Historic Preservation

2025-2026 Award Nominations 

The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board established the Best Practices Achievement Award to honor outstanding demonstrations of adaptive reuse, restoration and preservation of historic properties which contribute to sustainable economic development and the revitalization of historic neighborhoods in Yellowstone County. 

Click here for the Best Practices Achievement Award Nomination Form.

In honor of Eugene T. Carroll,  former Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board member, past  president of the Yellowstone Historical Society, and organizer of the Eastern Montana Historical Society, who died in November, 2001. The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board established the Eugene T. Carroll Historic Preservation Award to recognize an individual or organization dedicated to historic preservation in Yellowstone County, Montana. 

Click here for the Eugene T. Carroll Historic Preservation Award Nomination Form.

Please Submit by February 27, 2026.  The award recipient will be formally recognized at the Annual Yellowstone Historic Preservation Roundtable, March 17, 2026.

Board Members

The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board consists of nine members with a demonstrated interest, competence, and knowledge in historic preservation.

Requirements

Five members shall be selected jointly by all signatories to the Inter-local Agreement establishing the Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board. Each signatory has one vote. The board shall include at least three members with professional expertise in the disciplines of history, planning, archeology, architecture, architectural history, or other historic preservation-related disciplines such as cultural geography or cultural anthropology.

Additional Board Members

The board also includes two additional members from the following:

• Yellowstone County Board of Planning
• Laurel Board of Planning
• Property owner either residing or owning a business in a historic district or who owns property listed on the National Register of Historic Places
• Member of a city / county preservation society

The four remaining board members shall be considered at-large and shall consist of:

• City of Billings resident appointed by the Billings City Council
• County resident appointed by the Yellowstone County Commissioners
• City of Laurel resident appointed by the Laurel City Council
• Crow Tribal member who lives within the Yellowstone County portion of the Crow Reservation or elsewhere within Yellowstone County appointed by the Crow Tribal Council

Board Responsibilities

The Yellowstone Historic Preservation Board shall:

• Establish by-laws conforming to the guidelines set forth in the Certified Local Government Program in Montana
• Maintain a system for the survey and inventory of historic and prehistoric properties
• Review and participate in all proposed National Register nominations with the City of Laurel, City of Billings, Crow Reservation and/or Yellowstone County
• Encourage public participation while assisting with the enforcement of appropriate state and local legislation concerning historic preservation
• Review and comment on land use proposals and planning programs related to historic resources