The Kentucky Heritage Council's Site Protection Program coordinates the federally mandated protection of historic properties listed in or eligible for the National Register of Historic Places and the professional archaeology component for the agency, including:
Annual Archaeology Conference: The 29th Annual Kentucky Heritage Council Archaeology Conference [PDF - 184KB] will take place March 16-18 at Mammoth Cave National Park, co-sponsored by the Western Kentucky University Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology. Find more information about the student sessions and site tours planned for Friday (March 16) via the links to the right. Professional paper and poster presentations will take place all day Saturday (March 17) and Sunday morning (March 18). For questions, email Kary Stackelbeck or call 502-564-7005, ext. 147.
Section 106 Environmental Review (As outlined in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s Rules and Regulations for the Protection of Historic Properties, 36 CFR, Part 800): These federal regulations require the review of all federally funded, licensed or permitted projects by the State Historic Preservation Office to determine their effect on and potential threats to historic properties in Kentucky. In the review process, staff work in partnership with businesses, consultants, the public and state and federal agencies.
Archaeological Inventory: Program staff manage a comprehensive statewide inventory of prehistoric and archaeological sites in partnership with the University of Kentucky.
The Archaeology of Kentucky: An Update: In 1990, the Kentucky Heritage Council published The Archaeology of Kentucky: Past Accomplishments and Future Directions. This two volume set provided a context for conducting Section 106 archaeological investigations as well as research conducted in Kentucky.
Publications and Videos: Public education efforts include a series of short documentaries produced by the Heritage Council that blend interviews, rare archival images, artifacts and highlights from examining Native American sites in Kentucky.
Kentucky Archaeological Survey: A partnership between the Kentucky Heritage Council and the University of Kentucky Department of Anthropology, the Kentucky Archaeological Survey provides archaeological services and educational programs to public and private agencies to assist with the preservation of historic sites.