Map of the National Heritage Areas in the continental United States

In the United States, a National Heritage Area (NHA) is a site designated by Act of Congress, intended to encourage historic preservation of the area and an appreciation of the history and heritage of the site. There are currently 62 NHAs, some of which use variations of the title, such as National Heritage Corridor.[1]

National Heritage Areas are not National Park Service units or federally owned or managed land. NHAs are administered by state governments or non-profit organizations or other private corporations, referred to as "local coordinating entities". The National Park Service provides an advisory role and limited technical, planning and financial assistance.

Each area has its own authorizing legislation and a set of unique resources and goals. Areas considered for designation must have specific elements. First, the landscape must be a nationally unique natural, cultural, historic, or scenic resource. Second, when the related sites are linked, they must tell a unique story about the U.S.[2]

Legislative history

The first NHA created, the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, located in Illinois, was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 21, 1984.

The National Heritage Areas Act of 2006 designated ten new NHAs and authorized authorized three studies of potential NHAs. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 12, 2006.

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 designated ten new NHAs. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.

The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 laid out procedures for planning and management of NHAs and designated six new NHAs. It was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 12, 2019.

The National Heritage Area Act of 2022 established a National Heritage Area System and created a standardized process for the Department of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance to NHAs.[3] The law also provides a process for the study and designation of new NHAs and evaluation for existing NHAs. It authorized three studies of potential NHAs and established seven new NHAs.[4] The bill was passed by the Senate on December 20, 2022 by unanimous consent and the House on December 22 (on a vote of 326-95), and was signed into law by President Joe Biden on January 5, 2023.[5]

List of National Heritage Areas

Current

There are 62 National Heritage Areas, listed below with their respective local coordinating entity:

Area State(s) Designation Date Local Coordinating Authority Notes
Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Illinois May 8, 2008 Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition
Alabama Black Belt National Heritage Area Alabama January 5, 2023 Center for the Study of the Black Belt at the University of West Alabama
Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area West Virginia and Maryland March 12, 2019 Appalachian Forest Heritage Area, Inc.
Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area Georgia October 12, 2006 Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance
Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Louisiana October 12, 2006 Louisiana Office of Tourism, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism
Augusta Canal National Heritage Area Georgia Augusta Canal Authority
Baltimore National Heritage Area Maryland March 30, 2009 City of Baltimore
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Massachusetts/Rhode Island November 1986
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area North Carolina November 10, 2003 Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership
Bronzeville – Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Illinois January 5, 2023 Black Metropolis National Heritage Area Commission
Cache La Poudre River Corridor National Heritage Area Colorado March 30, 2009 Poudre Heritage Alliance
Cane River National Heritage Area Louisiana Cane River National Heritage Area Commission
Champlain Valley National Heritage Area New York/Vermont October 12, 2006 Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership
Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area New Jersey Crossroads of the American Revolution Association
Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor Pennsylvania 1988 Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc.
Downeast Maine National Heritage Area Maine January 5, 2023 Sunrise County Economic Council
Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor New York Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor
Essex National Heritage Area Massachusetts 1996 Essex National Heritage Commission
Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area Kansas/Missouri October 12, 2006 Partnership Team
Freedom's Way National Heritage Area Massachusetts/New Hampshire March 30, 2009
Great Basin National Heritage Area Nevada/Utah October 12, 2006 Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership
Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Florida/Georgia/North Carolina/South Carolina October 12, 2006 Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor Commission
Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area New York 1996 Hudson River Valley Greenway
Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Illinois August 21, 1984 Canal Corridor Association
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor Massachusetts/Rhode Island October 12, 2006 Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor Commission
Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area Maryland/Pennsylvania/Virginia/West Virginia The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership
Kenai Mountains – Turnagain Arm National Heritage Area Alaska March 30, 2009
Last Green Valley National Heritage Corridor Massachusetts, Connecticut November 2, 1994 The Last Green Valley Formerly the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. Renamed December 19, 2014.
Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area Pennsylvania 2000 Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority
Maritime Washington National Heritage Area Washington March 12, 2019 Washington Trust for Historic Preservation
Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area Mississippi March 30, 2009 Delta Council
Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area Mississippi Office of Coastal Management and Planning, Mississippi Department of Marine Resources
Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area Mississippi March 30, 2009 Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance
Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area Utah October 12, 2006 Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance
MotorCities National Heritage Area Michigan November 6, 1998 Initially named Automobile National Heritage Area
Mountains to Sound Greenway Washington March 12, 2019 Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust
Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area Alabama March 30, 2009 University of North Alabama
National Aviation Heritage Area Ohio 2004 Aviation Heritage Foundation, Inc.
National Coal Heritage Area West Virginia November 12, 1996 National Coal Heritage Area Authority
Niagara Falls National Heritage Area New York November 2008
Northern Plains National Heritage Area North Dakota March 30, 2009
Northern Neck National Heritage Area Virginia January 5, 2023 Sunrise County Economic Council
Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area New Mexico October 12, 2006
Ohio & Erie Canalway National Heritage Area Ohio 1996 Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition
Oil Region National Heritage Area Pennsylvania 2004 Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism
Path of Progress National Heritage Tour Route Pennsylvania Southwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation Commission
Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area Pennsylvania 1996 Steel Industry Heritage Corporation
Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area California March 12, 2019 Delta Protection Commission
Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Arizona March 12, 2019 Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, Inc.
Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area Colorado March 30, 2009 Sangre de Cristo NHA Steering Committee
Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area Pennsylvania
Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District Virginia Shenandoah Valley Battlefields Foundation
Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area Iowa 1996
South Carolina National Heritage Corridor South Carolina 1996 South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, Inc.
South Park National Heritage Area Colorado March 30, 2009 Tourism and Community Development Office, Park County
Southern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage Corridor North Carolina/South Carolina January 5, 2023 University of South Carolina
Southern Maryland National Heritage Area Maryland January 5, 2023 Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland
St. Croix National Heritage Area U.S. Virgin Islands January 5, 2023 Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation Office
Susquehanna National Heritage Area Pennsylvania March 12, 2019 Susquehanna Heritage Corporation
Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area Tennessee 1996 Center for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State University
Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area Connecticut/Massachusetts October 12, 2006 Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, Inc.
Wheeling National Heritage Area West Virginia October 11, 2000 Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation
Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Arizona/California October 19, 2000 Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Corporation

Proposed

Area State(s) Passed by Congress Local Coordinating Authority
Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage Area Virginia Study approved
Ka‘ena Point National Heritage Area Hawaii Study approved
Monterey Bay National Heritage Area California No
Guam National Heritage Area Guam Study approved
Coastal Virginia National Heritage Area Virginia No
South Kona National Heritage Area Hawaii No
Nation's Oldest Port National Heritage Area No
Finger Lakes National Heritage Area New York
Calumet National Heritage Area Indiana, Illinois Study approved

[6]

See also

References

  1. ^ "National Heritage Areas Contact Information". National Park Service. November 2010. (which serves as an official list of all 55 National Heritage Areas)
  2. ^ NPS FAQ
  3. ^ Manno, Melissa (December 22, 2022). "Tonko's National Heritage Area Act passes". Times Union. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "National Heritage Area Act". Congress.gov. December 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "S.1942 - National Heritage Area Act". Congress.gov.
  6. ^ https://www.nwitimes.com/localbusinesses/push-to-get-region-recognition-as-national-heritage-area-gaining-momentum/article_e44670aa-0c18-11ee-b416-2f7382818c13.html

External links

National Heritage Areas of the United States
Federal Historic sites of the United States
Categories