header
 image bar
In This Issue
NPS Honored in First National Heritage Area
Blackstone Commission Sunsets, Nonprofit Takes Over
Federal Funding Sunsets for 12 NHAs
Motor Cities Driving Tour Celebrates 200 Years of Peace Between Canada and US
$20 Million Impact of Traditional Music Venues in Blue Ridge
Documentary Receives Mid-America Emmy Nomination
Performances and Programs Connect to 1812 in Niagara Falls
1812: An American Celebration" Concert
Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore
Arabia Mountain NHA Digs Up Some History
An Important Moment for the Ohio & Erie Canalway
Yuma Hosts "Alcatraz Life on the Rock"
Latino Students Making the Caribbean Connection
BoatU.S. Magazine Features Erie Canal
Shades of Blue and Gray in Tennessee
Volunteers Complete Summer Projects in Alaska
TV Shown Invites Viewers to "discover" U.S. 89
New Bike Tour Series
Penn Foster Adopts Trail in Lackawanna
War of 1812 Exhibit in Blackstone
Partnerships forged around Smithsonian Exhibition in Illinois & Michigan Canal
Designers Turn Their Eye to History
Photo Contest opened to nationwide audience
'TICKET TO RIDE' GRANT
Call for 2013 Grants Proposals...
Join Our Mailing List
Like us on Facebook 
Meetings and Trainings:
  
Spokane, WA: Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 2012

 

National Heritage Area Partnership Meeting,

Wed, Oct 31 - 1:00 - 4:30

 

Presentations by Martha Raymond, Charlie Flynn, and Susan Crook, Director of the Pioneer Heritage Institute and partner of the Mormon Pioneer NHA, followed by a work session on NHAs and private property rights

 

National Heritage Areas 101: Community Action on a Landscape Scale, Thurs. Nov 1, 1:40 - 2:25 pm

 

Perspective on National Heritage Areas. Perceptions of Place: Preservation in a Changing America

Sat, Nov 3 10:00 - 11:30 

National Heritage Areas Share "Best Practices"

 

The Midwest Region's NHAs invite all NHAs to participate in their "best practices" bimonthly calls to share ideas.  Presenters share information about a successful project or program they implemented within their NHA and answer questions. 

 

Previous topics included: 

"Geocaching in NHAs" by Erica Duvic of South Park NHA "How to Turn a Place Around" in July, Freedom's Frontier's Skype Book Club, Motor Cities' Interactive Educational Website "Making Tracks: African American Experience in the Auto Industry," and I&M Canal's The Way We Worked project.

 

The calls are open to anyone working in NHAs interested in sharing and learning. For more information contact Julie McPike at [email protected] or Heather Wickens at [email protected]

Recent NHA LEGISLATION  

  

H.R. 6572: (Reps. McGovern, Dent, LaTourette, Tonko) 

National Heritage Area Authorizations Extension Act of 2012 (introduced 10/12/2012)

S. 3623 (Senator Reed, RI and Sen Portman, OH) National Heritage Area Authorizations Extension Act of 2012 (introduced 9/22)

 

H.R.6091 Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013

(introduced 7/10/2012)       

 

H.R. 6440 (Courtney, D-CT), to designate the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor as "The Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor" (introduced 9/24)

 

H.R.6130 (Rep Hochul, NY) National Treasure Promotion and Investment Act of 2012, (introduced  7/13)

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by visiting the NEW: American Latino Heritage Travel Itinerary featuring Yuma Crossing, Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area, Cane River National Heritage Area, and Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area.

CONTACTS

National Heritage Area Program,

 

Martha Raymond

National Coordinator:

[email protected]

 

Katie Durcan

Assistant Coordinator: 

Heather Scotten
Assistant Coordinator: 
[email protected]

 

Peter Samuel, Northeast Region: [email protected]

K. Lynn Berry, Southern Region:
[email protected]

Sue Pridemore, Midwest Region:
[email protected]

Greg Kendrick, Intermountain Region:
[email protected]

Linda Stonier, Pacific West Region:

 

Gretchen Luxenberg, Pacific West Region g[email protected]

John Quinley, Alaska Region [email protected]

Alliance of National Heritage Areas  Allen Sachse, Vice Chairman
www.nationalheritageareas.com

Visit National Heritage Areas  on-line

 

Abraham Lincoln NHA

 

Arabia Mountain NHA

 

Atchafalaya NHA

 

Augusta Canal NHA

 

Baltimore NHA

 

Blue Ridge NHA

 

Cache La Poudre River Corridor

 

Cane River NHA

 

Champlain Valley NH Partnership

 

Crossroads of the American Revolution

 

Delaware and Lehigh NH Corridor

 

Erie Canalway NHC

 

Essex NHA

 

Freedom's Frontier NHA  

 

Freedom's Way NHA

 

Great Basin NHA

 

Gullah/Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor

 

Hudson River Valley NHA

 

Illinois & Michigan Canal NH Corridor

 

