What is a National Heritage Area?
On August 24, 1984, President Ronald Reagan and the United States Congress signed the first National Heritage Area into existence, creating the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor Act. A National Heritage Area is a place designated by Congress where natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. In other words, it is a place where the history, scenery or culture is so important that it deserves national recognition.
Why do we have National Heritage Areas?
The United States Congress recognizes and designates National Heritage Areas as they connect important and nationally important sites and locations with one another. Examples of National Heritage Areas in the Midwest, on the Great Plains, and in the American West are listed and linked to below:
The United States Congress recognizes and designates National Heritage Areas as they connect important and nationally important sites and locations with one another. Examples of National Heritage Areas in the Midwest, on the Great Plains, and in the American West are listed and linked to below:
- Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area in northeastern Iowa
- Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area in eastern Kansas and western Missouri
- Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area in Illinois
- South Park National Heritage Area, Cache la Poudre River National Heritage Area, and Sangre de Cristo National Heritage Area in Colorado
- Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area in Utah
- Great Basin National Heritage Area in Nevada and Utah
What can The Northern Plains National Heritage Area do?
The goal of the Northern Plains National Heritage Area is to develop long term educational benefits through heritage tourism in cooperation with private and public partners. Like other National Heritage Areas, the Northern Plains National Heritage Area is geared towards sustainable, long-term benefits. This includes sustainable, economic development; cultivating a healthy, regional environment; and improving the quality of life. On average, National Heritage Areas have seen an economic return of $5.50 for every Federal $1.00 leveraged. In the case of the Northern Plains National Heritage Area, this leveraging can take the form of grants to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. This can mean funding for educational development, scientific and archaeological investigations, and it can help local units of government develop interpretive programs and increase appreciation for historic locations and sites.
