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In the late 1960s and 1970s, a number of communities hoped to gain federal designation as “National Cultural Parks.” In pursuing recognition as “cultural” rather than “historical” landscapes, park supporters sought to upend longstanding National Park Service norms that tended to prioritize fixity over change and the past over the present and possible future evolution of a site. In the end, however, the push for a cultural park category proved elusive with each place instead entering the NPS system under the Historical Park designation.
On October 17, 2015 dignitaries from around the country gathered to celebrate the inscription of the San Antonio Missions as the 23rd World Heritage Site in the Untied States (US) and the first in Texas. The San Antonio Missions are a group of five frontier mission complexes situated along an over seven mile stretch of the San Antonio RiverBehind the well-deserved World Heritage hoopla and the carefully crafted statement of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value, there is more than a decade of hard work. As interested in World Heritage recognition grows in the country and around the globe, what can we learn from the hard won experience of the San Antonio Missions?
Just when you think things cannot get any more dire for the National Heritage Areas,Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) proposed an amendment to the recent budget continuing resolution to strip away half of the funding for the program ($8.1 Million). Learn more about what happened.
The 1991 report “Made in Pennsylvania,” which documented the Commonwealth’s significant industrial heritage, is a good barometer to use in measuring the important work that the state’s heritage areas have accomplished. Threats to the National Heritage Areas program now put these gains in jeopardy.
A recent report summarizing the evaluations of twelve National Heritage Areas (NHA) found very positive outcomes. The evaluators gave the NHAs thumbs up for following their legislative purpose, for accomplishing their management goals, and for creating effective locally driven management structure. The evaluations concluded that every NHA followed responsible financial practices, routinely leveraging the National Park Service funding four-fold for projects and programs in their region.
In the late 1960s and 1970s, a number of communities hoped to gain federal designation as “National Cultural Parks.” In pursuing recognition as “cultural” rather than “historical” landscapes, park supporters sought to upend longstanding National Park Service norms that tended to prioritize fixity over change and the past over the present and possible future evolution of a site. In the end, however, the push for a cultural park category proved elusive with each place instead entering the NPS system under the Historical Park designation.
On October 17, 2015 dignitaries from around the country gathered to celebrate the inscription of the San Antonio Missions as the 23rd World Heritage Site in the Untied States (US) and the first in Texas. The San Antonio Missions are a group of five frontier mission complexes situated along an over seven mile stretch of the San Antonio RiverBehind the well-deserved World Heritage hoopla and the carefully crafted statement of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value, there is more than a decade of hard work. As interested in World Heritage recognition grows in the country and around the globe, what can we learn from the hard won experience of the San Antonio Missions?
Just when you think things cannot get any more dire for the National Heritage Areas,Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) proposed an amendment to the recent budget continuing resolution to strip away half of the funding for the program ($8.1 Million). Learn more about what happened.
The 1991 report “Made in Pennsylvania,” which documented the Commonwealth’s significant industrial heritage, is a good barometer to use in measuring the important work that the state’s heritage areas have accomplished. Threats to the National Heritage Areas program now put these gains in jeopardy.
A recent report summarizing the evaluations of twelve National Heritage Areas (NHA) found very positive outcomes. The evaluators gave the NHAs thumbs up for following their legislative purpose, for accomplishing their management goals, and for creating effective locally driven management structure. The evaluations concluded that every NHA followed responsible financial practices, routinely leveraging the National Park Service funding four-fold for projects and programs in their region.