J.H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley NHC

 

Journey Through Hallowed Ground NHA

 

Kenai Mountains - Turnagain Arm NHA

 

Lackawanna Heritage Valley NHA

 

Mississippi Delta NHA

 

Mississippi Gulf NHA

 

Mississippi Hills NHA   

Mormon Pioneer NHA

 

MotorCities NHA

 

Muscle Shoals NHA

 

National Aviation Heritage Area

 

National Coal Heritage Area  

 

Niagara Falls NHA

 

Northern Plains NHA

 

Northern Rio Grande NHA

 

Ohio & Erie NH Canalway

 

Oil Region NHA

 

Last Green Valley: Quinebaug & Shetucket Rivers Valley NHC

 

Rivers of Steel NHA

 

Sangre de Cristo NHA

 

Schuylkill River NHA

 

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District

 

Silos & Smokestacks NHA

 

South Carolina NH Corridor

 

South Park NHA

 

Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage (Path of Progress)

 

Tennessee Civil War NHA

 

Upper Housatonic Valley NHA

 

Wheeling NHA

 

Yuma Crossing NHA 

Send articles and postings for the National Heritage Area Newsletter to:
National Park Service Honored in First National Heritage Area 
2012 Boat Captain Luncheon Part 1
Listen to Director Jarvis
 

The Canal Corridor Association, the local coordinating entity for the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor celebrated their 30th anniversary and honored their first public sector partner in their efforts to revitalize the I&M Canal region. NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis accepted the Canal Boat Captain's award and spoke of NPS's commitment to national heritage areas on June 13, 2012 at a luncheon in Chicago.

 

Thirty years ago a group of concerned citizens and business leaders came together around the desire to bring the expertise of the National Park Service and the imprimatur of the federal government to an important American story in the heart of the Midwest.  These individuals, organizations, and corporations joined forces creating a non-profit organization whose mission was to convince the federal government and the United States Congress that the stories and the extant natural, cultural, and historic resources of the Illinois and Michigan Canal deserved national status and a public hand during a difficult time.

 

CCA celebrated their founding in 1982 and the signing of the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor legislation by President Reagan in 1984.To hear Director Jarvis's remarks click video links:

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAeVQd6pxlY

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SL4Khs_hLY 

Blackstone River Valley Commission Sunsets, Nonprofit Takes Over

 

Blackstone mill boatThe John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission that led the successful efforts to preserve the historic and natural resources of the Blackstone River Valley passed the torch to its nonprofit successor. While the designation of the Blackstone Valley as a National Heritage Corridor will last forever, the congressional authorization of the Commission expired on October 11, 2012, after more than 25 years. 

 

The Commission created a nonprofit more than a year ago to prepare for the possibility of sunset. As Donna Williams, Chair of the Commission and President of the nonprofit Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, Inc., explains: "We would obviously have preferred to receive another extension, but fortunately made sure to have a Plan B in place, which can now go into effect. As a result, the Corridor program can continue with minimal disruption to ongoing projects and to our many partners."

 

Ongoing Corridor projects include historic preservation, river cleanup, land conservation and stewardship, visitor centers, ranger walks, programs with schools, recreational programs and events, support for arts and cultural events, training for partners and volunteers, and assistance to towns trying to preserve their heritage while improving the local and regional economy. Partners include federal, state and local governments, nonprofit organizations and individual citizens.

 

Efforts to renew authorization and pass legislation to establish a National Historical Park will continue. Commissioners praised the work by members of the congressional delegation to try and get both pieces of legislation passed. Members of the delegation said they are determined to renew efforts after elections. "The Commission has always been able to count on bi-partisan support from our elected officials," said Donna Williams. "We are grateful we can continue to count on them during this transition and in the future."

 

The National Park Service is working to ensure that current partnership programs and projects move forward. 

 

"Everybody wants to see this hugely successful program continue," said Ted Sanderson, former Chair of the Commission, pointing out that projects, like the bikeway, restoration of the canal and cleanup of the river, still need work, and that many partners and volunteers are ready to do the work but rely on the leadership and support the Corridor program has provided. "Like the Commission, our new nonprofit is focused on helping our partners do what they do best, and on coordinating people, organizations and agendas into a powerful force for preservation and revitalization. For us, it's full speed ahead." 

Federal Funding Sunsets for 12 NHAs 
 

While the designation of the a National Heritage Area is permanent, the congressional authorization to receive funding is not permanent.  Legislation to continue funding the twelve areas in FY 2013 has been introduced in the House and the Senate:

  • S. 3623: National Heritage Area Authorizations Extension Act of 2012, Sponsors: Sen. Reed, RI and Sen. Portman, OH 
  • H.R. 6572: National Heritage Area Authorizations Extension Act of 2012, Sponsors: Reps. McGovern, Dent, LaTourette, Tonko. 

