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Visit a National Heritage Area

Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area the only Heritage Area named for a President, is home to a unique collection of historical sites and stories. In this forty-two country region of central Illinois, the visitor will find the courthouses, log cabins, hotels and homes where Lincoln argued cases and entertained his neighbors and friends for more than 30 years. The cultural landscape provides insight into Lincoln’s character and personal development, as he prepared to take office during our country’s greatest challenge – the Civil War.

Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area is located in parts of three counties east of the city of Atlanta, Georgia, and comprises a region of active quarries, rolling topography, rural landscapes and unique granite outcroppings, especially Arabia and Panola mountains, which represent two of the State's three largest exposed granite formations.

Atchafalaya National Heritage Area is a national treasury of nature, culture, and history in south-central Louisiana, encompassing the largest river swamp in the country. Characterized by a maze of streams and bayous, the area is rich in wildlife and is an important migratory bird flyway. While the 14 parishes that comprise the heritage area are best-known for the Cajun descendants of French-speaking Acadians, the area's complex racial and ethnic mix is reflected in its distinctive architecture, music, language, food and festivals.

Augusta Canal National Heritage Area was created to establish and implement an overall plan for the preservation, development and management of the Augusta Canal as a public resource. Constructed in 1845, this nine-mile corridor follows the full length of the best-preserved industrial canal of its kind remaining in the South. The canal is still being used for three of the original purposes for which it was built: water power, transportation and water supply. The canal transformed Augusta from an agrarian to an important regional industrial area on the eve of the Civil War and was instrumental in the post-Civil War relocation of much of the nation's textile industry to the South.

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area consists of 25 counties and the Qualla Boundary in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area works to preserve the spectacular beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and to interpret traditional mountain music, folk life traditions, traditional arts, the culture and influences of the Cherokee Indians, and the Scots-Irish heritage of the region. The Area is managed by a 9-member Board of Directors composed of representatives of State, local, non-profit and Cherokee Indian organizations.

Cache La Poudre River Corridor was established to commemorate the story of water law and water development in the West. The primary emphasis of current programs is on interpretation and education. The legislation also calls on private landowners to adopt voluntary measures for the preservation and restoration of significant resources along the corridor.

Cane River National Heritage Area was established to assist in the preservation and enhancement of the cultural landscape and traditions of the Cane River region, complementing the role of Cane River Creole National Historical Park. The 116,000 acre heritage area in northwestern Louisiana is a largely rural, agricultural landscape known for its historic plantations, its distinctive Creole architecture, and its multi-cultural legacy. It is home to a unique blend of cultures, including French, Spanish, African, American Indian, and Creole. Many people of these cultures are descended from early Cane River families who have interacted with each other for nearly 300 years.

Champlain Valley National Heritage Partnership includes the linked navigable waterways and adjacent lands of Lake Champlain, Lake George, the Champlain Canal and portions of the Upper Hudson River in the States of Vermont and New York. This region was the homeland of native people of Algonquin and Iroquois descent and has played an important role in the establishment of the United States and Canada. It has served as a route of exploration, military campaigns and maritime commerce. The history and resources of the region offer opportunities for outstanding interpretation and recreation.

Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area encompasses 213 municipalities and all or parts of 14 counties in New Jersey. General George Washington planned and led some of the most decisive military actions of the war across this landscape including the crucial battles of Trenton, Princeton and Monmouth and spent two severe winters encamped in what is now Morristown National Historical Park. Preserved battlefields, National Historic Landmark properties, and hundreds of associated National Register properties also commemorate this turning point in American history.

Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor is a 165-mile corridor in eastern Pennsylvania. Canals and roads transported lumber, anthracite coal, slate, iron and steel from mountain to market, fueling America's industrial revolution in the region.

