What are National Historic Landmarks, or NHLs, and how are they designated?
“They are exceptional sites considered to be tangible manifestations of the American experience,” said Crowe. “While there are many historic places across the nation, only a very small number can be said to have meaning to all Americans. They can be where significant historical events of national importance occurred, or where prominent citizens worked or lived, or that represent ideas that shaped the nation.” NHLs provide important information about our past (such as archaeological sites), or are considered outstanding examples of design or construction. NHLs can be buildings, sites, districts, structures or objects. NHLs familiar to most Americans would be George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Pearl Harbor, Alcatraz or the Martin Luther King Jr. birthplace in Atlanta. The National Parks Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior oversees the designation of these special places and helps preserve them. And Oakland’s NHLs? “They include a cabin, a movie theater, two vessels, and Lake Me
