Historic Preservation

Our Preservation Goals

The La Quinta Historical Society Mission Statement includes an objective to safeguard and protect significant historic buildings and sites, ensuring their preservation for future generations by actively promoting their cultural value through education, advocacy, and responsible restoration practices, thereby enriching our community’s understanding of the past.

To achieve our objectives, we participate as follows:

1. Make recommendations to the City regarding Historical Designation Applications.
2. Assist consultants with periodic Historical Designations studies as set forth in the National Register Bulletin 24: Guidelines for Local Surveys: A Basis for Preservation Planning .
3. Provide as requested assistance to the La Quinta Community Services or Design & Development Departments regarding historical designations or applications.
4. Advise La Quinta residents requesting help in historic designation.
5. Lobby the City of La Quinta as an advocate for historical preservation sites.

What You Can Do For Preservation

If you live in La Quinta and are interested in the benefits that might exist for Historic Preservation of your residence or other historic structure then consider these steps:

1. Learn about all the Historic Preservation benefits that exist at the Federal, state and at the La Quinta City level. To learn more about those benefits read California Department of Parks and Recreation, Office of Historic Preservation publication produced under the direction of the Federal National Parks Service and the Federal Internal Revenue Service.
2. The City of La Quinta is a participant in the “Mills Act” which provides property tax relief for qualified properties. Read a summary of the “Mills Act”.
3. If you believe your property qualifies for the “Mills Act” then start the process of applying for a “Mills Act” contract by completing the following:
   1. If your property is already listed in the La Quinta Historical Register then fill out the “Mills Act Agreement” request. Read a summary of the “Mills Act”.
   2. If your property is not listed in the La Quinta Historical Register, and you believe it qualifies,  then fill out the Landmark Designation/Cert. of Appropriateness” request. Read a summary of the “Mills Act”.