National Heritage Areas: celebrating our culture and landscapes.Anyone who has traveled from one coast of the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. to the other will tell you that at some point during the journey, an awareness of the vast and powerful landscape of our country crosses the mind. They will tell you that they never realized, or perhaps never fully imagined, the depth and range within our borders that is responsible for such a unique framework of people, places and possibilities that we call the United States. Traveling across our country is a resonating experience. There is much to explore, and more to understand. As much as we want to develop the potential of our country, we must also be careful to preserve places and processes from our past, as they hold the lessons for future generations, the values of our culture, and the qualities of our cultural landscapes. They form our history. The establishment of our parks, and the birth of the National Park Service, have allowed a number of our special treasures to receive proper care and maintenance, and showcased, among other things, the benefits of outdoor recreation and appreciation. Setting aside these geological marvels, and outlining their importance to the American identity, serves as a national example for appreciating specific aspects of our culture and spotlighting them for educational, historical and interpretive contemplation. "It also provides an important platform for groups to work together to achieve a large number of goals and purposes," notes Brenda Barrett Brenda Barrett (formerly Morgan) is a fictional character on the popular ABC soap opera, General Hospital, portrayed by Vanessa Marcil from 1992 to 1998 and again from September 2002 to February 2003. , National Heritage Areas Coordinator. Parks and recreation professionals can promote our rich heritage in various ways. One such measure, developing National Heritage Areas, works with the National Park Service to designate locations where "natural, cultural, historic and recreational resources combine for a cohesive, nationally-distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography." National Heritage Areas can bring our rich, historical resources and traditions to a more visible and conscious position. A collective approach to our national experience emerges and establishes places and perspectives in history that tell the stories of American dreams, ingenuities and commitments. The diversity among the heritage areas illustrates a key point of American life: different regions tell unique tales about our people and our history. The Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area in northeastern Iowa incorporates over 80 communities, sites and attractions that interpret the impact agriculture and farm life has had on the American economy and national perspective. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission maintains the Path of Progress National Heritage Route and shares the stories of our nation's growth in industry through the Allegany Experience. The Automobile National Heritage Area celebrates and educates visitors regarding the influence the automobile has had, and will continue to have, on transportation and commerce. These are just three examples of the 23 National Heritage Areas that promote, educate and justify the dimensions of our culture and aid in our appreciation of America and its perseverance. The Power of Agriculture Throughout most of our history, America has had the fortune of never knowing the impact of food shortages. We have our thriving agriculture to thank for this, and the Silos & Smokestacks region spanning a large portion of northeastern Iowa deserves much of the credit. Tourists visiting this Heritage Area come to learn and understand the importance of this prosperous region: its agricultural foundations, farm life atmosphere, economic development and compelling landscape. Studying the process of agriculture, from the inventions that shaped modern-day production to the values that kept farm owners and workers focused, can all be done here with a number of educational opportunities, site visits and seminars. Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, formed in 1991 as a nonprofit partnership, is "dedicated to recognizing, preserving, promoting and coordinating northeastern Iowa's contributions to world agriculture." In the 11 years since its inception, a number of initiatives have begun to help spread their message. "Our goal is to become the foremost national and international resource on American agriculture, educate our visitors about all aspects of food systems and provide a better understanding of food distribution," says Silos & Smokestacks Executive Director Donald Short. Other goals include conducting economic feasibility studies to establish potential heritage-based tourism revenue, garnering support from regional foundations and corporations, forming a regional network to further develop