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Idaho State Historic Preservation Office

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United States
Boise, ID
Idaho State Historic Preservation Office

The SHPO encourages the preservation, documentation, and use of Idaho's cultural resources.

Idaho Stage Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) educates the public about the importance of Idaho’s cultural heritage. Idaho’s historic, archaeological, and cultural resources represent the physical and tangible manifestations of our history; they reflect who we were, where we came from, where we are now, and help shape our outlook for the future. By protecting, preserving, and understanding these

important resources, we span the past, the present, and the future, not as separate events or periods, but as an ongoing narrative. These resources provide economic, educational, and intrinsic value today and for future generations. The SHPO works to ensure the state’s historic and archaeological properties are preserved, interpreted, and reused.

09/05/2026

Idaho, meet your new Deputy SHPO!

We are pleased to introduce Shannon Vihlene as the Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer for the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO). Although Shannon is new to this role, she is certainly not new to SHPO. She has been with the office for 14 years, most recently serving as Senior Data Coordinator, where she oversaw the development and administration of ICRIS, Idaho’s statewide cultural resource information system, and worked to improve access to information about Idaho’s historic and archaeological resources.

Throughout her career with SHPO, Shannon has focused on strengthening program efficiency, expanding access to cultural resource information, and building relationships with Idaho’s preservation partners. She is committed to the continued success of SHPO and excited about the opportunities ahead as the office rebuilds its team and moves forward following a period of transition. Shannon looks forward to strengthening partnerships across the state and ensuring that SHPO remains a responsive, reliable, and supportive resource for Idahoans interested in preserving and learning about the places that tell Idaho’s story.

08/03/2026

Big News!

Chris Shaver, who has occupied the role of Compliance Archaeologist for over seven years, will now serve as Compliance Manager! In this new position, Chris will oversee staff who manage Section 106 regulatory compliance.

Image Details: Chris inside the walls of the Assay Office.

07/31/2026

Thank you Kayla!

Today is the last day at the SHPO for Kayla McElreath.

Kayla earned her Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia in 2023 and joined the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office as a Compliance Architectural Historian shortly thereafter. Over the past three years, she has developed into an outstanding preservation professional. She is thoughtful, hardworking, and genuinely committed to helping others navigate the preservation process.

Kayla has assisted federal agencies, Tribes, consultants, and applicants through the Section 106 process while also making significant contributions beyond her primary responsibilities. She helped develop and improve the Idaho Cultural Resource Information System (ICRIS) and has become the voice of our ICRIS training videos. She also documented Idaho's Green Book sites and transformed our social media and public outreach efforts. No matter the task, she approached it with enthusiasm, creativity, and a willingness to learn.

Kayla will begin a new role as a Preservation Planner with the City of Lake Worth Beach, Florida. Please join us in thanking Kayla for her many contributions to the Idaho SHPO and in wishing her all the best in this exciting new chapter.

07/28/2026

Come work with us!

The Idaho SHPO is now hiring for the role of Senior Archaeologist!

The Senior Archaeologist reports to the Compliance Manager and is responsible for reviewing federal undertakings under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The incumbent evaluates historic and pre-contact archaeological properties for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places and assesses project effects, reviews reports, prepares comment letters and technical documents, and provides technical assistance to agencies, tribes, consulting firms, and the public. The Senior Archaeologist may occasionally conduct fieldwork and deliver public presentations on Idaho archaeology.

The Senior Archaeologist also provides professional management and oversight for the Archaeological Survey of Idaho’s Western Repository, a 36CFR part 79-accredited curation facility and fulfills some of the functions of the State Archaeologist related to administration of the Archaeological Survey of Idaho and the issuance of permits for archaeological work on state managed lands. This position is eligible for flexible work arrangements after 90 days, subject to the supervisor's discretion.

For more information, including salary, as well as to start an application, please visit: https://gen-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=Q5A

Application closes August 28th, 2026.

07/27/2026

Next Up... Nathan!

Please give a warm welcome to Nathan Moody, who joined our office last week to fill the role of Compliance Architectural Historian. Nathan will be reviewing Section 106 projects concerning Idaho's built environment resources.

Nathan is a born and raised Idahoan who recently completed a National Register Nomination for the University of Idaho Campus. Prior to joining the SHPO, Nathan had his own property appraisal firm in Boise.

Welcome to the team!

07/23/2026

Come work with us!

The Idaho SHPO is hiring for the role of Compliance Archaeologist!

The SHPO Compliance Archaeologist reviews federal projects under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The incumbent evaluates historic and pre-contact sites for eligibility to the National Register of Historic Places and project impacts, reviews reports, writes comment letters and technical documents, and provides technical assistance to agencies, tribes, consulting firms and the public. The Archaeologist may occasionally conduct field work and give public presentations on Idaho archaeology. This position is eleigible for flexible work arrangements after 90 days, subject to supervisor discretion.