  • H.R.6091: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2013 

National Heritage Areas affected are:

  • Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, GA
  • Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, PA
  • Essex National Heritage Area, MA
  • Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, NY
  • John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor, RI and MA
  • Lackawanna Heritage Valley, PA
  • National Coal Heritage Area, WV
  • Ohio and Erie National Heritage Canalway, OH
  • Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area, PA
  • Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area, Iowa
  • South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, SC
  • Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, TN

Celebrate 200 Years of Peace Between Canada and the United States

 Exploring the Battle Sites that Defined the Two Nations

 Motor Cities 1812 logo  

In partnership with the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island, and the National Park Service, MotorCities National Heritage Area is proud to announce the launch of the Route 1812 Driving Tour.

 

 

A mesmerizing historical road trip, this behind-the-wheel commemorative quest takes you through parts of Michigan, Ohio, and southern Ontario to explore the people, politics, and biggest battles that defined a war which threatened the existence of Canada and divided the U.S. so deeply that the nation almost broke apart.

 

Throughout the tour, see forts that were surrendered, monuments and memorials later erected, and the actual battlefields where American and British soldiers experienced great victory and defeat.

 

Download the War of 1812 Driving Tour and Must-See Events Guide    

 

Request copies by calling 313.259.3425, ext. 306, or by visiting a participating site. Brochures can also be obtained in Canada by contacting Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island at 800.265.3633.

$20 Million Impact of Traditional Music Venues in Blue Ridge
Blue Ridge Economic impact
David Holt and Wayne Martin Perform

The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership and North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle announced findings from an analysis of music venues that showed an economic impact of $20.7 million from 26 traditional music events in Western North Carolina on the Blue Ridge Music Trails.

 

The results of the study, "Analysis of Traditional Music Venues in Western North Carolina," were announced at the annual meeting of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership, Gather 'Round the Blue Ridge. Sec. Carlisle and traditional musician David Holt were featured speakers at the event.

 

"Clearly traditional music is important to the local economies and the region," Secretary Carlisle said. "Cultural Resources and the Arts Council are delighted to be collaborating with the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership on this important Blue Ridge Music Project."

 

The study was conducted by East Carolina University in partnership with the N.C. Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership. 

 

"The traditional music that has evolved in our region since pioneer days has impacted American music in many ways," said Angie Chandler, BRNHA Executive Director.  "We helped to fund a survey to try to determine the economic impact of our music on our communities and our musicians.  What we found was not only exciting, but encouraging. This study shows that traditional music venues and events contribute to the economic well-being of our communities and provide a very satisfying experience for tourists." 

 

Wayne Martin, Executive Director of the NC Arts Council, who has been involved with the Blue Ridge Music Trails since its launch in 2003, said, "Western North Carolina has been home to musicians whose artistry has shaped many forms of American music. Today young people in the region are learning these traditions and transforming them into new forms of roots music."

 

The BRNHA Partnership and the Arts Council undertook the study in 2011 to assess the economic impact of traditional music by examining data collected from audience surveys at events. In addition, folklorists collected anecdotal information from visitors. Plans call for a brand development to promote the traditional music of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains, the issue of an updated edition of the book, Blue Ridge Music Trails: Finding a Place in the Circle, that was published in 2003, and the development of a map and a website.  
 

"We want to get the word out to both visitors and residents about the huge opportunity they have to learn more about this rich heritage treasure and to discover where to go to listen, dance, and enjoy what has been the underpinning of much of our American music as we know it today," Chandler concluded.

Country School: One Room - One Nation Receives Mid-America Emmy Nomination
Features Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area

 

"Country School: One Room - One Nation"

Country School: One Room - One Nation, an award-winning film by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Moline, Illinois, is one of three films nominated for a Regional (Mid-America) Emmy in the Historical Documentary category. Funded in part by a grant from Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA), the documentary includes footage and interviews from a number of Partner Sites. This is the first time the Rundles have entered a film in the Emmy competition.

 
 
Country schools took rough-hewn pioneers and multilingual immigrants and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new citizens. Country School: One Room - One Nation provides a never-before-seen perspective on one-room schools in the Upper Midwest. From the first schools in new states to the demise of their widespread use in the 1950s and 1960s, the visually stunning film takes viewers "back to school" for a dramatic new look at the lasting impact of America's one-room schools.

 
 
The documentary premiered in 2010 at the State Historical Building in Des Moines, Iowa, and has been screened more than 60 times in cities throughout the U.S. The critically-acclaimed film was released nationally on DVD in 2011. Iowa Public Television (IPTV) and other PBS stations will continue through 2012. For more information on Country School: One Room - One Nation visit www.countryschoolmovie.com.

Niagara Falls Educates Residents on Area's Role in War of 1812. 
Trading Cards, Documentaries, and Theatrical Performances

 

With the kick-off of the Commemoration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area has led efforts to educate and support initiatives involving the Bicentennial. By initiating a small grant program, the NFNHA has given organizations the opportunity to develop programs that raise awareness and educate visitors and residents alike on the role the Niagara Frontier region played in the War of 1812.

