. The office advises on integrating modern accessibility needs, such as ADA-compliant ramps, in ways that maintain historic integrity. Everyone should be able to access and enjoy historic spaces. SHPO guides communities on adapting historic buildings for current use while preserving their unique character.
Q7: What makes Utah SHPO recognized as one of the best in the country?
A7:
Several factors contribute to Utah SHPO’s national recognition:
- Investment in experienced, long-term staff
- Strong customer-focused approach
- Collaborative partnerships with state and federal agencies
- High-quality, accessible digital data
- Efficient and predictable processes
The office emphasizes public service, offering proactive and pragmatic solutions to preserve cultural resources while supporting community projects.
Q8: How does SHPO support communities new to preservation funding?
A8:
SHPO tailors support based on community capacity. Rural areas often require additional guidance, including technical assistance, step-by-step application support, and examples of best practices as they don’t have large teams of paid staff like urban communities. After grants are awarded, staff provide ongoing support through monthly check-ins, site visits, and professional consultation. Staff are geographically distributed statewide, from Hurricane to Logan to Mount Pleasant, ensuring hands-on support throughout Utah.
Q8: How does SHPO support communities new to preservation funding?
A8:
SHPO tailors support based on community capacity. Rural areas often require additional guidance, including technical assistance, step-by-step application support, and examples of best practices as they don’t have large teams of paid staff like urban communities. After grants are awarded, staff provide ongoing support through monthly check-ins, site visits, and professional consultation. Staff are geographically distributed statewide, from Hurricane to Logan to Mount Pleasant, ensuring hands-on support throughout Utah.
Q9: How are SHPO funds allocated for preservation projects?
A9:
Federal funds are split: roughly 85% supports staff, and 15% is awarded to local governments via grants. Communities apply annually for grants up to $25,000, and funds are distributed based on matching contributions, projected impact, androtation through our 65 partnered local governments.
State funds support programs like Utah Main Street and cemeteries, funding brick-and-mortar projects, training, capacity building, and digitization of historic records. For example, the Cemeteries Program provides $25,000 annually to help communities digitize historic cemetery maps and burial records.
Q10: How does SHPO measure the impact of education and stewardship programs?
A10:
Assessing impact of education and stewardship efforts is challenging. For example, the Cultural Site Stewardship program engages more than 500 volunteers, who contributed more than $200,000 in labor last year monitoring archaeological sites. While reported damage may appear higher, this reflects increased monitoring rather than increased vandalism.
The office also tracks public engagement and awareness, using reports from community members and media impressions as indicators of growing understanding and respect for Utah’s cultural resources.
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Thank you for joining us for this interview with Chris Merritt, the director of the Utah State Historic Preservation Office. To learn more about SHPO, the work we do, and our efforts in the community, please follow us on social media, or feel free to reach out to us with any questions you might have! We can be reached at [email protected].