Louisa lawson suffragette light box memorial greenway

A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in

relief Relief is a sculpture, sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces remain attached to a solid background of the same material. The term ''wikt:relief, relief'' is from the Latin verb , to raise (). To create a sculpture in relief is to give ...

, or both, to commemorate one or more persons, an event, a former use of the place, or some other thing. Most such plaques are attached to a wall, stone, or other vertical surface. Many modern plaques and markers are used to associate the location where the plaque or marker is installed with the person, event, or item commemorated as a place worthy of visit. A monumental plaque or tablet commemorating a deceased person or persons, can be a simple form of

church monument Funerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the death, dead. The term encompasses a wide variety of forms, including cenotaphs ("empty tombs"), tomb-like monuments which do not contain human remains, a ...

. Most modern plaques affixed in this way are commemorative of something, but not all. There are also purely religious plaques, and some signify ownership or affiliation of some sort. A

plaquette A plaquette (; "small plaque") is a small low relief sculpture in bronze or other materials. These were popular in the Italian Renaissance and later. They may be commemorative, but especially in the Renaissance and Mannerist periods were often ...

is a small plaque, but in English, unlike many European languages, the term is not typically used for outdoor plaques fixed to walls.

Historical

Benin Kingdom

The

Benin Empire The Kingdom of Benin, also known as Great Benin, is a traditional kingdom in southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's c ...

, which flourished in present-day

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

between the thirteenth and nineteenth centuries, had an exceedingly rich sculptural tradition. One of the kingdom's chief sites of cultural production was the elaborate ceremonial court of the Oba (divine king) at the palace in Benin. Among the wide range of artistic forms produced at the court were rectangular brass or bronze plaques. At least a portion of these plaques, which were mainly created from the thirteenth through sixteenth centuries, commemorate significant persons and events associated with the Oba's court, including important battles during Benin's sixteenth century expansionary period.

Medieval Europe

Brass or bronze memorial plaques were produced throughout medieval Europe from at least the early thirteenth through the sixteenth centuries as a form of sepulchral memorial generally inset into the walls of churches or surfaces of tombs. Surviving in great numbers, they were manufactured from sheet brass or

latten Historically, the term "latten" referred loosely to the copper alloys such as brass or bronze that appeared in the Middle Ages and through to the late-18th and early-19th centuries. Such alloys were used for monumental brasses, in decorative effect ...

, very occasionally coloured with enamels, and tend to depict highly conventional figures with brief inscriptions.

Modern

Historical markers are put on display by the owners of sites listed by national agencies concerned with

historic preservation Historic preservation (US), built heritage preservation or built heritage conservation (UK) is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance. It is a philos ...

such as the

National Trust for Historic Preservation The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately funded, nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C., that works in the field of historic preservation in the United States. The member-supported organization was founded in 1949 ...

and the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

(in the United States), the

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...

(in the United Kingdom),

An Taisce An Taisce – The National Trust for Ireland (; "An Taisce" meaning "the store" or "the treasury"), established on a provisional basis in September 1946, and incorporated as a company based on an “association not for profit” in June 1948, is ...

(in Ireland),

National Historical Commission of the Philippines The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP; ) is a government agency of the Philippines. Its mission is "the promotion of Philippine history and cultural heritage through research, dissemination, conservation, sites management ...

(in the Philippines), and the National Trusts of other countries. Other historical markers are created by local

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

non-profit organizations A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...

, or individuals. In addition to geographically defined regions, individual organizations, such as

E Clampus Vitus The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the Western United States, especially the history of the Mother Lode#California Mother Lode, Mother Lode and gold ...

or the

American Society of Mechanical Engineers The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an American professional association that, in its own words, "promotes the art, science, and practice of multidisciplinary engineering and allied sciences around the globe" via "continuing edu ...

, can choose to maintain a national set of historical markers that fit a certain theme. The

Royal Society of Arts The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, commonly known as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), is a learned society that champions innovation and progress across a multitude of sectors by fostering creativity, s ...

established the first scheme in the world for historical commemoration on plaques in 1866. The scheme was established under the influence of the British politician William Ewart and the

civil servant The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil service personnel hired rather than elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership. A civil service offic ...