 

Niagara Falls Spirits of 1812 theater
The Marble Orchard: Spirits of 1812"

 Over 600 people attended the first performance of the "Spirits of 1812," funded in partnership with the Niagara River Greenway Commission and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. In addition, the NFNHA purchased 200 copies of the PBS "War of 1812" documentary and accompanying educator's guide to distribute to school districts and libraries throughout Western New York. 

 

 

The Commission also introduced a trading card program designed to recognize the role of the Niagara Frontier in the War of 1812 and to encourage people to visit specific sites associated with the war.


The first edition of the program will consist of four cards. Collectors, War of 1812 aficionados, and history buffs must visit specific locations to get the cards. The first card, commemorating Betsy Doyle, is available at Old Fort Niagara. Doyle was one of early America's best- documented women in combat. She carried red hot shot to a gun on the roof of the French Castle at Fort Niagara during an artillery bombardment by the British from Fort George, Ont. The remaining three cards in the first edition will be issued early this fall. 

 

Through the National Park Foundation's "America's Best Idea" grant 500 fourth graders from Niagara Falls City School District will be visiting Old Fort Niagara this fall to participate in the "Blue Coats Along the Niagara" educational program developed for youth to learn about the War of 1812 and how the Niagara Frontier was a strategic location in early American history. 

 

The NFNHA is proud to be able to support organizations that commemorate and educate visitors and residents on the tremendous history of the area. For more information visit: http://www.nps.gov/nifa/index.htm 

"1812: An American Celebration" Concert 
 

JTHG 1812 Concert
Guest performers included the West Point Alumni Glee Club and a fife and drum corps.

During the War of 1812, Leesburg, Virginia served as the temporary capital of the United States when the valuable papers of the Federal Archives, including the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, were brought to town for safekeeping. On September 23rd 2012, the Loudoun Symphony Orchestra joined The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership, Visit Loudoun, and Town of Leesburg to celebrate 200 years in Words and Music for a Bicentennial Concert. 

 

The Loudoun Symphony Orchestra performed a range of historically compelling music, including "The 1812 Overture," Tchaikovsky's powerful praise to victory. The performance by the Orchestra, under the direction of Maestro Mark Allen McCoy, united the past with the present with special guest speakers, and a memorable program including our Nation's "Star Spangled Banner," plus "America the Beautiful," "Fanfare for the Common Man," the narrated "Liberty for All," the explosive Tchaikovsky Overture, and other beloved works. 

Star-Spangled Sailabration in Baltimore 
 
Baltimore Family Passport 1812
Family attending Sailabration holds their passports.

 The Baltimore National Heritage Area served as the lead coordinator for Baltimore City's efforts in education activities geared toward the War of 1812 Bicentennial and the June 2012 Star-Spangled Sailabration.

 

The BNHA War of 1812 Education and Curriculum Committee sought a way to engage visitors and residents to visit War of 1812-related sites and attractions during the Sailabration and throughout the entire bicentennial. A bicentennial passport was designed for kids of all ages to collect stamps on the visiting tall ships and naval vessels and 1812-related sites around the city.

 

Thousands of the passports, generously funded by the Dorothy L. and Henry A. Rosenberg, Jr. Foundation, were distributed at the Sailabration villages at the Inner Harbor, Fell's Point, and the air show at Martin State Airport. Additional support for the passport was provided by the American Flag Foundation and the Maryland Historical Society. 

 

Passports and stamps are available at the Baltimore Visitor Center in the Inner Harbor and at War of 1812 attractions around the city during the Bicentennial celebration. BNHA is working with additional sites in to offer the passport and stamps. The heritage area recently reprinted the passports and will roll out a reward program for those collecting stamps.

 

Passports can be obtained by contacting the Baltimore Heritage Area.

Volunteers in Arabia Mountain Dig Into History


Over 30 volunteers participated in archeological excavations at the Lyon Family Farm in an effort to locate evidence of slave cabins documented in Lyon family history. This rare opportunity was created in partnership between the Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area and archeologists from the Georgia Historic Preservation Division.

Archeology Study to unearth remains of Slave Cabins in Arabia Mountain NHA
Archeology Study to unearth remains of Slave Cabins in Arabia Mountain NHA

 

The farm is considered an original settler house and was founded around 1800 by a Revolutionary War soldier on land ceded by the Creek Nation along the South River in Georgia. The exact location of the cabins is not known and no cabin remains were found at this dig. However, the event was so well received that the partners have planned another dig in October, 2012. This dig will be expanded to two days, allowing even more volunteers to participate.  

 

Creek settlements have also been reported in the area and there is a good chance of encountering Native American artifacts during the ongoing investigation. Any artifacts uncovered at this site may reveal more about the lives of the people that once called this place home.  For more news on this continuing study, visit Arabia Mountain NHA.

