The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) encourages the preservation, documentation, and use of cultural resources. Idaho SHPO educates the public about the importance of Idaho’s cultural heritage. Idaho’s historic, archaeological, and cultural resources represent the physical and tangible manifestations of our history; they reflect who we were, where we came from, where we are now, and help shape our outlook for the future. By protecting, preserving, and understanding these important resources, we span the past, the present, and the future, not as separate events or periods, but as an on-going narrative. These resources provide economic, educational, and intrinsic value today and for future generations. The Idaho SHPO works to ensure the state’s historic and archaeological properties are preserved, interpreted, and reused.

The Idaho State Historic Preservation Office is staffed with historic preservation professionals who meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards. These Professional Qualification Standards set out the minimum education and experience needed to be considered a historic preservation professional. More information on the Secretary of the Interior’s Historic Preservation Professional Qualification Standards is available from the National Park Service. By employing individuals who meet these qualifications, the Idaho SHPO has ensured that its staff have the expertise to carry out its federally mandated responsibilities.