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Essex Heritage
Annual Appeal
Thank you for your past support! We are strong because of your donations!  | |
"Sunrise at Winter Island" by Stanley Slysz
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Today we are asking you to support our Annual Appeal so we can continue our work. Your contributions support our mission - enabling us to bring money into this region by obtaining grant funding from national organizations such as the National Park Foundation, the National Park Service and the Federal Highways Byway program - which increasingly require evidence of private matching funds. Donate today!
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| Trails & Sails: People's Choice Awards & Participant Prizes
THANK YOU to all event hosts, participants, volunteers and sponsors for making TRAILS & SAILS such a success! We could not present this event without your enthusiasm!
"People's Choice Awards"
Essex Heritage is grateful to the hundreds of organizations, event leaders and businesses that opened their doors and created experiences to thrill and delight residents and visitors alike. Every year, Essex Heritage recognizes their efforts by presenting the "People's Choice Award" to ten TRAILS & SAILS events based on participant feedback. Read on to see which events were voted the top ten events of 2012!
Participant Challenge Prize Winners!
This year, Essex Heritage and REI challenged TRAILS & SAILS participants to attend as many unique events as possible over the two Trails & Sails weekends in order to be entered to win one of two Novara hybrid bikes from REI! We are now pleased to announce the two winners of the participant challenge. Drum roll please...
Trails & Sails 2012 was generously sponsored by:
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Along the Essex Coastal  Scenic Byway
The 85-mile coastal route from Lynn to NewburyportNew Byway Guidebook Available
The recently published book, "Essex Coastal Byway Guide - History, Culture & Nature on the North Shore," makes exploring the 85-mile coastal route even easier. Researched and written by Boston Globe correspondent Joel Brown, the guide showcases a broad array of the byway's  historical, natural and cultural destinations. Organized by community, the book provides an insider's understanding of how to experience the best of coastal New England. www.essexbywayguide.com
Essex Cultural District Designated
Congratulations to Essex on the recent designation of the Essex River Cultural District. Formal recognition of the district's cultural assets and activities by the Massachusetts Cultural Council will boost the community's efforts to promote cultural tourism. The Essex district joins those in the byway communities of Lynn, Gloucester and Rockport. Read more.
Essex Shipbuilder Sets Sail
For National Honor
Congratulations to master shipwright Harold Burnham of Essex! This past June, the National Endowment for the Arts announced Burnham as one of the 2012 NEA National Heritage Fellowship Recipients, the nation's highest honor in the folk and traditional arts. From September - October, Burnham sailed the schooner Ardelle round-trip from Gloucester to Washington D.C. to collected his NEA award for shipbuilding. Read more and see photos of the sail to D.C.
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Membership Month THANK YOU!
THANK YOU to new and renewing members!
We were so pleased by the enthusiastic comments we received from new and renewing members. With your support, we not only met our goal, but we shattered our previous record!
Our members are key to our success. 
Become the newest member of Essex Heritage to join this group of people that are dedicated to our mission - the long term sustainability of this region and our shared heritage. Your tax-deductible Essex Heritage Membership makes a great holiday gift, helps to support programs that enhance, preserve and promote the unique historic, cultural and natural resources found within the Essex National Heritage Area, and provides opportunities to discover special places and experiences throughout the county. Become a member today!
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Director Meets With National Park Leaders
Essex Heritage Executive Director Annie Harris was invited to join a blue-ribbon group of the American national park community at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in mid-October. Nearly 150 leaders gathered at the Grand Canyon National Park for five days of discussions and brainstorming. The program featured presentations on new technology for engaging visitors, innovative strategies for funding park improvements, cooperative interpretation, improving connectivity, and the opportunities presented by the up-coming centennial of the National Park Service in 2016. Participants included the leadership of the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, the National Park Conservation Association and the National Park Hospitality Association along with park partners, telecommunications specialists and national tourism leaders. Read more.
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Thanks to Our Corporate Members!
We are so thankful for the generosity of our Corporate Members - businesses who believe in our mission, and support Essex Heritage so we can fund programs to conserve endangered historic sites, build trails for recreation and health, employ under-served youth in heritage preservation jobs, support after-school enrichment for Latino students, and lead our coastal communities in developing cultural tourism along the new Essex Coastal Scenic Byway.
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Coastal Trails CelebratedOver 100 community leaders, state  officials and trail advocates recently gathered in Amesbury to celebrate the on-going development of a trail network linking the lower Merrimack Valley communities of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport and Salisbury. Hosted by the Coastal Trails Coalition, the luncheon featured a video and a review of the tremendous progress made to date and the challenging projects that lay ahead. Essex Heritage and the National Park Service Rivers & Trails Program were recognized for their role creating and supporting the Coastal Trails Coalition and its vision for a regional network. Read more.
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The Great MarshDid you know that the Great Marsh is the largest continuous stretch of salt marsh in all of New England? Another treasure in the Essex National Heritage Area stretching from Gloucester to Salisbury. The Great Marsh Coalition, established in 2000, is a group of organizations and individuals who work together to protect the Marsh and educate the public about its importance. The Great Marsh is home to a tremendous amount of life - including rare birds like the American bittern and peregrine falcon. Learn more about the Great Marsh.The Great Marsh Symposium will be held on November 8 at the Crane Estate in Ipswich.
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Commissioner Corner
Congratulations to Essex Heritage President Richard Yagjian on being appointed chairman of the board of trustees of North Shore Community College by Governor Deval Patrick.
Like Governor Patrick, we too are confident that Mr. Yagjian "... will be a critical partner in our collective efforts to better serve our students and employers, building a stronger Commonwealth for generations to come." Read more. |
Essex Heritage & Featured Partner Events
Wednesday, December 12
7:00pm
Featured Partner Event
The House of the Seven Gables Presents: Strong Women at the Gables: An Orchestra at Her Fingertips
115 Derby Street
Salem, MA 01970
Pianist Jacquelyn Schwab will perform vintage 19th century American parlor music, including Stephen Foster and Civil War songs, hymns, spirituals, and ballroom dances. A folk and classical improvisational pianist, she has a unique style that defies easy categorization. Reservations Required. Learn more.
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Amesbury
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Volunteer Opportunities in the Heritage Area
Time to make a difference and support our community! Check out our latest volunteer opportunities.
If you need volunteers, please email us with news of your volunteer activities and we will help spread the word! Volunteers are a key cornerstone of the preservation, protection and enhancement of the nationally significant heritage resources of Essex County. Thanks for taking the time to make a difference. |
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