To find more information (including salary) or start an application: https://gen-idaho-prd.tam.inforgov.com/hcm/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=Q15

07/17/2026

Thank you Ashley!

Today is Ashley Molloy’s last day at the Idaho SHPO. She has served this office as both our Compliance Manager and Compliance Architectural Historian for over seven years. Throughout this time, Ashley applied her years of experience in historic preservation to the Section 106 process, becoming a trusted guide for federal agencies and consultants and an ally to Idahoans throughout the state who care deeply about their historic places.

Ashley has been a driver of innovation and increased efficiency in this office. Her knowledge of historic architecture as well as her tech savvy helped professionalize our policy guidance and she was instrumental in the creation of the Idaho Cultural Resources Information System (ICRIS), a cutting-edge system that significantly reduced average SHPO review times for compliance projects from 21 to 7 days and made our data more publicly accessible.

In her work with Section 106, she has achieved meaningful resolution to adverse effects to Idaho's historic resources on behalf of countless impacted communities across the state, including the creation of a mitigation bank for large historic bridge projects and the restoration of WPA-constructed 1930s tourist camp in Mackay, just to name a few. Closer to home, Ashley co-authored the $500,000 Save America’s Treasure’s Grant that funded the rehabilitation of the U.S. Assay Office in Boise, a National Historic Landmark. She is also the mastermind behind our very popular March Madness competition on our social media. Ashley's neverending wellspring of creative ideas led to amazing successes for Idahoans and their beloved historic resources.

Outside the office, she has also contributed to historic preservation efforts in Boise, where she has served as vice-chair of the City of Boise’s Historic Preservation Commission, developed and taught historic preservation workshops for Boise State University, volunteered for Preservation Idaho as chair of Idaho Modern and a tour docent, and acted as president of the Hillcrest Neighborhood Association.

Ashley will take her talents to the City of Portland, Maine in a new role as a Preservation Planner. She is a talented preservation professional, a trusted colleague and leader in the office, and a dearly valued friend. Her departure is a major loss to the Idaho SHPO and our shared work on behalf of Idahoans. We will miss her can-do attitude, humor, and friendship. Please join us in wishing her well in her next adventure.

07/02/2026

Happy Fourth of July!

Our office will be closed starting today, July 2nd and we will reopen Tuesday, July 6th in an extended observance of the holiday and America250.

Image: Club Sawtooth in Arco, Idaho decorated for Independence Day.

06/30/2026

Thank you Launi!

Today is the last day for Launi Ellering, Compliance Archaeologist here at the SHPO.

Launi joined our office in 2018 as a part-time employee, where she cataloged the SHPO library and provided support with Section 106 reviews. In 2023, she joined the office full time.

Launi is one of the kindest and most enthusiastic colleagues anyone could ever hope to work with. Her impressive reading speed and comprehension set an efficiency standard that will be difficult to match; it may take two employees to fill the gap left by her remarkably fast review times!

Throughout her eight year tenure, she has provided valuable guidance and assistance to local, state, and federal agencies across Idaho and has served as the primary point of contact for Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management projects. Of special consideration, she has tackled some of the largest infrastructure undertakings in the state to her immense credit.

Launi will return to her home state of Washington and serve in a new role as a Senior Archaeologist for the Yakima Reservation Watershed Project. We will miss her positivity, dedication, cheerful presence, boy-mom energy, and birthday party decorating skills every day.

Please join us in thanking Launi for her many contributions to the Idaho SHPO and wishing her the very best in this exciting new chapter.

06/29/2026

Saving Signs...

"We live in a fast-paced culture and sometimes we can forget about the history of our communities and the places that made us who we are... The value of preserving these places is to help tie us to our history and to remind us that not every place is a generic strip mall like every other community has. We have places that are significant to us as communities and people..."

On Friday, former Outreach Historian Dan Everhart spoke with Abrielle Millet at BYU-Idaho Radio about our Signs of Change poster for Archaeology & Historic Preservation Month.

Read or listen to the interview here: https://www.byui.edu/radio/local-news/celebrate-idaho-archeology-and-historic-preservation-month

Thank you BYU-Idaho Radio for your coverage of our poster and the work we do here at the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office.

Visit the Assay Office on weekdays between 10am and 4pm to pick up a free poster or reach out to us at [email protected] for more information.

Image: Greyhound Bus Depot sign in Pocatello, Idaho. Staff Photo.

Address

210 Main Street
Boise, ID
83702

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

https://history.idaho.gov/shpo

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