Heritage Areas show that historic communities and cultural resources are the anchors of places where Marylanders want to live and where visitors want to experience the Old Line State. Preservation Maryland supports the three Heritage Area boundary expansions in the works at the moment:
LOWER EASTERN SHORE HERITAGE AREA
The Maryland counties of Somerset, Wicomico, and Worcester have been served by the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area since 2003. On Thursday, March 23, 2017, there will be a hearing on the request to expand the Heritage Area boundaries within Wicomico County to include the Village of Allen and to connect the Heritage Area through the Chesapeake Country Blue Crab Scenic Byway.
HEART OF THE CIVIL WAR HERITAGE AREA
Serving Western Maryland since 2006, the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area spreads through Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties. On Tuesday, March 28, 2017, the Maryland Heritage Area Authority will host a public meeting on the expansion of the Heritage Area to include Clear Spring, Keedysville, and Funkstown, as well as historic sites such as Fort Frederick State Park and Washington Monument State Park.
MARYLAND MILESTONES
In November 2015, Preservation Maryland testified at a public hearing in support of the expansion of the boundaries of the Anacostia Trails Heritage Area that serves Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties. The expansion would include areas of Bowie and Glenn Dale, including the location of the Glenn Dale Hospital, a ripe adaptive reuse project of the abandoned complex. A decision on this expansion is expected this year.
The Maryland Heritage Areas Program is governed by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority and administered by the Maryland Historical Trust. The Authority provides targeted financial and technical assistance within thirteen locally designated Heritage Areas, each of which has a distinct focus or theme that represents a unique aspect of Maryland’s character. Together, the Authority, the Heritage Areas and local partners support the economic well-being of Maryland’s communities by promoting, sustaining and creating place-based experiences for visitors and residents alike.