heritage resources, and creating literature and audio presentations that narrate the landscape. The aim is clear: by broadcasting the benefits of working together to promote not only the history of the region, but also the experiences of the land and its people, an entire community is enriched. "Less than 1% of the American population makes their total income from farming," adds Short, "and there is a need for the remaining 99% to know about these important processes." Just look at the calendar of upcoming events in the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area and you will quickly see that the diversity among the programs is as vast as the landscape itself. Opportunities to learn about the Civil War, ecology, music, craftsmanship, furniture, tools and cinema occur on a monthly basis; some programs and seminars are offered over the span of several weeks or months. Programs are held in a variety of places, including, the Herbert Hoover Presidential Museum, University Museum in Cedar Rapids Cedar Rapids, city (1990 pop. 108,751), seat of Linn co., E central Iowa, on the Cedar River; inc. as a city 1856. The second largest city in Iowa, it is named for the surging rapids in the river. , a number of state historical sites, and of course, within the many surrounding open spaces. Path of Progress The American landscape allows us an exclusive geographic mobility, and as a result, a sense of moving forward. Our terrains and trails tell countless stories; to remember them is to pay tribute to the people and their struggles these paths have witnessed. The Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission, which runs the Path of Progress National Heritage Route, is responsible for educating visitors about the 500 miles within the Allegheny region that is home to a number of historical sites, innovative examples of American ingenuity and commerce, and rustic, yet impressive, scenes of a dominant landscape. Along the Path of Progress Heritage Area are several battlefields, where Americans fought for victory in the French and Indian War French and Indian War North American phase of a war between France and Britain to control colonial territory (1754–63). The war's more complex European phase was the Seven Years' War. and the Revolutionary War: for example, Bushy Run Battlefield Bushy Run Battlefield Park is a historical park operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, on 218 acres, in Penn Township, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. was a turning point for Pontiac's War in western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area of about 2.4 million people, and is the cultural center for Western Pennsylvania. , while Fort Roberdeau is a reconstructed Revolutionary War stockade housing six log cabins and a 45-acre county-owned park. There are guided tours and visitor centers to provide orientations and exhibits. National historic sites along the Path include Friendship Hill and Allegheny Portage Railroad The Allegheny Portage Railroad was the first railroad constructed through the Allegheny Mountains in central Pennsylvania, USA. It was a series of 10 inclines, approximately 36 miles long, and operated from 1834 to 1854. . Also along the path is the Cambria Iron Company Cambria Iron Company is a National Historic Landmark located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1852 and made many important contributions to the iron and steel industry. National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, site, structure, or object, almost always within the United States, officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance. , home to the nation's first large-scale iron and steel mill. Perhaps one of the greatest treasures in this area is Fallingwater, the former home of Pittsburgh department store owner Edgar J. Kaufman. Fallingwater was designed by one of America's foremost architects, Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright, Jr. (March 30,1890, Oak Park, Illinois – May 31, 1978, Santa Monica, California), commonly known as Lloyd Wright, was an American architect who did most of his work in Southern California. . Nowhere else can visitors see such a marvelous example of architecture amid nature's domain. There are both long and short tours available, not to mention the 4,600-acre nature reserve surrounding the home to investigate after a tour. Commerce and industry are also important highlights along the Path of Progress Heritage Area. Steel production is characteristically Pennsylvanian, and this is obvious to visitors as you make your way through the Allegheny Mountains Allegheny Mountains Ranges of the Appalachian system in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia, U.S., west of and generally parallel to the Blue Ridge Mountains. . Johnstown is home to steel mills that have seen generations of workers pass through the doors. Downtown Bedford holds annual festivals to celebrate their transportation