Henry Cole Henry Cole may refer to: *Sir Henry Cole (inventor) Sir Henry Cole FRSA (15 July 1808 – 15 April 1882) was an English civil servant and inventor who facilitated many innovations in commerce, education and the arts in the 19th century in the ...

. The first plaque was unveiled in 1867 to commemorate

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

at his birthplace, 24 Holles Street,

Cavendish Square Cavendish Square is a public square, public garden square in Marylebone in the West End of London. It has a double-helix underground commercial car park. Its northern road forms ends of four streets: of Wigmore Street that runs to Portman Square ...

. The earliest historical marker to survive, commemorates

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

in King Street,

St James's St James's is a district of Westminster, and a central district in the City of Westminster, London, forming part of the West End of London, West End. The area was once part of the northwestern gardens and parks of St. James's Palace and much of ...

, and was also put up in 1867. The original plaque colour was blue, but this was changed by the manufacturer Minton, Hollins & Co to chocolate brown to save money. In 1901, the scheme was first taken over by the local government authority - the

London County Council The London County Council (LCC) was the principal local government body for the County of London throughout its existence from 1889 to 1965, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today ...

Australia

Several states have a program overseeing the installation of

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

s similar to those in the UK, including

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, Victoria, and

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

. There are also many other types of commemorative plaques.

New South Wales

In April 2022 the New South Wales Heritage Minister announced 17 Blue Plaques to celebrate NSW heritage by recognising noteworthy people and events from the state's history. Inspired by the famous London Blue Plaques program run by

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...

which originally started in 1866, and similar programs around the world, these plaques were selected from over 750 nominations received in November 2021 from community members, organisations, and local councils. People and places recognised by the first batch of plaques to be erected include Bessie Robinson of

Canowindra Situated on the Belubula River, Canowindra (pronounced ) is a historic township and the largest population centre in Cabonne Shire, New South Wales, Cabonne Shire. The town is located between Orange, New South Wales, Orange and Cowra, New South ...

and

Duke Kahanamoku Duke Paoa Kahinu Mokoe Hulikohola Kahanamoku (August 24, 1890 – January 22, 1968) was a Hawaiian competition swimmer, lifeguard, and popularizer of the sport of surfing. A Native Hawaiian, he was born three years before the overthrow of the ...

and Camden Red Cross. In November 2023 it was announced that a further 14 people, places and events would be commemorated in the second round of blue plaques sponsored by the Government of New South Wales, chosen from 117 public nominations: Kathleen Butler, godmother of

Sydney Harbour Bridge The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, spanning Port Jackson, Sydney Harbour from the Sydney central business district, central business district (CBD) to the North Shore (Sydney), North ...

; Emma Jane Callaghan, an Aboriginal midwife and activist; Susan Katherina Schardt; journalist

Dorothy Drain Dorothy Drain (16 August 1909 – 31 May 1996) was an Australian journalist, columnist, war correspondent, editor and poet. She worked as a journalist with ''The Australian Women's Weekly'' for 38 years, with the final five years being as its ...

; writer Charmian Clift; Beryl Mary McLaughlin, one of the first three women to graduate in architecture from the University of Sydney; Grace Emily Munro, Sir

William Dobell Sir William Dobell (24 September 189913 May 1970) was an Australian portrait and landscape artist of the 20th century. Dobell won the Archibald Prize, Australia's premier award for portrait artists on three occasions. The Dobell Prize is named ...

Ioannis Ioannis or Ioannes (), shortened to Giannis or Yannis (Γιάννης) is a Greek given name cognate with Johannes and John (given name), John and the Arabic name Yahya (name), Yahya . Notable people with the name include: *John I Tzimiskes, Ioannis ...

(Jack) and Antonios (Tony) Notaras; Syms Covington; Ken Thomas of

Thomas Nationwide Transport Thomas Nationwide Transport (TNT) and later as TNT Limited was an Australian logistics and transport company. Founded in 1946, it was taken over by KPN in 1996 and in 1998 became part of the TNT Post Group. History TNT was founded by Ken Th ...