An Important Moment for the Ohio & Erie Canalway and Northeast Ohio 

Ohio and erie groundbreaking
The event brought current and retired Federal, State, County, City and Local Officials to the podium, led by keynote speaker U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown.
On July 30th, ground was broken on Cleveland's first publicly funded section of the Towpath Trail.  The $9M project is made possible through the support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Fund, which awarded two grants totaling $3 million - the largest combined award for a project. It also includes a $3.175 million Clean Ohio land acquisition award - the largest award in the state's history; State of Ohio Cultural Arts Facilities grant of $500,000; a Clean Ohio Trail grant totaling $425,000; and additional funding, including $134,069 towards habitat planting from U.S. Fish & Wildlife. 

"This project represents both the physical beginning of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath's journey to the doorstep of downtown Cleveland and a major project along the Cuyahoga River," stated Tim Donovan, emcee of the groundbreaking and Co-Executive Director of the Ohio & Erie Canalway. 

 

Over 250 attendees took part in the community groundbreaking - and in a fun twist, over 500 people attended "virtually" via BYOS (Bring Your Own Shovel) photos taken at prior area events - allowing citizens to show their support for the Towpath's arrival in Cleveland.

  

When completed, the project will: 1) restore 2,800 feet of natural shoreline; 2) create a major fish habitat - transforming the boat marina into two-acre habitat; 3) provide Cleveland's first publicly built 2/3 mile section of the Towpath Trail; and 4) remediate and restore nine acres of upland into meadowland. 

Yuma Hosts "Alcatraz Life on the Rock"  

yuma Alcatraz exhibit
"Alcatraz: Life on the Rock" exhibition
Yuma is known for its feared Territorial Prison and now visitors can get a look at two of the nation's most notorious prisons in one location. "Alcatraz: Life on the Rock" a traveling exhibition created in partnership by the National Park Service and Alcatraz Cruises, LLC (concessioner to NPS) will be on display at the Yuma Quartermaster's Depot from January-April 2013.

 

"The traveling exhibit is meant to bring Alcatraz to people who otherwise could never visit," said Charles Flynn, executive director of the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, which operates the Territorial Prison State Historic Park and the Quartermaster's Depot, both of Yuma's state parks.

 

The exhibition incorporates four eras; The Military Era, The Federal Penitentiary, The Native American Occupation and Preserving the Rock. Ancillary exhibits tell the story of the families on Alcatraz, the gardens, the first lighthouse on the West Coast, and stories of the escapes. The exhibition includes original artifacts from Alcatraz, including a letter from Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz". Among the items on loan are a key to the front gate of the Alcatraz cellhouse and brass knuckles carried by Mr. Ira Bowden, a former guard at Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary.

"Making the Caribbean Connection" Project with Latino Students from Salem

 

Essex kids Carribbean
Students participate in hands on activities

The Essex National Heritage Area is the recipient of a 2012 America's Best Idea Grant thanks to the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America's national parks.  Essex Heritage, in partnership with The House of Seven Gables in Salem, MA received a grant which funded a new project titled "Making the Caribbean Connection." 

 

Throughout the summer, a group of young students newly arrived from the Dominican Republic met at the House of Seven Gables to learn, in Spanish, about their heritage and historic connections between Salem and the Caribbean. 

 

Inspired by the critically-acclaimed Ken Burns documentary The National Parks: America's Best Idea, the America's Best Idea grant program funds park projects designed to connect diverse, under-engaged populations throughout the United States with their national parks in innovative and meaningful ways.

 

The purpose of the grant is to build stronger connections by engaging local youth in uncovering the untold stories - past and present - between their homeland islands in the Caribbean and the historic sites in Salem which have interacted with the islands for centuries.  Over the course of six week, the program engaged 12 middle school students in a summer program based at The Gables with visits to the Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Peabody Essex Museum and the Salem Public Library. 

 

A second program will be held next fall, after school at the Collins Middle School in Salem, MA.  Students will explore historical themes as well as themes of self-identity, cross-cultural relationships and the feeling of belonging in a new country.

 

The National Park Foundation and Essex Heritage wish to thank L.L. Bean, DISNEY, the Anschutz Foundation, and the Ahmanson Foundation for their generous support of the America's Best Idea program. For more information visit Essex Heritage, the National Park Foundation or the House of Seven Gables.

BoatU.S. Magazine Features Erie Canal 
Erie Canal LOW Bridges
Erie Canal Low Bridges
 

"America's great canal system offers an inspiring history, friendly locals, a string of charming towns, and vast vistas that will make you want to stop, slow down, and in some cases, duck."

 

The October/November issue of BoatU.S. Magazine features a full length article on traveling on the Erie Canal. The magazine-- the award-winning flagship publication of The Boat Owners' Association of the United States-- reaches an estimated 900,000 readers.

 

Tom Blanchard, Board Chair of the Erie Canalway Heritage Fund, pitched the story and hosted writer Pat Piper onboard the Stasia Louise, a DeFever 44 trawler, as she navigated the Erie Canal from Brewerton to Buffalo earlier this year. Also onboard was Erie Canalway Commissioner Peter Welsby. The result is an engaging and informative article that weaves the history of the canal with the unique experience of boating on the waterway today.

