Heritage News Volume 7 - Issue 1 March 2008 Download Current Issue as a .pdf: VOLUME 7- ISSUE 2 June 2008 Celebrating the Susquehanna     We are excited to welcome summer and the opportunities the season affords to celebrate our rivers and streams. So much of our region's history is connected to waterways. From mills which used small creeks for power to villages and towns which relied upon the river for commerce and transportation, the Endless Mountains region owes much of its economic success and cultural richness to the area's waterways. The scene above is the view from the famous Wyalusing Rocks, or "Prayer Rocks" outside of Wyalusing in Bradford County. These types of vistas are common and ones we should cherish and preserve. To this end, the Endless Mountains Heritage Region is proud to serve as regional lead organization for the North Branch of the Susquehanna River and sponsor of greenway projects and activities from Susquehanna Depot and Great Bend to Wapwallopen and East Berwick.     Our agency is active in coordination of large projects and providing technical assistance to smaller communities and organizations creating or sustaining vital connectivity to the Susquehanna. EMHR participates in local River festivals (Riverfests), floating events (Sojourn and Heritage Float), and streamside cleanups, as well as distributing our very own Water Trail Map & Guide of the Susquehanna north branch and materials from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Susquehanna Greenway Partnership, National Park Service and the PA Fish and Boat Commission. We hope you will join us in our continuing celebration of the Susquehanna! Message from the Director     2008 is becoming a very full and vibrant year for the Endless Mountains Heritage Region. Our agency is working with our partners in developing an enhanced statewide promotional campaign-complete with the creation of new logos, website presence and marketing materials designed to ensure a unified message for the public on what heritage development is all about. Our message is being strengthened by the fruits of our labor, creating enhanced appreciation for and preservation of the wonderful cultural, historic, and natural resource attributes that make up a heritage region. On a regional level, this excitement is being translated into new interpretation opportunities, interest groups, festivals, and information-sharing. Progress with the agency's special purpose studies and implementation projects mirror the excitement and desire to take heritage tourism to a new level! Our partners make this happen and we applaud their efforts! Back to top Historic Preservation News CULTURAL RESOURCES ESSENTIALS WORKSHOP     The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission's Bureau for Historic Preservation is offering a series of workshops entitled Cultural Resources Essentials. These workshops have been presented in the past and are back by popular demand. The first workshop, The Basics, will be offered on Wednesday, June 11th from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Commonwealth Keystone Building in Harrisburg. The workshops are intended to help professionals in planning and community development build a better understanding of the federal, state and local programs that are available to help communities preserve their historic character.     For program details and registration information, visit the PHMC website at www.phmc.state.pa.us/bhp and look for the banner for "The Basics" to learn more about the workshop. Those interested may also contact Andrea McDonald at the Bureau for Historic Preservation at (717) 787-4215. MONTROSE RESTORATION FEST     The Montrose Restoration Committee is sponsoring the 9th Annual Restoration Fest to be held at the Montrose Fire Hall on Saturday, June 28th from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. The event features a dinner, a silent auction with fun, remarkable and unexpected items, and entertainment by The