The Liberty Theater and the Band Shell in Murphysboro are among several properties recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places during the quarterly meeting of the Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council March 30 in Springfield. 

The 1913 Art Deco style Liberty Theater and the 1939 Riverside Park Band Shell are well-known Murphysboro structures.  The Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council’s recommendation has been forwarded to the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, and if they concur, it will be sent to the National Park Service in Washington, DC for a final determination.     

The Illinois Historic Sites Advisory Council is the body that votes on new National Register of Historic Places properties in Illinois. The council meets quarterly and is comprised of 15 members.  There are at least three historians, three architectural historians or architects with a preservation background, and three archeologists on the council.  The remaining six members must have a historic preservation interest and are drawn from supporting fields such as planning, law, local government, and historical geography.  All members are appointed by the director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and approved by agency’s Board of Trustees.

The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the nation’s historic places worthy of preservation.  Thousands of Illinois historic and prehistoric places have been designated and each year more places are added by applicants who want the prestige, financial benefits, and protections that National Register designation provides. Nearly every one of the 102 Illinois counties has at least one property or historic district listed in the National Register.  High-style mansions, vernacular houses, burial mounds, military aircraft, canals, and historic downtowns together represent a cross section of the Prairie State’s history from its early settlement to the mid-20^th century. In general, properties have to be more than 50 years old to be eligible.  Listing on the National Register places no obligations on private property owners but does make properties eligible for some financial incentives.  For more information on the National Register application process, visit http://www.illinoishistory.gov/PS/applynr.htm.