Click to read the article: http://www.boatus.com/magazine/2012/october/Those-Erie-Canal-Moments.asp

Shades of Blue and Gray - Art and Artists of the Civil War Come Alive Online

George W. Chambers. In the Tennessee Mountains, 1887. Tennessee State Museum.

 In the Tennessee Mountains, 1887 George W. Chambers

Tennessee State Museum

 

Many of Tennessee's most vibrant and diverse artifacts can now be viewed online at "Shades of Blue and Gray" a new website documenting the state's Civil War art.

 

The site incorporates both high-style art and a wide variety of everyday objects and crafts. It's unique, user-friendly layout gives insight into what Tennesseans experienced, the courage it took to document emotions during a dangerously divisive time, and the ways in which they responded to the war's far-reaching devastation.

 

Spearheaded by Middle Tennessee State University Ph.D. candidate Susan Knowles and Celia Walker, director of special projects for Vanderbilt Libraries, this site is also a great way to get children interested in both art and history. With a wealth of online images available for download and use, this site garners students' attention in a unique and interactive way. 

 

Powerful stories can be found within a fascinating historical source - the art and culture that arose from the war's tragedies and triumphs. The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area tells the whole story of the Civil War, sharing experiences from both the home front and the battlefield.

 

Sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, and Anode, Inc. 

Volunteers Complete Summer Projects in Alaska  
Volunteers haul lumber into the back country for repairs to the historic Manitoba cabin.
Volunteers haul lumber into the back country for repairs to the historic Manitoba cabin.

The Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area has seen a flurry of community project activity during Alaska's short construction season. It has also realized excellent progress on area-wide projects including developing school curriculum and a signage plan for the area. 

 

One of the summer's projects includes the renovation of the Manitoba cabin. This historic cabin is being rebuilt in part through a KMTA grant by the Alaska Mountain and Wilderness Huts Association.

 

The site of this historic cabin is not accessible by road but has been buzzing with activity as volunteers haul in, by hand, the lumber and materials needed for cabin repairs. The Manitoba Cabin will be available to back country hikers and skiers and will include educational signs that depict the history of the cabin.

 

Another community project includes a grant to install lighting for murals in Seward - the Mural Capitol of Alaska. These lights will use green technology and solar energy to illuminate artist murals that depict the history of the Iditarod Trail and other notable attractions of the area. The sponsor for this project is the Seward Murals Society and Seward Arts Council.

 

The Kenaitze Tribe is renovating the historic Lindgren trapping cabin as part of its Heritage Site. A KMTA grant will help develop an interpretive program for visitors to the cabin and offer educational insights to its history.

 

This is but a sampling of the work that is underway in the Kenai Mountains-Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area.  For information, visit our website at www.kmtacorridor.org

TV Shown Invites Viewers to "discover" U.S. 89

 
Pie
Julie Fisher, Executive Director, Utah Dept. of Heritage and Arts, enjoying pie at Mom's Cafe in Salina, Utah

"Discovery Road," a local television series on KJZZ TV in Utah, explores the people and places of the Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area.  It features a '55 Pontiac which travels along U.S. Highway 89, All-American Road State Route 12, and Scenic Byway State Route 24. As the car drives along these roads, viewers will "discover" the things that make the MPNHA worth driving to themselves.

 

"The whole idea behind the show is to get people to do what they used to do on Sunday afternoon - take a drive," said MPNHA Executive Director Monte Bona.

 

Using music, storytellers and the characters in the communities along the way, "Discovery Road" presents Utah's history, scenery and culture in an entertaining and educational manner. Along the way, the drivers of the car - hosts James Nelson and Gina Persinger - discover a local milkshake called "the Bishop," illustrating the indelible mark the Mormon faith and culture have placed upon the area. They'll also visit the 1920s-era Beaux-Arts style Casino Star Theatre in Gunnison, an example of both the incredible antique architecture in the area and the efforts to restore and preserve such historic treasures.

 

"The past is a lot of fun, but it is a lot more fun in the present," says Scott Wyatt, president of Ephraim's Snow College. The series is being produced by the college's Mormon Pioneer Heritage Institute in coordination with the MPNHA. Wyatt envisions an extended run of the series with regularly-occurring episodes. For viewers and, hopefully, travelers alike, "They'll enjoy the ride," host and producer James Nelson says. 

Schuylkill River Heritage Area Introduces New Bike Tour Series

 

The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area in southeastern Pennsylvania is introducing a new bike tour series that will feature a unique combination of history and cycling.SR bikers

 

The Bike Tour Series will consist of three rides over a three-year period. Each ride will take participants along a part of the Schuylkill River Trail and integrate programming and visits to historic points of interest. The rides will serve as fundraisers for the Heritage Area, while simultaneously drawing attention to regional history and historic destinations that can be accessed from the trail.

