Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 16 - History, Humanities and Arts
Part 3 - Historic Preservation Division
Chapter 12 - Mississippi Standards and Guidelines for Archaeological Investigations
Rule 16-3-12.16.3 - Instructions for Completing the Mississippi Historic Resources Inventory Form
Current through September 24, 2024
General Instructions: The inventory form is intended to be a permanent record kept in the files of the Division of Historic Preservation. Please be sure that all information is as complete and accurate as possible. Entries should be typed or neatly printed. If an item of information is not known, enter "unknown" or leave it blank; if the item is not applicable to the inventoried resource, enter "N/A."
Photographs: One clear, sharp 4" x 6" black-and-white photograph showing the main facade (if for a building or other structure) or a general view (if there is not one principal building on the property) should be attached to the lower left-hand corner of the front of the inventory form with archivally stable glue. Do not use staples or clips to attach photos. Any additional photos should be mounted on a sheet of white bond paper with archivally stable glue, or inserted into acid-free photo sleeves and clipped to the inventory form.
Maps: Normally, Historic Resource Inventory forms will be used in conjunction with a map or maps upon which the survey sequence number (block #14) of each inventoried property will be marked. Rural properties should be documented on an 8- x 11 photocopy of the pertinent part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) quadrangle map, with the location of the property highlighted or circled in color. Properties in towns and cities should be shown on larger scale maps or, at a minimum, sketch maps. For surveys funded wholly or partially by MDAH, the map requirements will be stated in the survey project agreement or instructions. For other survey activities, contact the Survey and Inventory Manager at the Division of Historic Preservation, Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Block-by-block instructions for the Historic Resources Inventory form:
1.
EXAMPLES: John W. Jones House; (Old) First National Bank
2. Property address/descriptive location: For properties located in towns, give the street address of the property. For properties which have only rural route numbers, describe the location by giving the name of the rural community (if any), the distance and direction from the nearest town, and the name(s) or number(s) of the nearest road(s).
EXAMPLE: One mile west of Smithville on Hwy 4 and one-half mile south on County Road 44.
3. Legal description (and acreage, if required): For properties located in towns, give the lot and block designation, as shown on the deed or tax assessor's maps. For properties located in rural areas, give the surveyed location as shown on the deed, including section, township and range.
EXAMPLE: Lot 2 and south 25 feet of lot 4, Block 6, Doe's Addition.
EXAMPLE: NW 1/4, NE 1/4, NE 1/4, Section 17, Township 6S, Range 21E.
Ordinarily, this information will be used only for locational purposes. Therefore, it is not necessary to include the complete text of a long, complex legal description unless the inventory form is intended to provide information to be used in an individual National Register nomination, in which case a full legal description of the specific area to be nominated should be given here. If the description is too long to fit in the area provided, include it on an attached sheet titled "Legal description" and reference the sheet in the box by entering "see continuation sheet."
If the inventory form is intended to be the basis for an individual National Register nomination, the acreage of the land area to be nominated is also required. For very small areas, such as an individual building, an acreage estimate of "less than one acre" is sufficient. For properties within proposed historic districts, the acreage is not needed.
4. Former/historic use(s): Enter the original and/or significant historic use(s) of the inventoried property: residence, church, retail store, bridge, cemetery, warehouse, etc.
5. Present use(s): Enter the present use(s) of the property. If the property is not being used, enter "vacant," "ruins," or other description, as appropriate. For sites, enter the current use of the land: park, cultivated farmland, forest, etc.
6. Architect: Enter the name of the designer (architect, engineer, landscape architect, etc.) if there was one, and mark whether this information is documented or attributed. Give the source for this information in block #25. If there was no designer, leave this block blank.
7. Builder/Contractor: Give the name of the builder(s) or contractor(s), if known.
8. Brief description: Give a brief description of the resource, to include the following information:
For a building:
EXAMPLE: A two-story brick I-house with gable roof and end exterior chimneys. Five 2/2 double-hung-sash windows on second floor over four identical windows and centered 2-panel door on first floor. Full-width, single-story gallery with shed roof resting on boxed wood columns. Very intact.
For a structure or object:
EXAMPLE: Iron, single-span, Warren-truss bridge with wood decking. Roadway is 15' wide and 65' long.
For a landscape feature:
EXAMPLE: 200' x 200' cemetery surrounded by chainlink fence. Well-maintained. Several markers date to the 1880s.
Note: If the resource is described in greater detail on an attached sheet or in another referenced document, that description may be cited here instead. In this case, a copy of the referenced document should be attached.
9. Outbuildings or secondary elements: Identify any outbuildings or other structures or notable landscape features associated with the inventoried resource. For a farmstead, list the buildings that it comprises. Attach another inventory form for each structure that has particular architectural or historical interest (see instructions for block #14), and note attachment(s) in this block.
10. County: Enter the name of the county in which the resource is located.
11. City or town: Enter the name of the city or town in which the property is located. If the property is in a rural area, enter the name of the nearest city, town, or post office in the same county and mark the "vicinity of" box.
12. Owner's name and address: If the information is required or is conveniently available, give the name and address of the current owner of the resource. If it has more than one owner, write "multiple" and list the owners in block #24 or continue on another sheet of paper.
