By RYAN CHRISTNER

rchristner@dailynews.net

Score one for preservationists.

Hays' historical downtown region recently received far-reaching recognition as the Chestnut Street Historic District was placed last month in the National Register of Historic Places, the country's official list of historically significant properties.

The 80-building Main Street district stretches from Seventh to 13th streets, encompassing properties westward on Ninth, 10th and 11th streets and eastward on 11th and 12th streets.

Sarah Martin, the National Register coordinator for the Kansas State Historical Society, said a National Register district is defined as "a significant concentration, linkage or continuity of sites, buildings, structures or objects united historically or aesthetically by plan of physical development."

The buildings are labeled as being either a contributing or non-contributing resource.

Contributing resources are said to add to the historic significance of the district, while non-contributing resources do not, either because they are not historic -- those not yet 50 years old -- or because they have had alterations and no longer reflect a historic appearance.

On July 9, the Chestnut Street District made its first appearance in the National Register.

The area already had three properties previously recorded in the National Register: the old First Presbyterian Church at 100 W. Seventh, which is now the home of the Ellis County Historical Society Museum, the Philip Hardware Store building, 719 Main, and the Krueger Building at 811 Fort.

The Downtown Hays Development Corp., formed in 2000 and leading the charge for the downtown revitalization effort, began the application process in 2005 by hiring a preservation consultant who surveyed the district's historic resources.

The consultant prepared the National Register nomination, which was approved by the city of Hays and the Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review before being sent to the Keeper of the National Register for final approval.

The most recent addition, the Hays downtown is one of 24 Kansas districts now listed in the register. Others that have been recognized in the past few years, include the downtowns of Wellington, Independence, Seneca and Manhattan.

KSHS coordinator Martin said the number of downtowns appearing on the list have grown recently because of the rehabilitation incentives available to listed properties.

According to the National Register Web site, owners of listed properties "may be eligible for a 20 percent investment tax credit for the certified rehabilitation of income-producing certified historic structures," including commercial, industrial and rental residential buildings.

The site also states the possibility of qualification for federal grants for historic preservation.

DHDC Coordinator Sabrina William said the national-historic status also affords protection from federal projects that might adversely affect the area's character.

The DHDC continues to renovate downtown properties, ensuring that character will remain for decades to come.