ABSTRACT
The most significant change has been in broadening the interpretation of what constitutes the cultural environment. Within the time, individuals administering the National Register program have recognized the importance of reinterpreting preservation needs to reflect a more dynamic appreciation of our nation's history and prehistory. These federal mandates and environmental review process have caused federal agencies and project sponsors utilizing federal grants, loans, or licensing to consider cultural features. To be objectively weighed in the decision-making process, cultural resources must be considered early in project planning. Historians' most important role is to work through education in bringing about an awareness among local citizens, planners, and state and federal agencies of the value of cultural resources to the quality of life. Those individuals planning for future needs of a community share something in ccmmon with the person in a well-lit room staring through a window into the night.
