North Dakota Property Listed in National Register of Historic Place
BISMARCK, N.D. – The Highland Acres Historic District in Bismarck has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places is the federal government’s list of properties it considers worthy of preservation and recognition. North Dakota nominations are coordinated by the State Historical Society of North Dakota.

The planning for the Highland Acres Addition in Bismarck originally began with a local committee anticipating the need for housing of returning World War II veterans and their young families. The Bismarck Veterans Homes Owners Cooperative Association was formed and created the new development following the latest Federal Housing Administration guidelines, such as fitting neighborhoods in with the natural topography and incorporation of parks, schools, and churches. The Highland Acres Historic District was built primarily between 1948 and the early 1970s, resulting in an enclave of Mid-Century and Contemporary residential architecture. Notable characteristics of the district include irregular (trapezoidal-shaped) lots that accommodate the hilly topography, curvilinear streets, long blocks, and 30-foot front lot setbacks.

The historic district includes the original planned and platted area for Highland Acres (1946), Highland Acres Second Addition (1960), and two re-platted subdivisions (1953 and 1963). The boundary was based upon Highland Acres’ development timeline, age of buildings, and the visual and aesthetic connections of properties.

The process to nominate the Highland Acres Historic District was a collaborative effort among local residents, the City of Bismarck’s Historic Preservation Commission, and the State Historical Society. Initial discussions about listing the neighborhood in the National Register started as far back as 2009. Homeowners within Highland Acres met in 2017 to discuss nominating the neighborhood and hosted workshops to train volunteers to complete some of the site survey forms. In 2018, the City of Bismarck became a Certified Local Government that provides resources for communities to complete National Register nominations and ensure local participation in historic preservation matters. The City hired Metcalf Archeological Consultants in 2020 to complete the remaining surveys with technical assistance from the State Historical Society. Metcalf Archeological Consultants was later retained to prepare the National Register nomination.

Funding for the architectural site surveys and the National Register of Historic Places nomination was provided by the Historic Preservation Fund of the National Park Service, Department of the Interior, which is administered by the State Historical Society. The required grant match was provided by donated labor of the Bismarck Historic Preservation Commission, City of Bismarck staff and Metcalf Archeological Consultants.

Contrary to some misconceptions about the National Register program, listing in it does not prevent owners from altering their property, restrict the use or sale of the property, or require establishing times that the property must be open to the public. Entry into the National Register of Historic Places does give a property prestige, provides protection from adverse effects in federally assisted projects, and provides eligibility for certain preservation financial incentives.