It is time for the ENHC Annual Meeting! All are welcome to attend. Join us as we recognize ENHC President, Tom Leonard, for his many years of service to the commission. In addition, the announcement of the ENHA 10th Anniversary celebration, program updates, introduction of new Commissioners, the presentation of Pioneers in Partnership and Special Recognition awards will take place at the meeting. Please join us at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge visitor center in Newburyport, Tuesday, October 18 at 8 am. A light breakfast will be provided. To RSVP, get directions or find out more about the meeting contact Elizabeth or do it all online.

Two ENHC Commissioners are closely linked to the yearly success of the Topsfield Fair through their work with the Essex Agricultural Society. Forrester A.“Tim” Clark, Jr., former Massachusetts State Representative from South Hamilton, serves as a member of the Society’s Executive Board. James O’Brien, of Brooksby Farm in Peabody, serves as the Society’s Executive Board President.
This year’s 181st Annual Fair will run from an evening kickoff on Friday, September 30th through Monday, October 10th. Be sure to enjoy the festivities at America's oldest fair. A New England essential fall activity is a visit to the Fair - see the world's largest pumpkin, wonderful crafts, farm produce, flower displays, contests, demonstrations and great midway rides!

The Topsfield Fair is owned and operated by the Essex Agricultural Society, a non-profit organization consisting of approximately 1,200 members dedicated to encouraging, promoting and preserving Essex County agricultural activities and educating the general public regarding their importance.

While in Salem this October, venture over to historic and picturesque Chestnut Street to the Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House Museum. Since the early 1970’s, the museum has maintained five generations of family furnishings and tells the story of the Phillips family. Recently, through an archives grant, the ENHC has helped to preserve 16mm home movie film of the Phillips Family. The film was used in a presentation at the Salem Visitor Center featuring the travels of Stephen Phillips and his uncle James Duncan Phillips in the 1920’s, 30’s, and 40’s.
Previously, the museum received a preservation grant to do extensive paint analysis of selected rooms, which had been moved from Danvers to Salem in the 1820’s. The paint analysis has helped establish a chronology of work done on these four principle rooms and will directly impact future interpretation of the Phillips House.
Soon the museum will start a preservation project to repair the roof and downspouts of the main house. The ENHC is glad to be a partner of The Stephen Phillips Memorial Trust House Museum.

Located in northeastern Connecticut and south- central Massachusetts, the sprawling metropolitan Boston to Washington corridor, The Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor has been called "The Last Green Valley." Citizens, businesses, nonprofit, cultural and environmental organizations, local and state governments, as well as the National Park Service work together to preserve and celebrate the region's cultural, historical and natural heritage. Green fields and forests confirm the surprisingly rural character of the 1,085 square-mile area defined by the Quinebaug and Shetucket River systems and the rugged hills that surround them.
October 7-10 & 14-16, visit one of the 35 unique towns in this National Heritage Corridor and celebrate Walking WeekendS. Choose from 93 different free, guided hikes and strolls through history and nature. Click here for a Walking WeekendS brochure and information.

Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area, on the Coastal Plain that borders the Gulf of Mexico, was recently hard hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. We keep these people and places in our thoughts and prayers, hoping for a fast and full recovery.
Professionals in the cultural heritage field remind us that it is the people of the Gulf region are an integral part of the region’s cultural heritage, identity, and revival. While restoring damage to buildings and institutions of cultural significance is essential, the stories and experiences of Gulf people are vitally important to the region’s identity and its rebirth.The cultural community is mounting a response to Hurricane Katrina's impact on the historic and cultural collections along the Gulf Coast. The Sun Herald reported that 5,014 buildings have been lost in Biloxi alone; one fifth of all buildings, and more will be condemned. More information on the condition of the material cultural heritage and efforts to respond can be found at the following websites: American Association of Museums, Heritage Preservation, American Library Association, National Trust.
FEMA is hiring Historic Preservation Specialists as an environmental and historic preservation cadre of reservists. The National Trust and AASLH are also assembling reconnaissance teams to look at historic sites and collections.