This information is not required in all cases. For example, if the property is to be included within a district of over 50 buildings, the name of each property owner is not needed. The names of owners of sites of non-extant properties are not needed. In addition, if the surveyed property is not intended to be nominated to the National Register, ownership information is not necessary. However, if it is known to be owned by a public entity such as a governmental or quasi-public agency, enter the name here.
13. Was interior surveyed? If the resource is a building or enclosed structure, indicate whether you examined the interior by writing "yes," "no," "first story only," "lobby only," etc. If the resource has no accessible interior space, enter "N/A."
14. Survey sequence number: When more than one resource is inventoried as part of a survey, each form should be given a sequence number. Secondary structures, such as garages or barns, should be given the same sequence number as the associated major resource, with the addition of a suffix letter. This sequence number may be used to show location on any associated maps.
EXAMPLE: A house might have sequence number 23. Its carriage house, if inventoried, would be numbered 23B. The house itself is understood to be 23A.
15. USGS quadrangle map: Ordinarily field surveyors will only use this block when conducting surveys of rural areas. In the case of rural surveys using USGS maps, enter the name of the map which shows the location of the inventoried resource. (If a 15-minute series map is used, please indicate "15-min." following the name. Otherwise, the map is assumed to be in the 71/2-minute series). Be sure to mark the location of the property on the map, numbered with the property's survey sequence number. For urban surveys, leave this block blank unless instructed otherwise by the Survey and Inventory Manager.
16. UTM reference: Leave this block blank unless instructed otherwise by the Survey and Inventory Manager.
17. Date of construction: Enter the date(s) of construction and mark whether this is estimated or documented. If it is documented, state the source in block #25. If estimated, state "circa" or "c." before the date.
18. Integrity: In pencil, mark the appropriate box using the following standards for buildings, structures, and objects:
Very intact: The resource has had few or no changes since its creation and is being well-maintained.
Some changes: The resource has had some noticeable changes since its creation, but still retains much of its original appearance.
Extensive changes: The resource has had many changes and is significantly altered from its original appearance.
Deteriorated: The resource is standing but is not maintained or not structurally sound.
Ruins: Only remnants of the resource remain visible above ground.
No visible remains: No above-ground remains are visible, either because the site has been cleared or because possible extent visible remains have been obscured.
Note: For complexes, sites, and landscape features, check the box which seems most appropriate, or enter "N/A" at the top of the block.
19. Dates of changes, if any: Identify and give the dates of any major changes that have been made to the resource either historically or in the more recent past.
Moved: The resource has been moved from its original site
Enlarged/altered: The resource has had additions or its original style has been altered in some way (for instance, an addition of a rear wing on a house)
Artificial siding: The building has siding that is not original or not a replication of the original siding (i.e., vinyl siding over clapboards, or Masonite over asbestos shingles)
Replaced windows/doors: The windows or doors (exterior) have been replaced
Enclosed/altered porch: The porch has been either wholly or partially enclosed or has been altered in some way (for example, the original wood deck has been replaced with an on-grade concrete slab).
Storefront alterations: The original storefront has been replaced or altered with some other materials or style.
20. Architectural character or style: If the building has an identifiable architectural character or style, enter it here. If not, leave this block blank. If you are not sure, enter the tentative answer lightly in pencil, or consult the Survey and Inventory Manager.
21-22. Leave blank unless instructed otherwise.
23. Historical information: Use this block to provide general historical information about the property or to explain any historical or architectural importance. Sources for this information, such as books, diaries, or interviews, should be listed in block #25.
EXAMPLES:
24. Additional remarks or continuation of other sections: Use this block to continue information from other blocks or to add relevant remarks that do not fit anywhere else.
25. Sources of information: Identify the sources of any specific information about the property, including interviews (give name of informant and date of interview), newspaper articles, and books. Also mention sources of information on or at the property, such as cornerstones or historical markers.
26. Sketch of building plan or site plan: Sketch a plan of the building, showing building shape, windows, chimneys, and exterior doors. If interior was surveyed, include interior plan. If relevant, sketch the site, showing distance and direction to major roads, positions of outbuildings, and a north arrow. A copy of a Sanborn map that depicts the property may be attached if one is available.
27. Photographer or photo source: Enter the name of the person(s) who took the attached photograph(s). If the negatives for the photographs are to be kept in some location other than the MDAH offices, give the location of these negatives.
28. Photo roll and frame number(s): Enter the roll and frame number for the photographs. If the negatives are to be kept at the MDAH offices, consult with the Survey and Inventory Manager before assigning roll numbers. If the negatives are to be stored in some other location, enter the numbers assigned to the rolls at that location.
29. Photo date: Enter the date the photographs were taken.
30. Inventory form completed by: Give your name and, if applicable, the organization for whom you are completing the survey or inventory form.
31. Survey project name: If the inventory is part of a survey project, give the project's name. If not, leave this block blank.
32. Date form completed: Give the date the inventory information on the form was compiled.
33. Evaluation: Leave blank unless instructed otherwise. The National Park Service requires that all properties identified in a fully documented survey be evaluated for eligibility for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In order to insure consistency in the evaluation of historic resources, this evaluation will normally be completed by MDAH staff. In certain cases, qualified field surveyors may be authorized to conduct evaluations.
Any questions about the use of the Historic Resources Inventory form or about the procedures for conducting an historic resources survey should be directed to the Survey and Inventory Manager at the Division of Historic Preservation.