String Band (formerly known as the Morgan String Band). Tickets are $40 per person and are available at the Montrose Country Store. Groups can reserve tables for ten for only $350. Seating is limited, so stop into the Montrose Country Store for tickets. For more information on the event or to donate quality items to the auction, please call (570) 278-6854 or email mrcinc@epix.net. STONE WALL WORKSHOP     The French Azilum Historic Site in Asylum Township in central Bradford County is sponsoring a special workshop on stone wall building and restoration on June 13-14, 2008. Ken Ely of Good Neighbor Walls will lead a hands-on workshop being coordinated by Bob Veleker at the French Azilum Historic Site on Saturday, June 14th starting at 10 a.m. There will be a $20 cost for workshop participants, who must make advance reservations by calling (570) 265-3376.      Workshop participants will also need to attend the Friday night slide presentation, which will feature safety and wall building techniques. The slide presentation on June 13th is open to the public at no charge.      Slide Program: Friday, June 13th from 6-9 p.m. at the Stoll Building in Wysox (on Lake Road across from Fire Department Building) Stone Wall Workshop: Saturday, June 14th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the French Azilum Historic Site in Asylum Township. Come see how all those rock walls in the Endless Mountains were built!! Back to top County Fairs and Special Events July 1 - Ag Heritage Day at Towanda. A celebration of local agriculture. Special focus of 2008: Year of the Barn project and Northern Tier Buy Fresh Buy Local efforts. Location: Towanda Farmers' Market, Merrill Parkway/River Street by Washington Street Station, Towanda. Time: 1-5 pm. Phone: 570-268-4093; email: info@northerntierbfbl.com; website: ntculturalalliance.org July 21-26 -Troy Fair at Troy. Rides, games, food, vendors, truck & tractor pulls, Bull Ride Mania, big name entertainment TBA, demolition derbies, crafts, agricultural shows, Frontier Show, arts, crafts, displays, sportsman show. Location: Alparon Community Park, Troy. August 18-23 - Harford Fairat Harford. Agricultural and family fair. Animals, crafts, exhibits, machinery, country music stars, rodeo, demolition derby, tractor & truck pulls, horse shows, woodsman contest, old time craft demos. Location: Harford Fairgrounds, Fair Hill Road, Harford. August 27-Sept. 1 - Sullivan County Fair at Forksville. Fun, food, games, rides, entertainment, truck, tractor, garden tractor, pony and horse pulls, Red Eye Rodeo, demo derby, country singer Aaron Kelly. Location: Sullivan County Fairgrounds, Route 154, Forksville. August 27-Sept. 1 - Kiwanis Wyoming County Fair at Meshoppen. Demo derby, local talent search, truck & tractor pulls, lawnmower races, horse pulls and shows, agricultural exhibits, rides, food, family entertainment. Location: Kiwanis Fairgrounds, Route 6, Meshoppen.
In This Issue: Celebrating the Susquehanna Message from the Director Historic Preservation News: Cultural Resources Workshop Montrose Restoration Fest Stone Wall Workshop County Fairs & Special Events Heritage Survey Celebrating the River and Our Rivertowns Susquehanna Sojourn Citizen Guide Available Fellowships for Traditional Artists Route 6 Mile Marker Program Membership Campaign Membership Form Download Membership Form in Word format Membership Form as web page    The Endless Mountains Heritage Region, Inc. is a non-profit, 501c3 organization registered as a Heritage Park agency of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources serving the Endless Mountains region-Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming Counties.       Our offices are located at the historic Washington Street Station overlooking the Susquehanna River on the Merrill Parkway in Towanda, Pennsylvania. One Washington Street Towanda, PA, 18848 570-265-1528 emhr@epix.net North Branch Susquehanna River Map Guide                               Back to top

