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Request Site File/Inventory Background Research

Research and Consultant Resources

Request Site File/Inventory Background Research

State Archaeological Site File and Architectural Resource Inventory

The SHPO maintains the most comprehensive files of previously reported or identified historic properties (buildings, districts, objects, archaeological sites, shipwrecks, and structures) in Michigan. These files are fundamental to completing applications for Section 106 Review, planning surveys (above and/or below ground), initiating or revising National Register of Historic Places nominations, and other research initiatives. These files are not yet available online and in most circumstances researchers need to visit our office in Lansing to conduct research in-person. 

Projects submitted to SHPO for Section 106 Review and Compliance must be accompanied by a map showing the area of potential effects (APE) as well as information on previous surveys and recorded historic properties within the APE. With this accurate information provided, the SHPO will assist with file searches for qualified professionals who meet the applicable federal qualifications outlined in 36CFR Part 61.

Research involving the State Archaeological Site File at the Michigan SHPO for Compliance and Due Diligence Projects must be completed by Federally Qualified Archaeologists. Please note that sensitive archaeological data is protected and will only be shared as appropriate for the project.

Process to Request Site Information and Schedule your Research Appointment:

Revised August 16, 2023

Timeline for Response

Research requests are reviewed in the order in which they are received. Emergency response projects (e.g. FEMA disaster response, imminent health and human safety) will be prioritized. Due Diligence requests will be processed after Section 106 Compliance projects, and may take several weeks or months depending on the size of the request. Please note that due to limited staff capacity, we may not be able to provide a detailed response to Due Diligence requests.

Post-pandemic, the SHPO welcomes researchers to visit our office to conduct site research with our records. SHPO staff may take up to 30 days or more to fulfill your request, depending on capacity. If you need your research in a more timely manner, an in-person appointment is recommended.

In-person research appointments are available in the mornings (9:00am-12:00pm ET) and afternoons (1:00pm-4:00pm ET) on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. For large requests, consider booking both slots within a single day for an all-day appointment. Instructions to book an in-person appointment are available through the research request portal, accessed by the “Submit Your Research Request” button below. A map of parking locations is available at the bottom of this webpage.

Consultants with more than one project for research must submit each project individually with an unique identifier in the Information Request Project Name field of the online form (link below).

Please review your findings within 10 days of receiving them from SHPO in order to request additional information. If more than 10 days passes then the request for more information will go back in the portal for processing on the new research request timeline. We appreciate your understanding.

Meeting the Federal Qualifications

If you are requesting research for Section 106 purposes and do not meet the federal professional qualifications at 36CFR Part 61, the SHPO maintains a list of federally qualified archaeologists, historians, and architectural historians. If you believe you meet the federal qualifications in your field, you may submit them to our office using the appropriate archaeologist or historian/architectural historian form. For more information about qualifications, click here.

Submit your Research Request

The following information is required:

  1. Whether you are interested in architectural and/or archaeological files.
  2. Your project name.
  3. The purpose of your project (for example: Preparation of Section 106 application, university research, National Register nomination, etc.)
  4. Names of all counties, cities and townships in your research area.
  5. Your name and contact information, in the event that our staff has follow up questions to better provide the site information you require.
  6. The federal Professional Qualifications met by the person requesting the research.

If you are interested in archaeological files, you must also include:

  1. Your research area clearly marked on a 7.5’ USGS Topographic Quadrangle Map that shows Section numbers. Be certain to include the correct quadrangle map name. You must include your full Area of Potential Effects or one-mile radius (FCC projects), not just the footprint of the project.
  2. A complete list of Township, Range and Section numbers in your research area.

If you are interested in architectural files, you must also include:

  1. Maps with your project footprint/direct effects, as well as the extent of indirect effects Area of Potential Effects, clearly marked and labeled. Street names at the cross streets nearest your project must be visible. If necessary for clarity, separate maps may be submitted for project location and APE, but these must be clearly labeled. Maps must include a scale, a north arrow, the city(ies)/township(s) and county(ies) contained on the map, and any streets or geographic features that are labeled must be legible.

Staff will use this information to determine if we have relevant files for you to view and how to best transmit them to you. Due to the significant volume of research requests, we appreciate your patience. 

Click the button below to submit your request for research. At the end of the form, you will have the opportunity to schedule your in-person research appointment at the SHPO office in Lansing.

Submit Your Research Request

Section 106 Status Checks

If you submitted an application for Section 106 review and wish to check on the status, remember that under the National Historic Preservation Act regulations, SHPO has 30 days from the date we receive the complete application to offer comment. An ongoing staff shortage means we are often reviewing projects just before the deadline. As a result, it is difficult to estimate a time for completion. If in fact we surpass the 30 day comment period, it is up to the Federal agency as to how to proceed. Projects are reviewed fastest when they are fully complete upon submission and mailed to our correct address.  Please contact SHPO if you have questions.

SHPO Location and Parking Map

Note that all mail, including project applications, should be sent to our current address: Michigan SHPO, 300 North Washington Square, Lansing MI 48913. Mail sent to any prior address will be delayed or returned. If you are planning to visit our office for an in-person research appointment, consult the map below for nearby parking options.

 

Parking Map

 

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