heritage. Burnt Cabins Grist Mill uses traditional machines and methods for grinding buckwheat buckwheat, common name for certain members of the Polygonaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs found chiefly in north temperate areas and having a characteristic pungent juice containing oxalic acid. Species native to the United States are most common in the West. and other grains, much to the awe of busloads of visitors. Outdoor opportunities abound; visitors come from across the nation to whitewater in the Youghiogheny River Youghiogheny River River in northeastern West Virginia, northwestern Maryland, and southwestern Pennsylvania, U.S. It rises in West Virginia, near the western edge of Maryland, and flows north through northwestern Maryland into Pennsylvania to enter the Monongahela River at and spend their money at local shops and outfitters. Heritage areas not only help Americans remember their heritage, they help areas develop their future. There is a lot to choose from along the Path of Progress Heritage Area, and these examples are a small sample of the cultural lessons to be learned along the way. The Nation of the Automobile One of the greatest business success stories to come out of America -- even the world -- is the automobile. Revolutionary to say the least, the rise of the automobile has changed the way people around the world think, work and live. The automobile itself became an icon for America and "The American Way The American way of life is an expression that refers to the "life style" of people living in the United States of America. It is an example of a behavioral modality, developed from the 17th century until today. ." What we now may take for granted as a necessity is actually a modern invention that established fortunes, provided jobs and altered methods for production. It is fitting, therefore, and expected, that our automobile heritage be recognized on a national level through a National Heritage Area. In 1998, a 200-member task force led by U.S. Congressman John Dingell John David Dingell, Jr. (born in Colorado Springs, Colorado, July 8 1926) is a Democratic United States Representative from Michigan and is currently the Dean (longest-serving member) of the House of Representatives, with a tenure longer than the entire current time served of 121 (D-Michigan), and representing local government, corporate business, United Automobile Workers United Automobile Workers (UAW) in full International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America U.S.-based industrial union representing automotive and other vehicular workers in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. , cultural and educational groups, preservation groups and environmental organizations, met to discuss legislative approaches for a proposed Automobile National Heritage Area. The work of this task force examined the Heritage Area movement and proposed six corridors of opportunity. These six corridors were identified because of their distinct collection of natural and cultural resources that work together to tell the story of the automobile. The results of this collective drive to establish the Detroit area as a nationally-recognized Heritage Area comes together in the Automobile National Heritage Area mission statement: "... dedicated to preserving, interpreting and promoting the region's rich automotive and labor heritage in ways that are meaningful and relevant to contemporary society. We work in partnership with others to increase tourism, educate citizens about our history, encourage economic development and improve the quality of life in our region". Moving Heritage Forward The Heritage Area movement is young. With only 23 heritage areas recognized on a national level by Congress, and eight new proposals in Congress, we have only begun to highlight our nation's past in this manner. Does your community have a unique story to tell? Are there aspects of your landscape and your culture that are characteristic to your region and your population? Can you bring together the many facets of living that demonstrate American society? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you may want to explore the possibility of establishing a Heritage Area in your community to continue the ongoing process of celebrating, commemorating and capturing our American spirit. Contact your local and state senators and congressmen, gather citizen and commerce leaders within your community, learn more about existing Heritage Areas and get in touch with them. Ask them what they have done to bring attention to their regions and how you can do the same for your community. The Heritage Area movement is gaining momentum. There can never be enough support in telling our American story. DIRECTORY OF NATIONAL HERITAGE AREAS America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA), also known as America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership is one of 37 federally designated heritage areas in