For the purposes of sections 10-409 to 10-415, inclusive, “department” means the Department of Economic and Community Development; “municipality” shall include any town, city or borough; “private organization” means a nonprofit organization which has the power to acquire, relocate, restore and maintain historic structures and landmarks in the state of Connecticut; “historic district” means an area in a municipality established under section 7-147a or by special act; “historic structures and landmarks” means any building, structure, object or site that is significant in American history, architecture, archaeology and culture or property used in connection therewith including sacred sites and archaeological sites; “historic preservation” means research, protection, restoration, stabilization and adaptive use of buildings, structures, objects, districts, areas and sites significant in the history, architecture, archaeology or culture of this state, its municipalities or the nation; and “state register of historic places” means the department’s itemized list locating and classifying historic structures and landmarks throughout the state, as discovered in the commission’s field survey of 1966-1967 and as subsequently augmented.