, Bondi Surf Bathers' Life Saving Club and the first release of

myxomatosis Myxomatosis is a disease caused by '' Myxoma virus'', a poxvirus in the genus '' Leporipoxvirus''. The natural hosts are tapeti (''Sylvilagus brasiliensis'') in South and Central America, and brush rabbits (''Sylvilagus bachmani'') in North ...

. To mark the 60th anniversary of the 1965 Freedom Ride in which a group of students toured country towns to highlight discrimination against

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various indigenous peoples of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland and many of its islands, excluding the ethnically distinct people of the Torres Strait Islands. Humans first migrated to Australia (co ...

, in February 2025 the

Government of New South Wales The Government of New South Wales, also known as the NSW Government, is the executive state government of New South Wales, Australia. The government comprises 11 portfolios, led by a ministerial department and supported by several agencies. Th ...

unveiled a

commemorating in

Walgett Walgett is a town in northern New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of Walgett Shire. It is near the junctions of the Barwon and Namoi Rivers and the Kamilaroi and Castlereagh Highways. In 2021, Walgett had a population of 1,377. In the ...

, the first of several to be installed in key locations along the route.

Austria

* Bundesdenkmalamt

Belgium

* Institut du Patrimoine wallon

Canada

National Historic Sites of Canada National Historic Sites of Canada () are places that have been designated by the federal Minister of the Environment on the advice of the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC), as being of national historic significance. Parks C ...

* Index: National Historic Sites of Canada

Chile

National Monuments of Chile The National Monuments of Chile (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Monumentos Nacionales de Chile N', are those places, and properties, moveable or fixed, protected by the State of Chile under the 1970 Law No. 17,288 for the protection of Nationa ...

France

Monument historique () is a designation given to some national heritage sites in France. It may also refer to the state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building, a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, ...

Germany

* Berlin memorial plaque *

Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz The ''Deutsche Stiftung Denkmalschutz'' ("German Foundation for Monument Protection") is a German private initiative founded in 1985 that works for the preservation of cultural heritage in Germany and to promote the idea of cultural heritage ma ...

* Kulturdenkmal (National Heritage Sites)

Hong Kong

Declared monuments of Hong Kong Declared monuments of Hong Kong are places, structures or buildings legally declared to receive the highest level of protection. In Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a spec ...

List of Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong Grade I historic buildings in Hong Kong are those selected as those "outstanding merits of which every effort should be made to preserve if possible". These buildings may be protected under the Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance; after consulting ...

List of Grade II historic buildings in Hong Kong Grade II historic buildings are those of special merit in Hong Kong. Efforts are required to preserve the building selectively. Note: This list is accurate A territory-wide Heritage conservation in Hong Kong, grade reassessment has been ongoing ...

* List of Grade III historic buildings in Hong Kong

India

* Pune Aitihasik Vastu Smriti

Italy

* Fondo per l'Ambiente Italiano (National Trust of Italy)

Netherlands

Rijksmonument A (, ) is a national heritage site of the Netherlands, listed by the agency Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) acting for the Dutch Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. At the end of February 2015, the Netherlands had 61,822 l ...

* Gable stone

New Zealand

New Zealand Historic Places Trust Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga (initially the National Historic Places Trust and then, from 1963 to 2014, the New Zealand Historic Places Trust; in ) is a Crown entity that advocates for the protection of ancestral sites and heritage bui ...

Philippines

Katedral ng Kalookan NHCP Historical Marker Unveiling Ceremony 6

Historical markers ( Filipino: ''panandang pangkasaysayan''; ) are cast-iron plaques installed all over the Philippines that commemorate people, places, personalities, structures, and events. They are installed by the

. This practice started in 1933, with NHCP's predecessor, the Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee, which initially only marked antiquities in

Manila Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...

. The initial markers were placed in 1934. Markers have their texts primarily in Filipino, while there are also markers in the English language, especially for markers that were installed during the

American colonial era The colonial history of the United States covers the period of European colonization of North America from the late 15th century until the unifying of the Thirteen Colonies, Thirteen British Colonies and creation of the United States in 17 ...

