Historic House Marker Application Form | Charlestown Preservation Society

To learn more about the marker program, we’ve compiled some frequently asked questions for your reference.

Bronze Historic House markers are issued to buildings and homes in Charlestown that are at least 100 years old and retain most of their original character and natural building materials. The display of a marker on your home DOES NOT restrict material or structural changes to the building. It’s an honor system; we hope that you will continue to preserve the character-defining features and materials for many years to come.

CPS accepts applications once a year, with a deadline of May 31st. Applications are approved by the CPS Board at the June Annual Meeting. All payments are due June 30th, and installation dates are expected in the fall.

Some key dates to look out for:

Applications due May 31.
Conditional acceptance of your application (June – at the CPS Annual Meeting)
Research commences – Mid-June – August
Research presented to applicants – Late August/early September
Template placement for location approval and installation of marker (September)

To purchase your Historic House Marker, visit the link here.

You can also choose to research the provenance of your home yourself. Find out when your home was built, who built it, who lived there, and how they may have altered it. Tracing the history of an old house can be a challenging yet fascinating journey. Anyone who takes this challenge on will be greatly rewarded. This guide will help you navigate the research process with the ultimate goal of establishing its original build date.

Historic Marker Form

House address for marker*:(Required)

Street Address

Historic House Name:

Year Constructed:

Architect/Builder:

Architectural Style:

Current Uses (multi-family / SF):

Building Materials (siding / roof / foundation):

My Name:(Required)

First Last

My Address (if different):

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region

Telephone*:(Required)

Email*:(Required)

Optional information for marker**:

**Historic House name from MACRIS, Name of original owner or builder. This information cannot exceed 30 letters and spaces.

Image of building:(Required)

Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, andbmponly, Max. file size: 25 MB.

Supporting Documents:

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 25 MB, Max. files: 4.

OPTIONAL HOUSE NUMBERS

Complement your home's historic exterior with house numbers that complement your historic house marker. The Charlestown Preservation Society's house numbers are bronze finished in satin brass to match our markers. • Surface Mounted on brick, stone, or wood with concealed mounts – no unsightly screws to see. • Available in 3 sizes (inquire for custom sizing) 2”, 4” and 6” tall – each a quarter inch thick. • Limited Lifetime Warranty • We will install your house numbers for free with the purchase of a Historic House Marker.

Select a Size:

Pricing is per number - an address for 45 Main St requires the purchase of two numbers, 451 Main St requires three numbers, and so on.

CPS reserves the right to make final determination of eligibility for a marker, construction date, and wording placement. If the exact date can't be determined, "c" for circa is placed before the date. If it's determined that your house isn't eligible for a marker we'll let you know promptly. CPS plans to amplify basic eligibility guidelines to help owners understand house documentation needs, placement issues, and what exactly "original character" means, particularly in regard to materials (wood, stone or brick) that would have been on the original house. This information can be found on this website here.