Providence Preservation Society

PPS Marker Program

The PPS Marker Program recognizes buildings and sites within the city of Providence that contribute to the understanding of our unique architectural, historical, and cultural heritage.

Markers for architectural merit serve to identify individual buildings by date and association (usually the name(s) of the building’s first owner and architect or builder when known) and to encourage the continued care and preservation of buildings throughout Providence’s 25 neighborhoods. Eligible buildings — residential, commercial, and institutional — should be at least 50 years old, retain the integrity of the historic design, and be well maintained.

Our recent expansion of the program opens eligibility to buildings and sites of historical and cultural significance, recognizing that a building may not exist or exhibit architectural integrity but still hold historical or cultural value through association with a person, group, or event.

The expansion of eligibility categories and criteria means that PPS will rely on applicants to provide more information with the application than previously required.

The Marker Program guidelines and application detail exactly what information is requested and how to find it. If you have any questions, particularly about our new markers for historical and cultural significance, please contact us. We are happy to explore ideas for these new categories with you and schedule a meeting or site visit.

PPS Marker Application

Nuts & Bolts

We welcome applications on a rolling basis throughout the year, and our Marker Committee meets quarterly to review them. Applications must be received 10 days before the second Tuesday of March, June, September, and December to be reviewed at the earliest possible meeting. Please be advised that after an application is approved and paid for, it can take four to six months for the building report and marker to be created due to the staff time required to research the building’s history and the time it can take our painter to create the marker.

Once the application is approved, the cost of the marker is $400 for members of the Providence Preservation Society and $475 for non-members, which includes a one-year Household membership to PPS. The fee represents the cost of the physical marker and a professionally researched building history, including deed/title research to determine the original owner and construction date. The property owner will receive a copy of the research and a digital copy will be added to our online marker database, The Mary A. Gowdey Library of House Histories.

Because the Marker Program is more than 50 years old, older markers may need to be replaced. We welcome applications for replacement markers. Replacements for markers awarded within the last 20 years cost $200 for PPS members and $275 for the general public. Replacement of markers older than 20 years requires new property research, and applicants will be charged the regular $400/$475 rate.

Marker Eligibility Criteria

An Architectural Marker recognizes the physical exterior characteristics of the building: its architectural style, materials, and design features. It also recognizes that the building is in a good state of preservation. Furthermore, 

  • The building is at least 50 years old and associated with Providence’s tradition of  architectural excellence: embodying distinctive characteristics of an architectural  period, style, type, or method of construction; or 
  • The building represents the work of a master or locally significant architect or  builder; or 
  • The building is significant or exceptional to the built environment of its neighborhood.  

Review Guidelines

  • The building shall be in good condition, with no exterior repairs or rehabilitation work currently underway. 
  • The building shall be a well-preserved example of its historic type, period, and architectural style. “Well-preserved” means that its character-defining exterior architectural features are either original, or still retain their historic character despite past repairs, replacements, alterations, or additions. 
  • Since many historic buildings have experienced changes to original or historic exterior architectural materials and features, eligibility will be evaluated based on the cumulative impact such changes have had on the overall historic architectural character of the building. 
  • A building must present itself, when viewed from a public way (excluding rear elevations), in a manner that is consistent with its original or historical appearance.  
  • Replacement windows on principal elevations should be of the same size,  type, and muntin pattern as the original or historic windows, and compatible with the historic architectural style of the building. Replacement windows should have either true divided lights or exterior applied muntins.
  • Replacement siding, casings, and trim should be similar in visual appearance to the original or historic features, and compatible with the historic architectural style of the building. 
  • Any later structural additions, or changes made to features such as porches,  posts, and railings, should be compatible with the historic architectural style of the building. 
  • Buildings will be considered in their entirety. Architectural Markers cannot be awarded for a portion of a building. 
  • An exception to the 50-year requirement may be made for buildings of the recent past that are deemed to have exceptional architectural significance. 

A Historical or Cultural Marker recognizes the significant people,  groups, and/or events associated with a specific building or site in Providence. 

Historical Significance: Property is associated with the past life or lives of an individual or group who made a notable contribution to local, regional, national, or international history, culture, arts, or other endeavors. Or, the property is associated with notable events in local, regional, national, or international history. 

Cultural Significance: Property is associated with the traditions, practices, and social institutions held and valued by living people; that reflect collective experience, continuity of use, and the transmission of knowledge across generations; and that are meaningful to community identity, as that identity is defined by the community itself (e.g., race or ethnicity, gender and sexual orientation, class, occupation, geography, or other dimensions). 

Review Guidelines

  • The building may be less than 50 years old. 
  • The building’s physical characteristics (type, period, and style of architecture;  how well-preserved it is) will not be considered for the purposes of a Historical or  Cultural Marker, unless the building was specifically constructed for or in relation to the historically significant person or group, historically significant event, or the cultural heritage to be recognized.  

Marker Committee Members

  • Jonathan Pitts-Wiley, co-chair
  • Liz Warburton, co-chair
  • Kathy Cavanaugh
  • Libby Isaacson
  • Rochelle Lee
  • Traci Picard
  • Kate Wells