NPS  Launches 'Civil War to Civil Rights' Commemoration

NPS and NHA representatives from Journey Through Hallowed Ground NHA, Shenandoah Valley Battlefield NHA, and Manassas

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and to promote the many  stories National Heritage Areas have to share regarding life on the home front, battlefield, reconstruction, and the Civil Rights Movement, National Heritage Areas participated in a kickoff event in Washington, D.C.

The event was the official launch for the National Park Service's sesquicentennial commemoration. Historic attractions, sites, and cultural organizations throughout the Capital region joined together for this unique promotion, "Civil War to Civil Rights," in partnership local and national entities such as Destination DC, National Archives, Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, and Cultural Tourism DC.

"The American Civil War was the most momentous era in American history," said Robert Sutton, NPS Chief Historian. "In the short period between Abraham Lincoln's first election and inauguration, our nation was already splitting apart. With more than 75 Civil War-related battlefields and historic sites, our collective mission is to preserve and protect these resources, and to provide understanding of the events that occurred there, within the context of the causes and consequences of the war."

"The 'causes and consequences' context encourages us to join with our tourism partners in inviting Americans to personalize our history through experiential travel," said Dean Reeder, NPS tourism chief. "Beyond the battlefields are an expansive set of stories, civil rights and a home front heritage saga, connecting visitors to a lifelong appreciation and understanding of parks as national treasures."

Terence Heder, Program Manager, Shenandoah Valley Battlefields NHA

 To support the "Civil War to Civil Rights" initiative, NPS created a website featuring a calendar of events, exhibitions, conferences, programs, and attractions. Soon it will feature a national interactive map  http://www.nps.gov/civilwar/

Tennessee Civil War NHA:

The Coming of the War    

Autumn Colors Saturate Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor   

In the town of Albion, NY, a tugboat lounges in placid waters, secured by its mooring ropes. Nearby, a sage-green bridge appears in soft focus across the same waters-those of the Erie Canal.

A peaceful stroll along the canal banks at Albion is just one of the many attractions that the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor offers. This water-based network of communities in upstate New York is a fine travel destination.

Ride on a canal boat, check out locks and bridges, and wander through towns like Seneca Falls, where an old knitting mill still stands. Go for a bike ride on the Erie Canalway Trail, where you can pedal through delicate morning mist and gaze at the rich greens (or-in autumn-yellows, oranges, and reds) of the trees that border the famous watercourse.

Festivals and events like Tugboat Roundup in Waterford draw millions of visitors to celebrate canal history each year. by: Mike Bielkiewicz

Visit http://www.nps.gov/getaways to plan your navigation of the waterway. For more information: http://www.eriecanalway.gov/

contact:  Jean Mackay, Erie Canalway NHC, 518-237-7000 x 222

Heritage Area Byway's Among GOODYEAR and America's Byway's® 50 Most Comfortable Touring Drives

A new national survey commissioned by The GoodyearTire & Rubber Company and America's Byways® revealed that Americans planned on taking at least one road trip this autumn. A combination of stable gas prices and abundant scenic routes should contribute to opportunities for weekend road trips or vacation getaways well into the future.

The survey, completed by Kelton Research, also found that most travelers want their journey to be something that is beautiful and unique, not just another trip on a superhighway. In fact, the overwhelming majority of people (80%) would opt for a scenic, touring drive rather than driving directly to their destination.

Homewood Museum at Johns Hopkins University along Baltimore's Historic Charles Street

"Our survey showed that 97 percent of Americans planning a fall road trip agree that their overall comfort is the key to enjoying it, so we joined together with America's Byways to unveil a list of the 50 Most Comfortable Touring Drives," said Gary Medalis, general manager for Goodyear consumer tires. "These top 50 touring drives encompass comfort and scenery to enhance the trip and are all within reasonable distance of major metropolitan areas."

"For not a lot of money, travelers can skip the superhighways and exit to the smaller roadways to experience some of the best roads America has to offer," said Derrick Crandall, spokesperson for America's Byways and president, American Recreation Coalition. "While there are hundreds of fantastic drives along America's Byways, we worked with Goodyear to create a list of some of the best, providing Americans with what they told us they are looking for-comfortable, nearby drives that provide scenic and unique landscapes."

NHA Byways featured include Blue Ridge Parkway, Journey Through Hallowed Ground, Baltimore's Historic Charles Street, and Motor Cities' Woodward Avenue Automotive Heritage Trail.  For a list of all 50 Byways visit: http://www.bywaysresourcecenter.org

Road Trip Survey Fact Sheet --

· 70% of Americans planned to take at least one road trip this fall

· 40% of those surveyed planned to take three trips or more

· 80% of Americans would opt for a scenic touring drive rather than driving straight on a superhighway

· 97% of Americans agreed that overall comfort is the key to enjoying any road trip

· Travelers were willing to give up some things in the name of comfort. Almost half would ditch their GPS system, while others would forgo an hour less of driving time (39%).

