The Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission was created by an act of the General Assembly passed on April 6, 1966, to locate and designate historical landmarks, buildings, structures, and sites of state or national significance; to publish a register of these landmarks and to set standards for their care and management; to establish historical districts and to provide identification markers; and to coordinate historical preservation programs among individuals, groups, and government. In 1985 the staff of the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission became the Division of Historic Landmarks within newly created Dept. of Conservation and Historic Resources. The Dept. of Historic Resources was created in 1989 when the Division of Historic Landmarks, (previously the Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission, created in 1966), split off from the Dept. of Conservation and Historic Resources and became its own agency.

To fulfill its responsibilities, the commission developed four programs: The Registration and Preservation of Historic Places; The Historic Buildings and Sites Survey Program; The Archeological Investigation Program; and The Open Space Easement Program. The registration and preservation of historic places program maintains the register of historical landmarks and provides grants in aid for restoration and preservation. The historic buildings and sites survey program sponsors surveys and records the location of historical sites. The archaeological investigation program examines and registers sites and preserves artifacts. The open space easement program protects the historical and scenic values of property by accepting deeds of easement from present owners that prohibit inappropriate development by themselves and future owners.