 

The series will debut this fall with the 20-mile Rails and River Towns Ride, which includes a presentation on railroad history and guided tours of two historic villages. Two additional rides in the series are being planned for fall 2013 and 2014. Next year, the Cycles and Cemeteries Ride will introduce cyclists to two historic cemeteries where Civil War Generals are buried. In 2014, the National Parks of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Ride will be offered as a two-day event that incorporates visits to three national parks: Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park and Independence National Historic Park. Learn more. 

Penn Foster Adopts Scranton Section of the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail

   

lackawanna Penn Foster trail adoption
Volunteers John Evanglista, Donald Lovenduski, and Carl Albright assembled and installed two benches at the Riverwalk, across from Scranton High School

The Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area (LHV) partners with local universities and community groups in promoting trail stewardship along the Lackawanna River Heritage Trail. Through its Adopt-A-Trail Program, LHV works with groups of volunteers to conduct clean-ups and to monitor safety along the trail.

 

Penn Foster Career School is a founder and charter member of the Adopt-A-Trail Program. The program was designed by faculty members who were committed to making a difference in the community. More than 35 faculty and staff members came together in April to clean up trash along the Riverwalk. Penn Foster plans to continue its work with more beautification of the 7th Avenue Trailhead. It will hold another trail clean-up in October.  

  

"Penn Foster Career School is an historic Scranton Company. It pioneered distance learning for coal miners in 1890, and it is now one of the largest distance learning institutions in the world," notes Natalie Gelb, Executive Director of the Lackawanna Heritage Valley. "The school provides programs and services that are designed to meet the lifelong learning needs of the adult learner. We are delighted that Penn Foster's employees have committed themselves to enhance the quality of life in our community by working with LHV to develop amenities for the Scranton Riverwalk."  

Exhibit "The War of 1812 and the Development of the Blackstone Valley" 
Blackstone 1812  

The Rhode Island Historical Society's Museum of Work and Culture's exhibit is highlighting how the War of 1812 played a major role in the industrialization of the Blackstone Valley. The exhibit was funded by the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Commission, and produced in partnership with the Rhode Island Historical Society, the Old Slater Mill Association, and the Corridor Commission. The exhibit is on display through Veterans Day, and is part of the RIHS' exploration of Rhode Island at War.

 

According to Blackstone Corridor NPS Ranger Kevin Klyberg "The War of 1812 and the embargoes leading up to the war played a key role in launching the first textile industry boom in the Blackstone Valley, and therefore the United States."

 

"The ban on importation of textiles from Europe, beginning in 1807," Klyberg said," inspired the creation of dozens of new textile mills across the Blackstone Valley. Many of these mills failed when the war ended, and imports once again began to flow into the nation. However, several key textile empires got their start during this period, and three of the villages that are the basis for a proposed new National Park in the Blackstone Valley saw their first textile mills built in this time frame (Slatersville: 1807, Whitinsville: 1809, Ashton: 1810). In many ways," Klyberg concluded, "the cotton mill boom of this era is what really made the Industrial Revolution revolutionary, as it expanded the textile industry beyond a handful of sites, and made it an integrated part of the Southern New England landscape."

Partnerships forged around Smithsonian Exhibition in Illinois & Michigan Canal


I&M I worked here exhibit One heritage area, one statewide humanities council, and fourteen local organizations came together to bring a Smithsonian exhibition, four local exhibits, and nineteen humanities programs to the most economically disadvantaged county within the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor.

 

In April and May 2012 the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor coordinated a countywide program in rural LaSalle County, centered around The Way We Worked a Smithsonian Museum on Mainstreet exhibition. The Canal Corridor Association, the local coordinating entity for the IMCNHC, in partnership with the Illinois Humanities Council hosted the exhibition and collaborated with 14 diverse local and nonprofit organizations throughout LaSalle County. Partnership organizations included: museums, libraries, historical societies, historic homes, and labor unions. This project enabled the area to forge new partnerships with the labor unions.

 

Four local exhibits were developed in conjunction with the Smithsonian exhibition, which explored various aspects of work in LaSalle County. During the exhibition the Canal Corridor Association coordinated nineteen programs with eight organizations at twelve locations throughout the county including: panel discussions, dinner lectures, historical presentations and musical concerts. The exhibition, associated exhibits and programming had an attendance of 6,396 people.    

Designers Turn Their Eye to History in Arabia Mountain

  

The storytelling roots of the Lithonia Woman's Club in the Arabia Mountain NHA have been reimagined as part of a service project.

 

Arabia Mountain Planning
Designers work on plans for Woman's Club

More than 20 design professionals including architects, landscape architects and interior designers, studied the historic 1929 building and its connections to the community to help celebrate the building's significance while inspiring connectivity, growth, and development in this small quarry town. The Woman's Club was DeKalb County's first library and has been an important gathering place for civic groups and a social setting for citizens for generations. 