. Markers in regional languages such as Cebuano, Ilocano, and

Kapampangan Kapampangan, Capampañgan or Pampangan may refer to: *Kapampangan people, of the Philippines *Kapampangan language Kapampangan, Capampáñgan, or Pampangan, is an Austronesian language, and one of the eight major languages of the Philippines. ...

, are also available and issued by the NHCP. Markers are found all over the country, and there have been markers installed outside the country. The plaques themselves are permanent signs installed in publicly visible locations on buildings, monuments, or in special locations. There are more than 1,690 markers to date. Most markers are located within

Luzon Luzon ( , ) is the largest and most populous List of islands in the Philippines, island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the List of islands of the Philippines, Philippine archipelago, it is the economic and political ce ...

, especially in

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...

(with more than 500), which has prompted the NHCP to install more markers in

Visayas The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; Filipino language, Filipino: ''Kabisayaan'' ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, a ...

and

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) is the List of islands of the Philippines, second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and List of islands by population, seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the ...

, for their greater inclusion in the national historical narrative. Issues and controversies have also been the concern of several individual markers, from the commemoration of former

Philippine President The president of the Philippines (, sometimes referred to as ) is the head of state, head of government and chief executive of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in- ...

Ferdinand Marcos Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...

to the reaction of the Japanese embassy to the

comfort women Comfort women were women and girls forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in occupied countries and territories before and during World War II. The term ''comfort women'' is a translation of the Japanese , a euphemism ...

statue and marker. There have also been some markers replaced by new ones because of rectified information, theft, or loss due to war or disasters. Many American-era markers have been destroyed or were lost as casualties of World War II. Local municipalities and cities can also install markers of figures and events of local significance. Though they may have the permission of the NHCP, these markers are barred from using the seal of the Republic of the Philippines. From March to October 2021, quincentennial historical markers were unveiled by the NHCP and the

National Quincentennial Committee The 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (2021 QCP) was a series of observances organized to mark the 500th anniversary of various events in the Philippines, notably the introduction of Christianity in the Philippines, the role ...

as part of the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines (QCP). As part of the 125th anniversary of the

Philippine declaration of independence The Philippine Declaration of Independence (; ) was proclaimed by Filipino revolutionary forces general Emilio Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898, in Cavite el Viejo (present-day Kawit, Cavite), Philippines. It asserted the sovereignty and indepe ...

celebrations, the agency then started unveiling Philippine Nationhood Trail historical markers since 2023. File:Rizal's Execution Site NHCP Historical Marker.png File:Sementeryo sa Ilalim ng Lupa ng Nagcarlan NHCP Historical Marker.png File:Church of the Immaculate Conception of Tamontaka Seal.JPG File:Inauguration of the First Philippine Assembly.jpg File:Baguio Teachers' Camp historical marker vicinity - NHCP - 2.jpg File:TagaytayRidge HistoricalMarker TagaytayCity.jpg

Singapore

* National Monuments of Singapore

Switzerland

* Kulturgüterschutz — or: ''Protection des biens culturels''; ''Cultural heritage protection in Switzerland''; or ''Protezione dei beni culturali''

United Kingdom

Blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

s are the principal type of historical markers found throughout England and are the closest thing there is to a historical marker system in the UK. An example is the blue plaque scheme run by

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

, although these were originally erected in a variety of shapes and colors. This has been running for over 140 years and is thought to be the oldest system of its kind in the world. Plaques are attached to buildings to commemorate their association with important occupants or events. The

National Trust The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...

(which is a non-profit charity organization unlike English Heritage and English Heritage properties) has its own similar markers as well., Information about historical markers and historical plaques, and historic preservation in England, British Isles. The Dead Comics' Society installs blue plaques to commemorate the former residences of well-known comedians, including those of

Sid James Sidney James (born Solomon Joel Cohen; 8 May 1913 – 26 April 1976) was a South African–British actor and comedian whose career encompassed radio, television, stage and screen. Noted for his distinctive laugh, he was best known for numerou ...

and

John Le Mesurier John Le Mesurier (, born John Elton Le Mesurier Halliley; 5 April 191215 November 1983) was an English actor. He is probably best remembered for his comedic role as Sergeant Arthur Wilson in the BBC television situation com ...