the nation and is an Affiliated Area of the National Park Service. (Silos & Smokestacks) Don Short, Executive Director Silos and Smokestacks P.O. Box 2845, Waterloo, IA 50704-2845 319-234-4567, 319-234-8228 fax dshort@silosandsmokestacks.org www.silosandsmokestacks.org Augusta Canal The Augusta Canal was devised to harness the power of the fall line of the Savannah River for mills and to provide drinking water for Augusta, Georgia. The brain-child of lawyer Henry Cumming, it was surveyed and designed by J. National Heritage Area Dayton Sherrouse, Executive Director Augusta Canal Authority P.O. Box 2367, Augusta, GA 30903-2367 706-823-0440, 706-823-1045 fax sherrouse@augustacanal.com www.augustacanal.com Automobile National Heritage Area Constance C. Bodurow, Executive Director 300 River Place, Suite 1600 Detroit, MI 48207 313-259-3425, 313-259-5254 fax cbodurow@autoheritage.org www.autoheritage.org Cache La Poudre River The Cache La Poudre River (sometimes called the Poudre River for short) is a tributary of the South Platte River in the state of Colorado in the United States. Corridor Karen Scopel, Natural Resources Planner City of Greeley 1100 10th Street, Suite 101 Greeley, CO 80631 (970) 350-9783, (970) 350-9800 fax scopelk@ci.greeley.co.us Frank Lancaster, Larimer County Manager P.O. Box 1190, Ft. Collins, CO 80522 (970) 498-7004, (970) 498-7006 fax lancasft@co.larimer.co.us Chuck Wanner 1242 West Mountain Ave. Fort Collins, CO 80521 Cwanner@poudreriver.org Cane River National Heritage Area The Cane River National Heritage Area is a United States National Heritage Area in the state of Louisiana. The heritage area is known for its spectacular Creole architecture as well as numerous other sites that preserve the multi-cultural history of the area. Nancy I.M. Morgan, Director Cane River National Heritage Area Commission P.O. Box 1201 Natchitoches, LA 71458 318-356-5555, 318-356-8222 fax CARI CARI Consejo Argentino para las Relaciones Internacionales (French) CARI Canadian Association of Recycling Industries CARI Central Agricultural Research Institute (Sri Lanka) _heritage_area@nps.gov www.nps.gov/cari Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. C. Allen Sachse, Executive Director Delaware & Lehigh Canal The Lehigh Canal was constructed to carry anthracite coal from the upper Lehigh Valley to the urban markets of the northeast, especially Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With the discovery of large deposits of anthracite coal, the Lehigh Coal Mine Company was formed to transport the National Heritage Corridor Commission 10 E. Church St., Room P-208 Bethlehem, PA 18018 610-861-9345, 610-861-9347 fax dele de·le n. A sign indicating that something is to be removed from printed or written matter. tr.v. de·led, de·le·ing, de·les 1. To remove, especially from printed or written matter; delete. 2. 3@fast.net www.nps.gov/dele Erie Canalway National Corridor Gary Warshefski Ft. Stanwix National Monument national monument In the U.S., any of numerous areas reserved by the federal government for the protection of objects or places of historical, scientific, or prehistoric interest. New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of 315-336-2090 Gary_Warshefski@nps.gov Essex National Heritage Area Annie Harris, Executive Director Essex National Heritage Commission 140 Washington Street The following streets in the United States are called Washington Street:
Hudson River Hudson River River, New York, U.S. Originating in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing for about 315 mi (507 km) to New York City, it was named for Henry Hudson, who explored it in 1609. Dutch settlement of the Hudson valley began in 1629. Valley National Heritage Area Barbara Kendall and Carmella Mantello, Executive Directors Hudson River Valley Greenway Capitol Building, Room 254, Albany, NY 12224 518-473-3835, 518-473-4518 fax Carmella.Mantello@hudsongreenway. state.ny.us Barbara.Kendall@hudsongreenway. state.ny.us www.hudsongreenway.state.ny.us Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Phyllis Ellin, Executive Director 201 W. Tenth St. 1-SE, Lockport, IL 60441 815-588-6040, 815-588-6046 fax phyllis_ellin@nps.gov www.nps.gov/ilmi Ana Koval, Executive Director Canal Corridor Association Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor 25 East Washington Street, Suite 1650 Chicago, IL 60602 312-427-3688, 312-377-2169 fax cca@canalcor.org www.canalcor.org John H. Chafee Blackstone River Blackstone River River, central Massachusetts and Rhode Island, U.S. It flows about 50 mi (80 km) past Worcester and across northeastern Rhode Island to Pawtucket, where it becomes the Seekonk River. It furnishes power to a highly industrialized area. Valley National Heritage Corridor Michael Creasey, Executive Director Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor Commission 1 Depot Square, Woonsocket, RI 02895 401-762-0250, 401-762-0530 fax michael_creasey@nps.gov