Essex Heritage and Other Heritage Areas
Establish Legislative Caucus

One day in the middle of last month several of us from the Essex Heritage staff spent a long but fruitful day in Washington DC.  We went to the Nation’s Capital to participate in a rally event that was sponsored by the National Alliance of Heritage Areas.    This event was planned by the leadership of the Alliance to bring attention to the work of Heritage Area’s across the country and to build awareness of our collective mission and the work we are accomplishing across the country. 

The day began with an early morning flight to Baltimore and from there we traveled by road to Washington for the rally.  We were also very fortunate to be able to schedule visits with both of the congressional offices that serve the Essex Heritage Area.   We made brief visits with both Congressman John Tierney and Congresswoman Niki Tsongas.   Their support of the work of Essex Heritage has been critical to our ongoing success as the funding that they have been able to provide allows a continuation of the programs that we have established and maintained since our inception.  Both of our representatives in Washington were maintaining hectic schedules the day of our visit as Congress was tied up with numerous hearings and votes on issues connected to the tragic oil spill that is ravaging the gulf coast of this country. We were able to spend a little time with them and members of their senior staff from the congressional offices as we provided them with updates on the many projects that we are working on for the benefit of this region.   Our report focused to a great degree on the recent Essex Heritage Partnership Grant program awards and how they impact the region and updates on the ongoing work on the Border to Boston Bike Trail and the Scenic Byway planning that will focus on our wonderful coastal roads in this region.

The National Rally began during the mid day and lasted for about an hour. The rally focused on a bi-partisan announcement by several East Coast Congressmen that have Heritage Area’s in their home districts that they have created a Legislative Caucus that will help bring attention to the work of the Heritage Area’s and the benefits of these organizations to the country.   The two Congressmen who represent the area we serve have both agreed to join the caucus and will be active participants, but unfortunately due to the busy schedule they both maintain to represent this district were unable to make a personal appearance at the rally.   They have assured us that they will fully participate in the efforts of the newly created Legislative Caucus and see this initiative as a positive development for our region.  We are most hopeful that this new arrangement in Washington will have a positive effect on the way Congress views Heritage Area efforts and will assist the planning to have the Heritage Area’s across the country to be viewed in the future as complete and full partners in the work of the National Park Service.  The day was a long one but was beneficial for both the Essex Heritage and the Alliance as a group as we believe that the recently formed legislative Caucus will continue to bring attention to the work of Heritage Area’s across the country into the future..

Essex Heritage Scenic Byway Meeting
On the day after we arrived back from Washington, Essex Heritage staff managed a meeting of the Essex Heritage Scenic Byway planning group at Ipswich Town Hall.  The meeting of representatives from the thirteen communities that are part of this regional initiative was held to provide a current update on the work of the consulting team working on this project.   Essex Heritage has provided the staff support to make this project a reality and was responsible for obtaining the funding that is currently providing the support for this program. This initiative is a wonderful example of the power of Essex Heritage as we have been able to bring the leadership of these thirteen diverse coastal communities together in a collaboration that will benefit the entire region.  This project and the Border to Boston Rail Trail initiative are wonderful examples of the spirit that now exists in the region as communities come together for common benefits.  This change to a more regional way of thinking is a critical in these more difficult economic times as funding is scarce and so much more can be accomplished collectively than one community can accomplish on their own.

In addition to a much broader use of the web site, Essex Heritage is also communicating using traditional methods like this monthly column and social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Linked in as well as using other non traditional methods like the Essex Happenings BLOG that I post information to three times a week that can be accessed at www.essexhappenings.blogspot.com.

Read more about the region from Tom Leonard on his blog.

Thomas M. Leonard is President Emeritus of the Essex National Heritage Commission, Inc., the nonprofit management entity of the Essex National Heritage Area, and can be reached by clicking here.