On June 12th, ENHC announced its 2006 ENHC Partnership Grant recipients during a breakfast ceremony held at the 1714 Meeting House in Lynnfield. In his remarks, Congressman John F. Tierney praised the stewardship efforts of the 25 municipal and nonprofit organizations receiving a total of $75,000 in matching grants. Now in its ninth year, the ENHC Partnership Grant Program is providing financial assistance to 16 communities for heritage projects in 5 categories: education, interpretation, preservation, archives, and trails.
Among the grants announced were the first two recipients of the Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant for Education, a new grant to honor the manifold contributions of ENHC's founding president. ENHC has now provided a total of 228 grants to recipients in all 34 Essex National Heritage Area communities. For a complete list of the 2006 grant awards, click here.

Celebrating 150 years of independent service in 2005, Salem Five Bank is a $2 billion provider of consumer and commercial banking services. Since its founding in 1855, Salem Five has earned the reputation of being a community bank and good neighbor, partnering with businesses and families on the North Shore while giving back to and investing in local communities.

Salem Five has lived out this commitment to community with the ENHC. President & CEO Joseph M. Gibbons has been a long-time active ENHC volunteer. Joining the Commission in 1999, Joe quickly became an ENHC Trustee and the organization’s Assistant Treasurer. As a long-time corporate partner, offering financial support through its Charitable Foundation, Salem Five has supported numerous ENHC programs and initiatives, and most recently generously contributed to the Thomas M. Leonard Partnership Grant Fund for Education. Earlier this year, Mr. Gibbons announced that the Salem Five Bank finalized its merger with Heritage Cooperative Bank, The combined entity created a premier independent banking institution with 19 branches in Boston and the North Shore.

Mother Nature’s mighty force caused difficulty for our friends in Ipswich over the last few weeks, but human nature and strong community spirit has turned misfortune into an opportunity. Ipswich Chamber of Commerce President Ray Morley tells us that bridge repair, brought on by recent flooding temporarily interrupted business in Ipswich, but publicity and resulting human curiosity have brought tourists and residents back into Ipswich in great numbers. As an added benefit, the minor detours around the bridge reconstruction efforts direct travelers into the lovely neighborhoods where many are enjoying the town’s distinctive inventory of first period homes. As of this writing, the Choate Bridge is expected to open in 10 days, the County Road Bridge will be ready in 4-6 weeks and the Mill Road Bridge opening has yet to be determined.

From breathtaking dunes to 17th-century architecture, snowy egrets to old-time base ball, the ENHA is filled with countless examples of the beauty and wonder of our nation's heritage. Now is your opportunity to showcase your view of our regional heritage. Enter the ENHC Heritage Photo Contest with your photos of Essex County and have the chance to win these great prizes!
1st Prize (Adult): Digital SLR equipment package
1st Prize (Youth): Digital point-&-shoot camera
2nd Prize (both): $100 Hunt’s Photo & Video gift certificate
3rd Prize (both): One-year National Parks Pass
Bring your digital media to Hunt’s Photo & Video in Melrose and get a free 5”x7” print for your contest submission!

Contest is free to enter. Winning images will be used in 2007 ENHC publications! Photographs taken between Jan. 1-Oct. 31, 2006 are eligible for submission. Images must be submitted before November 10. Winners will be announced on November 30, 2006. Visit EssexHeritage.org for more information and an entry form.

Join us for a truly outstanding nature and wildlife seminar presented by Rick Sammon, a Canon Explorer of Light photographer on Friday, July 7 at 7 PM - $20 ($10 Essex Heritage Explorers and Students) at the National Park Service Regional Visitor Center, 2 Liberty St., Salem, MA. Register in advance at EssexHeritage.org. Presented by the ENHC, Hunt's Photo & Video, Melrose, and Canon USA.

Only a few spots remain in the third Heritage Photo Safari! Rick Sammon will lead this safari, which will feature equipment from Canon USA Photo Safari and the Salem Maritime National Historic Site. Find out more and register at EssexHeritage.org. The Heritage Photo Safaris are presented by the ENHC and Hunt's Photo & Video, Melrose. [Note: The morning session is sold out!]

Three Rivers - the Lehigh, Delaware and Susquehanna - attracted innovators to build the historic Lehigh and Delaware Canals, railroads, roads, towpaths, trails, towns, and cultivate fertile farmlands. It is an extraordinary collection of natural, cultural and recreational resources. The Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and State Heritage Park is a 165-mile thread of American history flowing through eastern Pennsylvania. Anthracite coal was discovered to the north and energized 19th century industries. Canals and railroads were built southward to transport materials from mountain to market. This proud region helped fuel America's Industrial Revolution in Philadelphia and New York. Today, the D&L is a living national park where residents live, work, and tend it to keep it special.