The Secretary of the Interior and the National Park Service, under their Register of Historic Places, administer a program that "lists" houses or places significant to Americans history and cultural heritage. States help administer the program, with the Maryland Historic Trust as Marylands local organization.
Historic places could include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects of significance to their local community, state, or the nation. Carderock Springs was part of the 2007 nomination Subdivisions built by Edmund Bennett and designed by Keyes, Lethbridge & Condon... to the National Register.
Communities on the National Register benefit from this formal recognition as an historic place through enhanced pride in their community and greater appreciation for the architecture.
The National Park Service and the Maryland Historic Trust offer incentives to the property owners to preserve the property. These incentives are in the form of Federal tax credits and State and Federal funding. Income tax benefits might include 20% investment tax credit for a certified rehabilitation or a charitable donation deduction for the conveyance of a perpetual easement to a qualified preservation organization.
The National Register does not restrict the rights of property owners unless they choose to take advantage of the incentives.
