The Phoenix City Council approved historic designation for eight properties associated with Phoenix African American history, four commercial properties and designated the Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park a landmark at its Formal Meeting on Wednesday.

The newly-approved designations will protect the historic character of the properties and provide incentives for property owners to preserve and restore the properties.

The African American historic sites are:

The properties, built between 1890 and 1950, were identified as part of an African American survey to provide an overview of social, political and cultural African-American history in Phoenix. This study is the first in a series of four ethnic heritage property surveys.

The City Council also designated four properties associated with Phoenix commercial history:

The only National Historic Landmark in the city of Phoenix is now designated by the City Council as a Historic Preservation Landmark. Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park is a historic site that houses the remains of the prehistoric Hohokam Indians, an ingenious people who farmed the Salt River Valley with a complex system of irrigation canals from approximately A.D. 1 to A.D. 1450.

During their occupation, the Hohokams constructed hundreds of domestic structures and public architecture and built more than 20 irrigation canals adjacent to the Salt River. Several of these canals are among the largest and best preserved prehistoric canals in North America.

In 1992 Pueblo Grande was recognized as one of the first Phoenix Points of Pride, and in 1999 was accredited by the American Association of Museums. Of more than 16,000 museums in the United States, Pueblo Grande is one of only 752 to hold this accreditation.