Boston Historic Markers Program
The Office of Historic Preservation and the Commemoration Commission invite the public to submit nominations to the Boston Historic Markers Program, which will recognize people, places, events, movements, ideas, and cultural traditions with a significant connection to the city of Boston.
The Boston Historic Markers Program is a new initiative from the City of Boston Office of Historic Preservation and the Commemoration Commission.
The program is fundamentally place-based: markers interpret history through place, helping the public understand why a story matters here.
From the nominations received, 25 stories will be selected for this next round of historic markers. The City plans to install dozens of markers every year leading up to Boston’s 400th anniversary in 2030.
NOMINATE A HISTORIC MARKER
The City of Boston Office of Historic Preservation and the Boston Commemoration Commission invites the public to nominate stories and sites for the Boston Historic Markers Program. Residents, community organizations, historians, cultural organizations and others are encouraged to identify stories that should be recognized and shared across Boston’s neighborhoods. Applications will be accepted through January 29, 2027.
Applicants will have to login to Google in order to access the form, save a draft, and submit the nomination. You are able to submit more than one nomination. Applicants can access the nomination form by pressing the button below to fill out the nomination on Google Forms.
This is an example of what your nominated historic marker could look like if selected.
HISTORIC MARKERS PROGRAM KEY DATES
INFORMATION SESSIONS
The Office of Historic Preservation will be holding four information sessions prior to the nomination submission deadline. The first two information sessions will introduce the program, walk through what the application will require, and how to prepare your submission.
The last two information sessions will address frequent inquiries, how to ensure you have a strong application, and next steps.
|
KEY EVENTS |
DATE |
|---|---|
| Historic Marker Nomination Form Opens | October 29, 2026 |
| Information Session 1 | Monday, November 16, 2026 5-6 P.M. |
| Information Session 2 | Wednesday, November 18, 2026 12-1 P.M. |
| Information Session 3 | Monday, December 7, 2026 12-1 P.M. |
| Information Session 4 | Wednesday, December 9, 2026 5-6 P.M. |
| Historic Marker Nomination Form Closes | January 22, 2027 |
| 25 New Historic Markers Selected | End of April |
| New Historic Markers Installed | End of July |
There are no related events available at this time!
RESOURCES
- I’ve been notified that there is interest in placing a historic marker on my property, what does that mean?
Property owners are able to submit nominations for their own homes. If someone has submitted a nomination for a historic marker to be placed on your home, the Office of Historic Preservation will contact you. You are able to decide if you consent to having a historic marker on your property.
The Boston Historic Markers Program is separate from the Boston Landmarks Commission (BLC). Having a marker installed through the program does not, by itself, designate a property as a Boston Landmark or historic district, or subject a property to new historic preservation restrictions. In addition, this does not automatically include your property on any state or national registers of historic places where your property was not previously listed.
Additional review is required for certain locations. If a proposed marker is located on a designated Boston Landmark or within a designated landmark district, the installation must be reviewed and approved by BLC before proceeding. OHP will coordinate this review as needed.
Any separate requirements that apply to a property or proposed installation remain in effect. A marker nomination does not replace or determine the outcome of any independent review or permitting process that may be required.
- Who owns the historic marker?
OHP will own the historic marker. OHP reserves the right to coordinate the historical interpretation, final marker text and design, production, and installation of selected markers.
OHP is responsible for coordinating marker maintenance and removal when needed. Any reporting requirements established for marker conditions will be communicated to the relevant parties.
Applicants or property owners may be invited to review draft text or designs at OHP’s discretion.
Access Documents here