Heritage Tourism Survey to be Conducted
    The Alliance of National Heritage Areas (ANHA) is conducting a nationwide visitor survey of heritage tourism. Endless Mountains Heritage Region will cooperate with the Heritage Areas of Pennsylvania and National Heritage Areas by participating in this survey. The survey process was developed for the National Park Service by a research team at Michigan State University and will focus upon the impact of heritage tourism upon the local economy.     To participate in the survey process, our heritage region will work with partners at historic sites, museums, and fairs and festivals to generate over 500 surveys between June and November. We will look for volunteers to assist in the project and hope our members will help us. Please contact Phil Swank or Pam Wright at the EMHR office (570-265-1528) to enhance the outcome of the survey for our region by offering to serve as a survey coordinator at a heritage site this summer.
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2008 Susquehanna Sojourn: Celebrating River Towns, River People

     Plans for the Susquehanna Sojourn are being finalized and include participation by our local community groups, museums, and towns! This educational and awareness-raising event involves a group of canoeists paddling a segment of the Susquehanna River, camping on her shores and interacting with local towns and villages. The event promotes environmental stewardship and inspiring conservation of our natural resources. This Sojourn starts at Corning, New York and ends at Camp Lackawanna at the Vosburg Neck near Tunkhannock in Wyoming County and takes place the week of June 15-21. EMHR staff and project partners will be cooperating to make this Sojourn a mutually beneficial event for the canoeists and the river towns and heritage sites from Sayre to Vosburg.
     Following the EMHR board of directors meeting on Wednesday, June 18, EMHR staff and volunteers will convene at the Ulster village boat access to serve lunch, unveil the River Water Trail sign, and offer a brief program. We invite our partners to join us at the Sojourn on June 18th to learn and share with this special group of visitors to the Endless Mountains!
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Citizen Engagement Guide Available
    The Center for Rural Pennsylvania has released a guide that details how organizations in rural communities across Pennsylvania may engage more citizens in decision-making processes. Researchers with Penn State Cooperative Extension authored Developing Effective Citizen Engagement: A How-To Guide for Community Leaders. The guide will assist many organizations as they engage citizens and stakeholders in local decision-making and community projects. Potential users include local elected and appointed officials; leaders of civic organizations and non-profit groups; and public service agency representatives.
     The guide is organized around eight steps of a formal citizen engagement plan. It is intended to be a first-step in improving community citizen participation. For a copy of the guide, Developing Effective Citizen Engagement: A How-To Guide for Community Leaders, call the Center for Rural Pennsylvania at (717) 787-9555, email info@ruralpa.org or visit www.ruralpa.org/reports.html.
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Fellowship & Apprenticeship Opportunities Available for Traditional Artists
    Are you an artist practicing a living, traditional art in your community? Are you seeking funding opportunities to support your work? Do you want to expand your repertoire and skills? Would you like to pass your mastery on to others? Never applied for a grant before? On Tuesday, July 1, the Northern Tier Cultural Alliance will host a workshop on fellowship and apprenticeship grant opportunities available to individual artists at 10:30 a.m. at the Washington Street Station in Towanda. Led by Lisa Rathje, Arts and Heritage Specialist with the Institute for Cultural Partnerships, the workshops will describe the various PCA-funded grant programs, review the application process, provide information regarding the new eGRANT system, discuss successful applications, and provide an opportunity for questions.You can obtain more information about these programs and application forms by visiting the ICP website at www.culturalpartnerships.org.
    For more information or to register, please contact the Northern Tier Cultural Alliance (NTCA) at (570) 265-7455 or info@ntculturalalliance.org. NTCA serves as one of five Regional Folk Arts Support Centers in the Commonwealth. The Institute for Cultural Partnerships and PA Council on the Arts partnered to "develop a statewide Folk Arts Infrastructure Initiative that seeks to strengthen awareness and understanding, as well as participation in, traditional arts across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."
    In this role, NTCA engages in field work, provides technical assistance, and develops programming and grant opportunities for traditional artists and organizations. NTCA now offers support to artists and organizations from 10 northern counties: Bradford, Cameron, Clinton, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga and Wyoming.

Route 6 Mile Markers Being Installed
    Mile markers with the "Do 6" logo are popping up across US Route 6 as part of the long-awaited Route 6 directional signage program. Morgan Rail Inc. of Temple, Pennsylvania is the contractor installing the mile markers along the 400 miles of Route 6 and 27 miles of Route 6N. The project started at the Ohio border on May 12 and is currently underway in the Endless Mountains.
     "Several years ago, a TV advertisement with Governor Ed Rendell ran in the Philadelphia market. We heard from travelers that they could not find certain businesses or attractions and they didn't understand the length of the highway", PA Route 6 Tourist Association Executive Director Terri Dennison said. "We realized that we needed a system to guide travelers as well as help businesses give directions to their locations."
    Dennison further explained that the system will help travelers judge the distances between towns, attractions and businesses along the highway so they can plan appropriately. The PA Route 6 Tourist Association hopes that the mile markers will be used as landmarks in directions and advertisements for local businesses.
    The mile markers measure 12" by 42" and are being placed 5 to 7 feet off the ground. The markers are green and white and feature the trademarked "Do 6" logo with the appropriate mile number. The markers will alternate every other mile on the north and south side of the highway unless the positioning is not possible. The Route 6 Mile Marker Program was developed several years ago by the PA Route 6 Tourist Association and the PA Route 6 Task Force, a group of interested stakeholders in the northern tier. The sign design and sign construction has been funded by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The sign plan was designed on behalf of the PA Route 6 Tourist Association by the EADS Group of Altoona PA.

North Branch River Map & Guide Available

     Endless Mountains Heritage Region is cooperating with retailers to make the valuable map & guide available to the public. This product is the result of a joint initiative of EMHR and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, working with funding from the National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network.
      The following groups have supplies of the guide instrumental for river enthusiasts:
Columbia/Montour Visitors Bureau
Fitze's Store, Tunkhannock
Laceyville Hardware
Endless Mountains Nature Center
French Azilum, Inc.
Pure Pennsylvania, Hallstead
Endless Mountain Outfitters, Sugar Run
Greater Wyalusing Chamber of Commerce
Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau
North Pennsylvania Country Artisan Store, Towanda
Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce
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2008 MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION / RENEWAL FORM
Download Membership Form in Word format

View and print Membership Form from web page