The National Trust for Historic Preservation was chartered by Congress in 1949 to provide for the preservation of historic sites and to facilitate public participation in the preservation of historic places.

"An Act to provide for the preservation of historic American sites, buildings, objects, and antiquities of national significance, and for other purposes, and to facilitate public participation in the preservation of sites, buildings, and objects of national significance or interest, there is hereby created a charitable, educational, and nonprofit corporation, to be known as the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, hereafter referred to as the “National Trust.” (Congressional Charter, 1949)

The new vision for National Trust Sites calls for alignment and clarity around five key elements of the National Trust/Historic Site relationship. Each is important, but it is when all five are in play that National Trust Historic Sites reach a transformative level of impact in the context of the work of this 21st century historic preservation organization.