Surveys of historic properties are necessarily selective to some degree or another. The specific criteria for what should be included in a survey will vary somewhat from project to project depending on the purpose of the survey and the area being surveyed. Nonetheless, certain general guideline will be applicable to almost all historic property surveys conducted under the supervision of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Here follows a list of the kinds of properties that should normally be recorded on a Historic Resources Inventory form.
Properties Predating 1817
The survey should record all identified extant buildings regardless of condition or alterations, and should record the sites, when known, of all pre-1817 buildings if there is any likelihood of archaeological remains.
Properties Dating from 1817 to 1865
The survey should record all extant buildings and other structures believed to date to this period, unless so altered that the architectural character is no longer evident at all. Sites should be identified for the most important non-extant buildings (such as major plantation houses, courthouses, and other properties of special architectural or historical interest). The sites of notable Civil War military activity should also be identified. While not required, documentation regarding the appearance of non-extant antebellum buildings would be welcome, especially photographs.
All Other Properties over 50 Years Old
The survey should record all extant properties which have retained their architectural character, and major buildings that have been substantially altered. Sites should only be identified for the most important non-extant buildings. While not required, pictorial documentation about the most important non-extant buildings would be welcomed. All extant properties from this period which are within the boundaries of a proposed historic district should be recorded. All properties specifically associated with military activity during the Second World War should be fully recorded.
Properties Less Than 50 Years Old
Objects of Artistic Interest
The survey should record any freestanding object of artistic or historical interest located within the survey area. In the case of an individual object (such as a statue or fountain), a single form should be prepared for each object. In the case of a group of similar or identical objects (such as historic light posts), a single survey form should be prepared for the whole group, with an attached sketch map locating each object.
16 Miss. Code. R. 3-12.16.2