National Heritage Areas Blog

A rich tradition of old-time music is a staple of many communities in West Virginia. An AmeriCorps volunteer in the Appalachian Forest National Heritage Area is working to share that musical heritage, making it more available to visitors and locals alike.

Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area announced the winner of the statewide Revolution NJ logo contest after a Second Battle of Trenton reenactment in Trenton’s Mill Hill Park. Revolution NJ is New Jersey’s commemoration of 250 years of U.S. History.

At the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area, a new smartphone-based audio tour helps history buffs and new learners alike explore Revolutionary-era history across New Jersey. On self-guided audio tours, embedded GPS data on the app will trigger audio stories and information when present at various sites along the route. The first iteration of Audio Tours is available now, and includes a Tour from Home option available online.

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area installed the first of 7 new bike repair stations to go along its 75 miles of biking, running, and walking trails of the Schuylkill River Trail. Bikers will enjoy access to a bike rack, air pump, and a variety of bike-repair tools at each repair station.

The National Heritage Areas Podcast returns with a new season focused on Telling All Americans' Stories. In episode 1, Jules visits the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area to learn about black soldiers in the Revolutionary War.

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor is currently undertaking an exciting media project that will expand virtual visits and experiential learning in the region using 360-degree video tours. To do so, the Heritage Corridor is teaming up with local parks and educators, with help from the National Park Foundation’s Open Outdoors for Kids initiative.

The Essex National Heritage Area is offering several new opportunities this year to connect with the rich stories of the region’s Black heritage. With the publishing of African Americans in Essex County, Massachusetts: An Annotated Guide, by the Salem Maritime National Historical Site, there is a vast amount of material to consider.

This fall, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L) was awarded two major grants from two different federal agencies: the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Each grant will support the work of one of the D&L’s signature programs, the National Canal Museum.

This past September was a big month at the Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District: in addition to celebrating its 25th Anniversary, the heritage area was awarded a total of $435,000 in two grants from Virginia’s Department of Historic Resources (DHR). These funds will help the NHA in their efforts to preserve more than 250 acres of historic Civil War battlefields.

Of the 53 grants announced by the National Park Service’s African American Civil Rights Program, two National Heritage Areas will be the recipients of these funds. The Essex National Heritage Commission will receive $50,000 for programming titled The African American Experience in Essex NHA, and the Upper Housatonic Valley NHA has been awarded almost 500,000 dollars for the restoration and stabilization of the Clinton A.M.E. Zion Church in Great Barrington, MA.