· 72% of travelers said they wanted to make at least one or more stop that wasn't necessary while on a road trip.

· More women than men (65% vs. 58%) said that a comfortable drive is a perfect time to unwind and take in the country's backdrop.

Did you know that the Wright brothers not only invented the airplane but also gave birth to the air cargo industry? On November 7, 1910 they successfully transported the world's first cargo by air. Those 200 pounds of silk cloth, traveling 68 miles from Huffman Prairie to Columbus was the beginning of an industry that spans the globe moving billions of pounds of air freight per year.

National Aviation Heritage Alliance, in partnership with Wright B Flyer, Inc. celebrated the 100^th anniversary with a commemorative flight departing from Wright Patterson AFB and Huffman Prairie Flying Field and ending in Columbus, Ohio at Rickenbacker Airport on October 2.

Mitch Cary, President of Wright B Flyer Inc and pilot of the commemorative flight honored the young pilot who worked for the Wright brothers; "Phil Parmelee flew this historic flight with little experience and training having flown for the first time just two months prior to making the flight. He was responsible for a number of firsts and endurance flights in those early days of aviation. And unlike our planned flight, where we had two pilots to share flying duties, Phil flew his flight alone."

Max Morehouse, a Columbus merchant, recognized the business interest in "flying machines" and struck a deal with the Wrights to transport silk from Dayton, Ohio. The Wrights charged Morehouse $5,000, which is equivalent to roughly $120,000 today. Morehouse more than recovered his money by selling pieces of silk attached to a postcard that celebrated the world's first cargo delivered by airplane.

Amanda Wright Lane and her brother Stephen Wright, and Lecia Lamphere and her brother Philip McKeachie, representing their great grand uncles Orville and Wilbur Wright and Phil Parmelee, observed the flight. Ms. Wright Lane said, "The flight was just one part of Uncles Orv and Wilbur's effort to promote aviation. While they recognized their airplane might not be able to carry heavy loads, they knew the speed of flying was important in delivering certain types of cargo." Lecia Lamphere remarked, "Uncle Phil was told by Orville Wright as he tacked a map to the wing strut just prior to take-off, 'watch the map and do your best'. In spite of cold temperatures and flying alone, he did his best, and made history with what was not just the first air cargo flight but what was the first commercial flight in the world of aviation. It is very exciting to witness this 100^th anniversary of such an historic flight."

Serving as a symbol of the Dayton region's connection to aviation and aerospace innovations, they carried ceramic fiber composite cloth and concept micro Unmanned Air Vehicles instead of silk.

To help the public track the flight, the National Aviation Heritage Alliance set up a Twitter account with "tweets" informing the public of the whereabouts of the Wright B as it made its way to Columbus.

Columbus Regional Airport Authority and Lane Aviation sponsored the event. For more details contact Tony Sculimbrenevisit or visit: http://www.aviationheritagearea.org/

The bridge was installed originally in 1993 with a LHVA grant that provided seed money for a donation campaign spearheaded by the Lackawanna River Corridor Association. More than 275 businesses, nonprofit organizations and individuals donated money for the bridge's construction. It became a vital pedestrian and cycling link on the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail connecting Peckville and Olyphant. Both the Trail and the Heritage Valley Crossing Bridge are used by thousands of runners for the Steamtown Marathon, a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon, each October. Many athletes consider the rail-trail their favorite portion of the race.

Over the past seventeen years, the bridge's decking deteriorated. LHVA and the Pocono Northeast Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council worked together in the spring and summer to organize the restoration. The Lackawanna County Conservation District, the Wayne County Conservation District, and the Lackawanna River Corridor Association joined forces to support the project. The RC&D Council solicited donations from the forestry industry in Northeastern Pennsylvania, and many companies responded generously, including Deer Park Lumber, Inc., Forest Regeneration Services, Inc., Northern Tier Hardwoods Association, Wayne-Lackawanna Forest Landowners Association, R-Ranch, and Brojack Lumber Company.

In September, LHVA staff and volunteers demolished the old bridge decking with assistance from the Borough of Blakely and the Borough of Olyphant. Fabcor, Inc., a local company who recently constructed the Downtown Scranton Riverwalk, donated the installation of the new bridge deck. After two days of work, the bridge was open again for walkers, runners, and bicyclists who use the trail daily for recreation, fitness activities, and socializing.

"The Heritage Trail is about linking communities," said Natalie Gelb Solfanelli, LHVA Executive Director, "and nothing symbolizes that more than this bridge." Solfanelli praised the many volunteer groups and companies that made the renovation possible. "This project would not have been possible without their support and generosity."

Less than three weeks later, more than 2,500 runners pounded across the renovated bridge during the Steamtown Marathon. After the excitement of the race, families with strollers, seniors, dog-walkers, and joggers were back on the bridge to travel the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail between Mellow and Condella Parks.

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area Integral to Great Allegheny Passage Trail Completion.