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor covers 524 miles in upstate New York, including four navigable waterways: Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga-Seneca; sections of the first Erie Canal; and over 200 municipalities adjacent to the canals. This waterway played a key role in turning New York City into a prominent center for commerce, industry, and finance. Besides being a catalyst for growth in the Mohawk and Hudson valleys, these canals helped open up western America for settlement and for many years transported much of the Midwest's agricultural and industrial products to domestic and international markets.

Essex National Heritage Area preserves and interprets three themes of national significance to American History: Early Settlement and the first contact between native peoples and colonists (17th-century); Great Age of Sail and America's rise as an international trading power (18th and 19th centuries); Industrial Revolution with an emphasis on textile and shoe manufacturing and the birth of the labor movement (19th and 20th centuries).

Freedom's Frontier National Heritage Area encompasses counties in both Eastern Kansas and Western Missouri. Along this border, before and during the Civil War, a defining conflict took place between the forces of slavery and freedom. As abolitionists and others fought to keep Kansas a free state and pro-slavery forces gathered in Missouri, the Eastern press began referring to the region as "Bleeding Kansas." This story and the continuing story of the struggle for freedom of other groups - Native Americans, African Americans, Women and Free Staters - are still reflected in the communities and landmarks of this region.

Great Basin National Heritage Route was authorized in 2006. This Route incorporates the classic western landscape of White Pine County, Nevada, Millard County, Utah and the Duckwater Shoshone Reservation. The heritage of Native Americans is represented by several significant Fremont era and by modern tribes including, the Shoshone, Paiute and Goshute. Ethnic communities of Serbs, Greeks, Basques and Italians survive whose ancestors provided g and mining enterprises within the Heritage Route. Mormon settlers and other early pioneers are reflected in the living cultural tradition of the Great Basin, as well.

Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor was established to recognize the important contributions made to American culture and history by Africans and African Americans known as the Gullah/Geechee who settled in the coastal counties of South Carolina, Georgia, southeast coast of North Carolina, and northeast Coast of Florida. The distinctive culture of community is reflected in the stories, traditions, arts and crafts, culinary practices and the Creole language of the people of the corridor. The Gullah/Geechee Cultural area demonstrates the strongest continuities to the indigenous cultures of Africa than any other region in the United States.

Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, which stretches from Troy to New York City, contains a rich assemblage of natural features and nationally significant cultural and historical sites. The period from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War is well represented and complemented by individual sites such as FDR's Springwood, Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill, Lyndhurst, and Vanderbilt Mansion. The valley retains the scenic, rural character that inspired the Hudson Valley School of landscape painting and the Knickerbocker writers. Recreational opportunities abound in local parks, protected open space, and greenways

Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor was created in 1984 as the first national heritage area. The canal was built in the 1830s and '40s along the portage between Lake Michigan and the Illinois River, which had long been used as an American Indian trade route. The canal rapidly transformed Chicago from an isolated crossroads into a critical transportation hub between the East and the developing Midwest. A 61-mile recreational trail follows the canal towpath. The Federal commission's authority and funding ended in 2005. While the Corridor no longer receives funding under this activity, its designation exists in perpetuity.

John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor was authorized in 1986 to tell the story of the American Industrial Revolution, which began along 46 miles of river and canals running from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island. The mills (including Slater Mill), mill villages, and associated transportation networks in the Blackstone Valley together tell the story of industrialization.

Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area stretches 175 miles along the Route 15 Corridor. Covering four states, the Journey includes Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Frederick County, Maryland, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. Its path is a treasure trove of history—Native and African-American sites, restored architectural gems, Presidential homes, and the greatest concentration of Civil War battle sites in the country—but the land is also alive with vibrant downtowns, rich agriculture and an abundant bounty of wineries, inns, beds-and-breakfasts, fairs and antique dealers.

Lackawanna Valley National Heritage Area has worked to strengthen and enhance development and preservation of the historic, cultural, natural, and economic resources of the communities along the Lackawanna River in northeastern Pennsylvania. The architecture, ethnic traditions and infrastructure of the Anthracite region tell the story of the Lackawanna Valley and it role in the industrial development of the United States.

Mississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage Area is a six-county area within the Mississippi Coastal Plain that borders the Gulf of Mexico. This cultural landscape has been shaped by the coastal and riverine environment and a number of ethnic influences, including those of early Native Americans and Spanish, French, and English settlers. The area contains a rich assortment of cultural and historical resources related to these cultures, in addition to spectacular natural, scenic, and recreational resources. The Area is coordinated by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, in consultation with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area stretches through six counties along the Highway 89 corridor in southern Utah. The region is recognized for its dramatic landscapes including Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks. It is also known for a string of communities along the axis of the corridor that reflect the experience of Mormon colonization. Each community is marked by the town planning principles of the time and the distinctive buildings of the Mormon faith. This setting tells story of the native peoples and the early settlers who farmed, ranched, logged and mined in this part of the state.

MotorCities-Automobile National Heritage Area was authorized in 1998 to preserve, interpret, and promote Michigan's rich automotive and labor heritage. Activities include providing educational opportunities and increasing tourism by creating linkages among automobile-related sites

National Aviation Heritage Area in southwestern Ohio builds upon existing partnerships among the Federal, State, and local governments and the private sector that focus their efforts on preserving and interpreting historic aviation resources. The area will be managed by Aviation Heritage Foundation Incorporated, a non-profit organization.

National Coal Heritage Area is located in southern West Virginia. The rugged industrial landscape of the Area showcases the stories of miners of many races and ethnicities who labored to extract and transport coal, and their wives, who struggled to maintain homes under primitive conditions. Coalfield history and culture contains key elements of a unique social and economic history including the stories of industrial might, the struggle for labor unions, and the growth of distinctive cultural communities among different ethnic groups who worked side-by-side and lived together in the "company towns" of the region.

Niagra Falls National Heritage Area Designated by Congress in 2008, the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area stretches from the western boundary of Wheatfield, New York to the mouth of the Niagara River on Lake Ontario, including the communities of Niagara Falls, Youngstown and Lewiston. The region is home to natural wonders, rich cultural traditions and nationally significant historical sites.

Northern Rio Grande National Heritage Area was authorized in 2006. It is located in Northern New Mexico, stretching from Santa Fe to Taos and includes the counties of Santa Fe, Rio Arriba and Taos. It encompasses a mosaic of cultures and history, including eight Pueblos and the descendants of Spanish ancestors who settled in boundaries are many significant historic sites and a cultural landscape that reflects long settlement of the region, including the Taos Pueblo, which has been recognized as a World Heritage Site.

Ohio and Erie Canal National heritage Corridor, in northeast Ohio, celebrates the canal that enabled shipping between Lake Erie and the Ohio River, opened up frontier settlement of Ohio, and vaulted Ohio into commercial prominence in the early 1830s. The canal and towpath trail pass through agricultural lands and rural villages into industrial communities such as Akron, Canton, and Cleveland that trace their prosperity to the coming of the canal.

Oil Region National Heritage Area tells the stories of Colonel Edwin Drake's drilling of the world's first successful commercial oil well in 1859 and the legacy of the petroleum industry, which even now continues to shape daily life, industry, economy, society, and politics. The 708-square-mile Oil Region includes oil artifacts, scenic Victorian valley and riverbed communities, plateau developments, farmlands and woodlands, and industrial landscapes. In order to increase the prosperity and population of the Oil Region, the Oil Region Alliance preserves, enhances, promotes, and supports the cultural, natural, and recreational resources of the region. Today visitors enjoy heritage attractions, warm hospitality, and four seasons of outdoor recreation in 'the valley that changed the world.'

Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor in northeast Connecticut and south-central Massachusetts is one of the last unspoiled and undeveloped areas in the northeastern U.S. It has important prehistoric archeological sites, diversified agriculture, excellent water quality, beautiful rural landscapes, architecturally significant mill structures and mill villages, and a large acreage of green space. The corridor encompasses 1,086 square miles and includes 35 towns.

Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area works within the seven counties of southwestern Pennsylvania to conserve, preserve, manage, and interpret the legacy of big steel and its related industries. Over 270 heritage development projects are underway or have been completed in the Rivers of Steel's seven-county region, representing $37.7 million in grants and required matching funds. Butler County will soon be incorporated as the eighth county in the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area. A fifteen month evaluation of Butler County's heritage resources and their 'fit' with the existing heritage area has produced strong justification for incorporating Butler County into the Rivers of Steel Heritage Area.

Schuykill River Valley National Heritage Area was authorized to conserve, interpret, and develop the historical, cultural, natural, and recreational resources related to the industrial and cultural heritage of the Schuylkill River Valley of Southeastern Pennsylvania. By 1777, when George Washington wintered his troops at Valley Forge, early entrepreneurs had already founded many of the historic towns along the Schuylkill River where the charcoal, iron and textile industries of the region would grow. In 1822, the first load of anthracite coal was taken from the Schuylkill headwaters to Philadelphia along the Schuylkill Navigation System (canal). Pre-Revolutionary mills and late 19th century factories, rural villages and the City of Philadelphia, are all part of the fabric of the Schuylkill River Valley.

Shenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic District tells the military and civilian stories of the Civil War. From 1861 to 1864 the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia was caught in the crossfire between the North and South, because of its strategic location as the backdoor to the two capitals and a transportation corridor. Today, 15 battlefields, over 320 sites, towns, villages, and farms in the eight-county National Historic District attest to the struggle, courage, and perseverance of the soldiers and civilians alike.

Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area is a thirty-seven county area in Iowa, which facilitates opportunities for residents and visitors to learn about America's agricultural legacy.

South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, authorized in 1996, is bounded on one end by the port city of Charleston and on the other by the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The 240 miles and 14 counties that comprise the Heritage Corridor are divided in four distinct regions that work together to tell the story of the Old South: a story of plantations and cotton fields, of kindred spirits and a county in conflict, of hardships and prosperity, of family and friends. They also tell the story of the New South: a story of railroads and its towns, industry and its villages, of technology and its accomplishments.

Tennessee Civil War Heritage Area tells the whole story of America's greatest challenge, 1860-1875, through sites and resources across the state. Tennessee's landscape is rich with powerful reminders of the Civil War and its compelling stories of the home front, the demands of battle and occupation, the freedom of emancipation, and the promise of Reconstruction. Encompassing the entire state of Tennessee, the Heritage Area represents a partnership-based effort to preserve, enhance, and interpret the legacy of the Civil War and its aftermath across the state.

Upper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area was authorized in 2006. It is located in northwestern Connecticut and western Massachusetts and is noted for its picturesque landscape, the meandering Housatonic River and traditional New England towns. The early history of the area was marked by the Revolutionary War, early industrialization and deforestation followed by a long history of reclamation and conservation. Writers, artists and vacationers have visited the region for 150 years to enjoy its scenic wonders and artistic festivals, making it one of the country's leading cultural resorts.

Wheeling National Heritage Area was authorized in 2000. Throughout the 19th century, Wheeling served as the "Crossroads of America", playing an important role in the settlement of the Nation. Wheeling was a crossroads of western expansion and is the site of many industries including iron and steel, nails, textiles, boat building, glass manufacturing, and stogie and tobacco manufacturing. LaBelle Cut Nails, one of two manufacturers in the nation, continues to produce cut nails with equipment and a process that is over 150-years old.

Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area, authorized in 2000, commemorates the natural ford on the Colorado River, which has been a gathering spot for people for over 500 years and is an important landmark of the Nation's westward expansion. Yuma celebrates its historic role in water management to produce abundant agriculture in the desert, and now is an innovator in community-driven wetlands restoration along the Colorado River.