Endless Mountains Heritage Region

EMHR News

August 2010

Heritage Areas Program Rejuvenated
The value of heritage areas to the Commonwealth and our economy was recently recognized by lawmakers during deliberation and passage of the 2010-2011 State Budget.  The legislature partially restored the DCNR Heritage Areas line item that had been zeroed out in the previous budge year.  Under leadership of House Speaker Keith McCall, an article attached to the budget legislatively establishes the Heritage Areas Program within DCNR and authorizes funding support for eligible grants and investment programs.  These actions demonstrate an understanding of our ability to forge cooperative alliances spurring economic development through significant leveraging of resources and financial investments in communities.  Those engaged in planning projects in the areas of heritage, greenways and byways are encouraged to visit our Grants page to learn more and notify us of your project ideas and to plan to share these ideas at our upcoming Regional Summit (see next story).

Roundtable and Regional Summit Events
Endless Mountains Heritage Region will host a historic places tour and preservation roundtable with key leaders on Thursday, October 14th, and a regional summit on heritage, byways and greenways on Friday, October 15th.  Presently, we have presentations and sessions planned with representatives of Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Pennsylvania, Oil Region Alliance, Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority, and Susquehanna River Archaeological Center.  Volunteers and paid staff associated with museums, heritage groups, trail groups, and community development organizations are invited to participate in the Preservation Roundtable and Regional Summit.

We will need volunteers to help accomplish these goals and maximize the impact on interpretation and education as well as heritage tourism.  Please contact Phil Swank, EMHR Director, at (570) 265-1528 or by email at emhr@epix.net to volunteer in this exciting endeavor.

Heritage Area Agencies Honored
Endless Mountains Heritage Region joined with the Pennsylvania Heritage Area agencies in the formal induction into the Keystone Society for Tourism during a ceremony at the Governor's Residence on June 4, 2010.  Our group was bestowed this honor by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development's state tourism officials at the nomination by Mindy Crawford of Preservation Pennsylvania.  We are most grateful to receive this honor and thank the boards of directors, partners and volunteers making heritage tourism and development successful in this region and in Pennsylvania.

The following documents describe the impacts of our programs and the need to ensure funding and support:
  Advisory Council Recommendations
  Heritage Tourism Economic Impacts