www.nps.gov/blac Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area John Cosgrove John Cosgrove (September 12, 1839 - August 15, 1925) was a Democrat Representative representing Missouri's 6th congressional district from March 4, 1883-March 3, 1885. Cosgrove was born near Alexandria Bay, New York in Jefferson County, New York. , Executive Director Lackawanna Heritage Valley 1300 Old Plank Road The Old Plank Road is a plank road in Imperial County, California that was built in 1915 as an east-west route over the Algodones Dunes, effectively connecting the extreme lower section of Southern California to Arizona and which provided the last link in a commercial route between , Mayfield, PA 18433 570-876-6188, 570-876-6199 fax jcosgrove@lhva.org National Coal Heritage Area Jeff Harpold, Director Cultural Center, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. East Charleston, WV 25305 304-558-0220 x148, 304-558-2779 fax jeff.harpold@wvculture.org www.coalheritage.org Ohio & Erie Canal Erie Canal, artificial waterway, c.360 mi (580 km) long; connecting New York City with the Great Lakes via the Hudson River. Locks were built to overcome the 571-ft (174-m) difference between the level of the river and that of Lake Erie. National Heritage Corridor Dan Rice, Executive Director Ohio & Erie Canal Corridor Coalition 520 S. Main St., Suite 2541-F Akron, OH 44311 330-434-5657, 330-434-5688 fax oeccc@raex.com oeccc.dlb@attglobal.net Ohio & Erie Canal Association 1556 West Boston Mills Road Peninsula, OH 44264 330-657-2982, 330-468-4943 fax jeff_winstel@nps.gov www.ohiocanal.org Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor Charlene Cutler, Executive Director Quinebaug-Shetucket Heritage Corridor, Inc. 107 Providence Street, Putnam, CT 06260 860-963-7226, 860-928-2189 fax cpcutler@snet.net www.nps.gov/qush Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area Augie Carlino, President & CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. 338 E. Ninth Ave., 1st Floor Homestead, PA 15120 412-464-4020, 412-464-4417 fax acarlino@riversofsteel.com www.riversofsteel.com Schuykill River Valley National Heritage Area Dixie Swenson, Executive Director 960 Mill Road, Wyomissing, PA 19610 610-372-3916, 610-372-2917 dswenson@schuykillriver.org Shenandoah Valley Shenandoah valley, part of the Great Valley of the Appalachians, c.150 mi (240 km) long, N Va., located between the Blue Ridge and the Allegheny mts. The valley is divided into two parts by Massanutten Mt., a ridge c.45 mi (70 km) long and c.3,000 ft (915 m) high. Battlefields National Historic District Howard Kittell, Executive Director Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Commission PO Box 897, New Market, VA 22844 540-740-4543, 540-740-4509 fax hkittell@shentel.net www.valleybattlefields.org South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. National Heritage Corridor Curt Cottle, Director Heritage Tourism Development Office South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism 1205 Pendleton St., Columbia, SC 29201 803-734-1217, 803-734-0670 fax ccottle@prt.state.sc.us www.sc-heritgecorridor.org Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission (Path of Progress National Heritage Route) Randy Cooley, Executive Director 105 Zee Plaza, P.O. Box 565 Hollidaysburg, PA 16648-0565 814-696-9380, 814-696-9569 fax or Lori Adams 814 696-7383 rcooley@sphpc.org www.sphpc.org Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area Dr. James K. Huhta, Director Center for Historic Preservation Historic preservation is the act of maintaining and repairing existing historic materials and the retention of a property's form as it has evolved over time. When considering the United States Department of Interior's interpretation: "Preservation calls for the existing form, Middle Tennessee State University Middle Tennessee State University (founded September 11, 1911, and commonly abbreviated as MTSU) is an American university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Box 80, Murfreesboro, TN 37132 615-898-2947, 615-898-5614 fax jhuhta@frank.mtsu.eduwww.mtsu.edu/~histpres Wheeling National Heritage Area Suzanne Quinn, Executive Director heritage@hgo.net Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area In 1540, long before the first European footsteps touched Plymouth Rock, Yuma’s colorful history began with the arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando de Alarcon. The Yuma Crossing became the focal point for travel to the Wild West, from the Gold Rush to the arrival of the railroad Riverfront Development Office 200 West First Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 520 343-8744, 520 782-5040 coyriver@primenet.com For further information about National Heritage areas, contact Brenda Barrett, National Heritage Area Coordinator, at 202-565-1179, by email at Brenda_ barrett@nps.gov, or Augie Carlino, President of the National Heritage Alliance at 412-464-4020. |
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