Webinar: "Getting Section 7 Right: Architectural Descriptions for National Register Nominations"

More than 100,000 historic properties are listed in the National Register of Historic Places, representing over two million individual buildings, sites, and structures nationwide. Yet many nominations hinge on a surprisingly challenging task: accurately describing a historic place in writing.

As communities increasingly look to preservation as a tool for economic development, neighborhood stability, and heritage tourism — supported in part by federal tax credits that have generated more than $45 billion in private reinvestment — the need for strong, clearly prepared National Register nominations continues to grow. A key factor in that success is mastering Section 7, the architectural description.

The upcoming webinar, “Getting Section 7 Right: Architectural Descriptions for National Register Nominations,” is designed to help practitioners strengthen this often-overlooked but essential portion of the process.

The Role of Section 7

Managed by the National Park Service, the National Register of Historic Places documents locations significant to American history, architecture, archaeology, and culture. Listings range from individual buildings to large historic districts found in nearly every county in the country.Before reviewers can evaluate why a property matters, they must first understand what physically exists today. Section 7 provides that baseline by documenting a property’s form, materials, setting, and evolution over time.

Well-prepared descriptions clearly communicate historic character and integrity. Incomplete or unfocused narratives, by contrast, often lead to revisions or delays.

Practical Guidance from Experienced Professionals

Led by preservation professionals J. Chris Evans, Dr. William Collins, Susan Lawson, and Vince Murray, the webinar draws on successful nomination examples to demonstrate effective approaches to architectural description.Participants will explore:

• How reviewers interpret Section 7

• Appropriate depth and organization

• Consistent architectural terminology

• Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

• Techniques for converting site observations into clear written documentation

Webinar Information

Getting Section 7 Right: Architectural Descriptions for National Register Nominations

• Wednesday, March 4, 2026

• 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. (Arizona Time)

• Click here to register

A companion session addressing how to write statements of significance will be offered separately.

Presenters

J. Chris Evans is an architect and architectural historian with more than 20 years of professional experience. He was a co-founder and past president of the Modern Architecture Preservation Project, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, where his work received the Governor's Heritage Preservation Honor Award. In addition, he was previously a member of the University of Arizona faculty. He has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Arizona and a Master of Science in Architecture Studies from MIT.

Dr. William Collins has worked for the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office since 1990 and, in his current capacity, oversees the National Register of Historic Places program, historic building surveys, and historic context studies. Bill is a native Arizonan and an ASU graduate with an M.S. in Economics and a Ph.D. in History. He has written two books, The New Deal in Arizona (based on his dissertation) and The Emerging Metropolis: Phoenix, 1944-1973. By age eight, Susan Lawson knew she wanted to be an architect. After studying at the University of Virginia and Cornell University, she focused her career on historic preservation. With two decades of experience in New York, she now works at the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office. Outside of work, she fosters rescued pugs and tries to out-climb her husband and son at the rock gym.

Vince Murray is an architectural historian/public historian and cultural resource advocate, as well as an Arizona native from a pioneer family. He has a master's degree in Public History from Arizona State University and is a past board president of the Arizona Preservation Foundation. In 2004, he started Arizona Historical Research, a consulting firm with offices in Phoenix, Prescott, and Santa Fe.

Presenters Bill Collins, Susan Lawson, and Vince Murray