The completion date for the Great Allegheny Passage - a trail grid connecting Pittsburgh to Washington DC has been set for the fall of 2011 and Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area was an integral part of its completion.

The trail's creation began in 1986 when a 9-mile path near Ohiopyle in southwestern Pennsylvania opened. Now it encompasses 150 miles of trail networks from downtown Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Maryland, where it connects to the C&O Canal Towpath. The 185-mile towpath connects to D.C. making for 335 miles of continuous trails.
 

"Rivers of Steel helped to oversee the creation of the Steel Valley Trail, a 9-mile segment between the city of Pittsburgh and the Youghiogheny trail right outside of McKeesport which are all now part of the Great Allegheny Passage," said Ron Baraff, Director of Museum Collections & Archives with Rivers of Steel.

"Securing the easements and rights-of-way for the eventual development of the Steel Valley Trail were critical in making the necessary linkages in the overall GAP trail," said August R. Carlino, President and CEO of Steel Industry Heritage Corporation, which manages Rivers of Steel. SIHC also provided staffing and technical assistance to the Steel Valley Trail Council in their early years, and helped them get established and spin-off to an independent, yet integral partner in the overall development of both the trail and the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.

Baraff, who also sits on the Steel Valley Trail Council, explained that the council started as a committee of Rivers of Steel. As the committee grew into a council, both the Steel Valley Trail Council and Rivers of Steel worked together to get easements with different companies and organizations for the SVT. "It's a case of forging really important partnerships especially since it is increasingly obvious to everyone that it's vital to the future of the region," he said.

According to a 2008 study on the economic impact of the Great Allegheny Passage in southwestern Pennsylvania, almost 41% of trail visitors planned an overnight stay and those overnight visitors spend almost $100 a day in trail communities. Spending included restaurants, beverages and lodging. 

The study also showed that businesses located on or near the trail attributed a quarter of their business to trail visitors and two-thirds of businesses near the trail saw an increase in revenue. More than 30 percent planned to expand their businesses to handle the additional trail-related economic impact. (www.gaptrail.org/au/impact.cfm)

The study showed that the Great Allegheny Passage brought in more than $40 million in revenue in 2008, not including an almost additional $8 million in wages for businesses near the trail.

"To have all these things fully in place is a huge boon for this region, and not just that, but it's (on the level of) a first day attraction," said Baraff. "Trail riders from all over the world will start descending on this area and the city.

Baraff added that The Pump House, an historic property owned by Rivers of Steel is also on a trailhead of the Great Allegheny Passage. "The ability to capture the needs and interests of these people gives us the opportunity to interpret the region."

Another effect of the Great Allegheny Passage is the impetus to complete an Erie to Pittsburgh trail. According to the Erie To Pittsburgh Trail Alliance (www.eriepittsburghtrail.org), they plan to connect Erie's bay front to downtown Pittsburgh. Their trail network is about 60% complete. Once finished, the Great Allegheny Passage would encompass 500 miles of continuous trails.

Other future plans for the Great Allegheny Passage include its connection to the 52-mile Montour Trail, which will connect from Clairton - southeast of Pittsburgh, to the Pittsburgh International Airport, just northwest of the city.

"All of this happened by connecting the dots throughout the region," said Baraff. "It's fantastic."

For more information, visit www.riversofsteel.com. Submitted by Sherris Moreira, Director of Marketing and Tourism Development for Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area.

Cultural Heritage Tourism Survival Toolkit

By Scott Wands

All news related to the economic downturn is not bad news. It just seems that way at times. And the National Trust for Historic Preservation has decided that it is high time to focus on the good news -- the attractions and marketing organizations standing up to the challenge and finding ways to survive -- if not thrive -- despite the economy.

To share these lessons and respond to the challenge, the National Trust's Heritage Tourism Program received an award from the National Endowment for the Arts to create a new online Cultural Heritage Tourism Survival Toolkit with three key components:

• 11 survival strategies culled from in-depth interviews with people and organizations nationwide;
• Case studies that illustrate strategies in action;
• Links to other toolkits for moving forward in a bad economy.

The 11 key survival strategies to keep you going in uncertain times begin with an important mantra for all organizations to follow: Don't Panic, and Don't Forget the Basics.

Each of the 11 tips that follow, ranging from Be Ready to Make Your Case, Know Your Customer and Your Product, and Serve the Local Community include links to case studies of organizations doing good work in that particular area.

Visitors to the site can also access the case studies via a complete listing or by searching geographically. (Unfortunately, the Northeast's case studies do not include any Connecticut examples.)

"We've found that real-life stories are meaningful role models" says Amy Webb, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Heritage Tourism Program. "Cultural heritage tourism attractions want to hear from others in the trenches facing similar challenges. These survival stories showcase how many communities are succeeding in the face of an economic downturn."

Kudos to The National Trust for not only sharing tips and strategies for surviving the economic downturn, but also for highlighting the organizations across the country who continue to do good work and inspire us all!