Funding Announcement for Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center

December 15, 2008

Weber City, Virginia

          We are here today to announce a significant new milestone in our effort to highlight the role the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail through Scott and Lee Counties played in American history.  The U.S. Department of Transportation has agreed to provide a grant in the amount of $280,000 for planning and design of the interior exhibits at the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center, a major Visitors Center that will be constructed on U.S. 58 in Duffield.

          The Daniel Boone Center will be the major interpretive center along the route followed by thousands of Americans as they made their way from Philadelphia and other points of origin along the East Coast, down the Valley of Virginia, through Kingsport and Scott and Lee Counties and across the Cumberland Gap on their way to settle the American West. The funds to build the center are in place, and a groundbreaking is anticipated in early 2009. 

          The Center will be a significant historical asset for our region, as well as a major attraction for tourists, drawing more visitors to the area and keeping them here longer.  It is anticipated that the Center complex will draw 90,000 visitors each year and will generate $850,000 in revenue annually for the region's economy.                  

          The Center will offer permanent and changing exhibits as well as educational and interpretive opportunities. The innovative exhibits being planned will allow visitors to experience American history through the eyes of the original travelers, the first long-bow hunters and the early pioneers.  Bob McConnell, President of the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center Foundation, will be providing a more detailed description of the exhibits concept shortly.

         The design phase for the exhibits will take approximately one year and will take place concurrently with site preparation and early construction activities for the center.  Once construction of the center is underway early next year, fundraising for fabrication and installation of the exhibits can begin.

          Our success to date can be attributed to the strong partnerships that have developed around this truly extraordinary project.   The Virginia Tobacco Commission, through the leadership and strong support of Delegate Terry Kilgore, has provided a significant contribution to the design of the exhibits, and Delegate Kilgore has assisted with many additional components of our efforts to highlight the Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail in Lee and Scott Conties.  We will be hearing from him shortly.

          The Virginia Tourism Corporation has provided not only financial support when critically needed, but also invaluable technical support in the person of Kitty Barker, Community Development Specialist.  It was Kitty who prepared the lengthy and ultimately successful grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation that brings us here today, and she has been an invaluable asset to our efforts.

          The Scott County Board of Supervisors has been highly supportive of this project, and I want to thank the Members who have joined us here this morning.  We will be hearing from Board of Supervisors Member of Chad Hood later in the program.

          Much of the hard work for this project has fallen to the Scott County Economic Development Authority, and I want to thank the members of the EDA Board for their support and Executive Director John Kilgore for the many hours he has devoted to the effort.   I also want to express my appreciation to the staff of the LENOWISCO Planning District Commission for their longtime involvement and support for the project and for the invaluable expertise they have provided this effort and many, many others.

          My friend Bob McConnell has been the inspiration and leading expert for this project, and we all owe him a great debt of gratitude for his commitment to preserving the history of our region for future generation.  Bob serves as the President of the newly formed Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center Foundation, which will be leading the effort to secure funding for fabrication and installation of the exhibits.

          Finally I want to thank my Senior Advisor Becky Coleman for her great interest in the Daniel Boone project and for the many hours she has devoted to it.

          Let me now introduce Delegate Terry Kilgore for his remarks.  He will be followed by Bob McConnell and Chad Hood.