Essex National Heritage Area
Tom Leonard, President, ENHC

Tom Leonard,
President Emeritus, ENHC

Tom Leonard writes a monthly column for the community newspapers in the Essex National Heritage Area. This is a reprint of this month's column.
tleonard
at essexheritage.org.

Columns
Essex Heritage Continues to Work for the Benefit of the Region

For New Englander’s, the month of March can be one of the most difficult of the year. There is the hope that spring is just around the corner, but we are more often hit by late winter storms, and winds that can chill one to the bone. I expect that we are all keeping an eye towards Washington, and are hopeful that the actions of the ambitious Obama administration will soon begin to have a positive effect on the difficult economic climate we are experiencing. The second half of 2008 and the first months of 2009 have certainly tested our resolve, and we are all hopeful of seeing improving economic conditions as this year moves forward. I suspect that we must have some faith that this is a country that has been remarkably resilient for several centuries, and that once again we will find the “will and the way” to restore economic stability and confidence in our financial systems. Only then will we be able to move forward and experience collective success as a nation.

Essex Heritage Continues to Offer Programs to the Region

The difficult times that we are all experiencing has had its impact on Essex Heritage and some activities have had to be scaled back or curtailed, but work goes on and progress is being made on numerous fronts. Planning is currently underway for a number of spring and summer projects that will positively impact the region. Work is progressing on an updated maritime brochure that will likely become the focus of a modified Trails and Sails event in September. Essex Heritage is continuing its participation in the regional planning work for the Border to Boston Trail and the Scenic Byway project that will focus on this region’s historic coast line. This summer ENHC will once again help organize and promote sails for the National Park Service’s Friendship to once again sail to Newburyport and possibly to Boston for the Sail Boston 2009 event scheduled for this July. The Commission has prepared a presentation and is now offering speakers for local organizations like Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs who wish to receive personal updates on the 2009 Essex Heritage activities. The Explorers program continues to be one of the best ways to experience this region, and memberships are still available to join that fast growing group of area residents. The creative Photo Safaris offered in conjunction with Hunts Photo and Video will once again be offered later in the year in some of the most photogenic sites anywhere in the world. Of course anything that you need to know about the work of Essex Heritage can be found at www.EssexHeritage.org.

Survey Work for Area Heritage Based Organizations is Complete

Last month, we reported that Essex Heritage, in conjunction with Essex County Community Foundation had commissioned a study to examine the long-term sustainability of local Heritage based not-for-profits. The results of Phase One of this project are complete and the findings and recommendations are certainly thought provoking. Many of the participating organizations will find recommendations that can be considered for implementation. This first phase of work was completed by meeting with the leadership of eight community-based and two regional organizations. We are particularly indebted to the Historical Societies from, Andover, North Andover, Ipswich, Topsfield, Danvers, Beverly, Lynn and Marblehead and the House of The Seven Gables in Salem and the Wenham Museum for their cooperation, participation and the candidness of their responses. The study showed that the local organizations are not much different from similar organizations across the country. The results indicated that our local organizations face the same challenges, like attracting elusive visitors and school audiences, collections care, historic property management, and the development of new business models that are perceived as relevant to the contemporary needs of the communities served.

The recommendations offered were wide and varied and must be shared with and discussed with the participants before they are made public, but there was hope that there are commonalities that can be capitalized on together.It is quite clear to Essex Heritage that this group of community organizations is viewed collectively as significant contributors to the quality of life in this region and to the regional economy. The health and vitality of this segment of the region is of great importance to Essex Heritage and to its diverse group of civic and business partners.

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.