. However, not all historical markers in the United Kingdom are blue, and many are not ceramic. A range of other commemorative plaque schemes, which are typically run by local councils and charitable bodies, exists throughout the United Kingdom. These tend to use their own criteria for determining the eligibility to put up a plaque. There are commemorative plaque schemes in

Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. The city is located in southeast Scotland and is bounded to the north by the Firth of Forth and to the south by the Pentland Hills. Edinburgh ...

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

Loughton Loughton () is a suburban town and civil parish in the Epping Forest District of Essex. The town borders Waltham Abbey, Theydon Bois, Chigwell, Chingford, and Buckhurst Hill, and lies north-east of Charing Cross. For statistical purposes ...

, and elsewhere—some of which differ from the familiar blue plaque. A scheme in

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

uses color-coded plaques to commemorate figures, with each of the colors corresponding to the person's occupation. The Purple Plaques/Placiau Porffor scheme in Wales uses purple to commemorate significant women. In 2003, the

London Borough The London boroughs are the current 32 districts of England, local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London, England; each is governed by a London borough council. The present ...

Southwark Southwark ( ) is a district of Central London situated on the south bank of the River Thames, forming the north-western part of the wider modern London Borough of Southwark. The district, which is the oldest part of South London, developed ...

started a plaque scheme which included living people in the awards. Even in London, the

Westminster City Council Westminster City Council is the local authority for the City of Westminster in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. Full council meetings ...

runs a green plaque scheme which is run alongside that of the blue plaque scheme administered by English Heritage. Other schemes are run by civic societies, district or town councils, or

local history Local history is the study of history in a geographically local context, often concentrating on a relatively small local community. It incorporates cultural history, cultural and social history, social aspects of history. Local history is not mer ...

groups, and often operate with different criteria. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, the families of British and British Empire (now Commonwealth) service men and women killed during the conflict were presented with bronze

Memorial Plaque A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

s. The plaques, of about in diameter, were designed by the eminent

sculptor Sculpture is the branch of the visual arts that operates in three dimensions. Sculpture is the three-dimensional art work which is physically presented in the dimensions of height, width and depth. It is one of the plastic arts. Durable sc ...

and medallist,

Edward Carter Preston Edward Carter Preston (7 July 1885 – 2 March 1965) was an English artist, renowned as a sculptor and medallist. Biography Preston was born, and died, in Liverpool. He designed the bronze memorial plaques presented to the families of Britis ...

United States

In the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, various state governments have commemorative plaque schemes usually using the name historical markers. The

or the U.S. government, through the National Register of Historic Places, can bestow historical status. State programmes, such as the

California Register of Historical Resources The California Register of Historical Resources is a California state government program for use by state and local agencies, private groups, and citizens to identify, evaluate, register, and protect California's historical resources. The Calif ...

, allow designated sites to place their own markers. The criteria and circumstances through which a party administers the distribution of historical markers varies. For example, the "Preservation Worcester" program in

Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...

, allows a person to register their house or other structure of least fifty years of age if the building is well preserved, with retention of its original character and importance to the architectural, cultural or historical nature of the local

neighborhood A neighbourhood (Commonwealth English) or neighborhood (American English) is a geographically localized community within a larger town, city, suburb or rural area, sometimes consisting of a single street and the buildings lining it. Neigh ...

. One then pays a fee ($185 to $225) to receive the historical marker itself. ParkmanHouse

In the same state, the Boston neighborhood Charlestown has its own local association to administer historical markers. Other historical markers in and around Boston are administered by agencies such as

The Bostonian Society The Bostonian Society was a non-profit organization in Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 1881 as a historic preservation group. The Bostonian Society became part of the Revolutionary Spaces organization in 2020. History The Bostonian Society was f ...