 

The highly-collaborative, community-centered process led to a comprehensive document that the city of Lithonia and the AMNHA can use to rehabilitate the building and its surroundings. Designers donated more than 400 hours through community meetings, design charettes, and recommendations. They took their cues and inspiration from club members, neighbors, city officials, and the NHA. 

 

To reflect the overall vision, the interior plan includes storytelling elements such as a bank of mailboxes to store and share memories as well as a permanent exhibit space, and areas for community gatherings. The proposed exterior modifications connect the Club with the Main Street of Lithonia, allow access to the multi-use hike-bike PATH, and create an inviting pubic performance space.  The rehabilitation could include energy efficient systems and water reuse, removing impervious surfaces, and adding vegetation. 

 

For updates on this exciting project check the Arabia Alliance website.

Photo Contest Celebrates America's Agricultural Story

 

Since 2007, Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) has invited photographers to participate in preserving their own part of the region's story in the "Capture the Heart of America" photo contest. This year, to celebrate the entire American agricultural story, the contest was expanded to include agriculturally photos nationwide.

harvest time
Harvest Time

  

Photographers were invited to share their images in five categories:

  

American Farmscapes: From rustic farms to rolling hills of patchwork fields, the countryside holds a beauty uniquely American.

  

 Life on the Farm shares the story of the American farmer who helps feed the world, along with day-to-day life on the farm.

 

 

Silos & Smokestacks Partner Sites: From dairy farms and museums to vineyards and tractor assembly tours, more than 100 Designated Partner Sites are sharing their part of America's story in a 37-county region of Northeast Iowa. This category invites visitors to share their experience at Heritage Area Partner Sites.  

  

Celebrations of Agriculture: Steeped in culture, festivals and fairs have long been held to celebrate American agriculture and the fruits of the harvest.   

  

America's Agricultural Industry: From the relics of smokestacks that once dotted the American landscape to the barges that transport grain on the Mississippi River, this category captures how America's agricultural industry has helped to shape agriculture worldwide.

ERIE CANALWAY CORRIDOR AWARDED 'TICKET TO RIDE' GRANT

 More than 1,400 students to benefit from innovative programming 

By MikeBielkiewicz
Photo By Mike Bielkiewicz

 

An $8,000 grant from the National Park Foundation to the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor will enable 1,472 students from 27 schools in eight school districts across New York State to participate in educational field trips along the Erie Canal this fall.

"We have tremendous canal historic sites from Buffalo to Albany, but the cost of bringing students to them has become prohibitive for many districts. This grant removes that barrier so that students can experience firsthand the innovation and impact of the Erie Canal," said Beth Sciumeca, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is one of 35 national parks and heritage areas to receive a grant from the National Park Foundation's Ticket To Ride program. The program provides financial resources for transportation and in-park educational programming that make field trips to national parks and heritage areas possible for schools across the country.

In addition to Ticket To Ride funding, Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor secured an additional $5,000 from the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) to enhance the field trip program. These funds are being used to enlist the assistance of the Albany Institute of History and Art, which is developing a web-based curriculum guide and conducting teacher training and post-visit evaluations.

Carol Gold, Niagara Falls Central School District Administrator for Curriculum and Instruction said: "The Niagara Falls City School District is delighted to have our 4th grade students participate. This experiential learning experience will lend itself to the integration of curriculum areas, melding Social Studies with English Language Arts and affording students reading, writing, listening and speaking opportunities to internalize learning and create lasting memories."

Responding to an overwhelming need for transportation and educational programming funding from parks and schools nationwide, the National Park Foundation created the Ticket To Ride program. With support from Disney, Ticket to Ride provides financial resources for transportation, in park programming, and meals that make field trips possible for schools across the country.  

Call for 2013 Grants Proposals

  

The National Center for Preservation Technology and Training (NCPTT) is calling for Preservation Technology and Training Grant applications (PTT Grants). The call outlines in detail how the grant program works. NCPTT is looking for innovative proposals that develop new technologies or adapt existing technologies to preserve cultural resources. The deadline to submit a proposalto Grants.gov is November 1, 2012.

 

PTT Grants have funded recipients like the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum that is conducting innovative research in non-invasive documentation of complex submerged archeological sites located in turbid waters.

 

NCPTT supports single year projects. Grants are awarded competitively with the maximum award of $25,000. Preference is given to proposals with a one to one cash or in-kind match, and to proposals that support NPS research priorities. NCPTT typically receives 40 proposals and funds approximately 10 grants per year.

 

The 2013 grants will be awarded during the federal fiscal year 2013 (October 1, 2012-September 30, 2013). Grants are funded by annual federal appropriation and are subject to availability of funds.

 

Visit NCPTT online or find the 2013 PTT Grants on Grants.Gov:

 

CFDA#: 15.923

Opportunity Number: DOI-NPS-NCPT-2013

Title: 2013 PTT Grants

 

Editied by Katie Durcan

National Heritage Area Program, National Park Service