Did you know that Kent County offers TAX CREDIT for Historic Properties? Click here for the application form.

There are more than 2,000 properties in Kent County listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Click here to see a location map of historic properties and districts in Kent County.

HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN KENT COUNTY

The once primarily rural landscape of Kent County is changing to a mix of urban and rural space. The changes to the landscape due to a shift in economic focus, growth and development have threatened many of our historical resources, which include not only buildings, but lighthouses, schooners, and archaeological sites as well.  Preservation of resources can happen in different ways.  Physical preservation of resources, such as the restoration or rehabilitation of a building, is one method.  An issue that is common with the rapid development of the county is how to incorporate older buildings with the development plans, modern building styles, technological needs, and accessibility regulations of today.  Creating incentives and ordinances which encourage the incorporation of these historic structures into modern development when possible is an important element of the planning process.

Shifting lands from private to publicly held property is a tool sometimes used to physically preserve historic resources.  The Hunn Property and Brecknock Park are examples of Kent County owned properties containing historic buildings and archaeological resources.  The Island Field Site, owned by the State of Delaware, is one of the few known prehistoric burial sites located in Delaware.  Excavation of this site has provided valuable information about the tribes native to Delaware. 

Another method of preserving historic resources is through documentation of these buildings and structures.  Use of photographs, measured drawings, and surveys can preserve many of these threatened resources on paper for future generations to see. 

At the current time, Kent County does not have an Historic Preservation Planner. Preservation issues are being addressed by the Delaware State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). They are located at 21 The Green, Dover, DE 19901. Phone number: (302) - 736-7400