2007 Catalogue For Philanthropy or are associated with sites such as those along the Freedom Trail, the

Black Heritage Trail Black Heritage Trail or African American Heritage Trail may refer to one of the following, all in the United States: * African American Heritage Trail of St. Petersburg, Florida * African American Heritage Trail of Westchester County, New York * ...

, and the

Emerald Necklace The Emerald Necklace consists of a chain of parks linked by parkways and waterways in Boston and Brookline, Massachusetts. It was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, and gets its name from the way the planned chain appears ...

Other examples of mostly locally generated historical markers in the United States include: * Plaque outside the

Alaska Governor's Mansion The Alaska Governor's Mansion, located at 716 Calhoun Avenue in Juneau, Alaska, United States, is the official residence of the governor of Alaska, the first spouse of Alaska, and their families. It was designed by James Knox Taylor. The Gove ...

made by the Alaska Centennial Commission's historical markers program, * Historical markers of State Historic Marker Council in Florida, * Markers placed by various agencies in Georgia (of which one source mentions 3,292 different historical markers) * In Indiana, it is illegal to create a historical marker in the "state format" without first getting official approval from that state's historical bureau, * Historical markers in Kansas erected by the Kansas Historical Society and the

Kansas Department of Transportation The Kansas Department of Transportation (KSDOT) is a state government organization in charge of maintaining public roadways of the U.S. state of Kansas. Funding issues Since 2012, over $2 billion has been diverted from its coffers to the Kans ...

, * Roadside Historic Marker Program in Maryland administered by the Maryland Historical Trust, * State Historic Marker Program of New York (begun in 1926 to commemorate the Sequicentennial of the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

), * Historic markers placed as recently as 2008 in

Sussex County, New Jersey Sussex County () is the northernmost county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Its county seat is Newton.New Mexico Department of Transportation The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT; ) is a state government organization which oversees transportation in New Mexico, State of New Mexico in the southwestern United States. The agency has four main focuses—transit, rail, av ...

, * historical markers of North Carolina (the Historical Publications Section of the state Office of Archives and History publishes a ''Guide to North Carolina Highway Historical Markers''), * More than 1200 historical markers of Ohio (all of which are now made in a

Marietta, Ohio Marietta is a city in Washington County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Appalachian Ohio, southeastern Ohio at the confluence of the Muskingum River, Muskingum and Ohio Rivers, northeast of Parkersburg, West Virginia ...

, workshop), * Over 550 official state markers in Wisconsin. See also: * ''Historical markers posted at

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

and/or municipal levels (examples):'' ** Georgia Historic Markers ** Indiana State Historic Markers—''of statewide historical significance, by state'' ** New Hampshire State Historic Markers—''of statewide historical significance, by state'' ** Nevada Historic Markers—''of statewide historical significance, by state'' ** New York State Historic Markers—''of statewide historical significance, by state'' ** North Carolina Highway Historical Marker Program, part of the

North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources is a cabinet-level department within the state government of North Carolina dedicated to overseeing projects in the arts, culture, and history within the borders of the state. The cur ...

** Pennsylvania State Historic Markers—''of statewide historical significance, by state'' ** Texas Historic Markers

Awards

Plaques or, more often, plaquettes, are also given as

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award may be d ...

s instead of

trophies A trophy is a tangible, decorative item used to remind of a specific achievement, serving as recognition or evidence of merit. Trophies are most commonly awarded for sporting events, ranging from youth sports to professional level athletics. Add ...

or ribbons. Such plaques usually bear text describing the reason for the award and, often, the date of the award.

Citations

General and cited references

* English Heritage, ''Blue Plaques: A Guide to the Scheme'', 2002 * James Loewen, ''Lies Across America: What Our Historic Sites Get Wrong'', 1999. * Nick Rennison, ''The London Blue Plaque Guide'', 2003 * Derek Sumeray, ''Discovering London Plaques'', 1999 * Derek Sumeray, ''Track the Plaque'', 2003

External links

* {{Authority control Award items Cultural heritage Cultural history Cultural history of the United States Monuments and memorials 01 Signage Types of monuments and memorials