Blount County Recognized as Preserve America Community

Wednesday August 01, 2007
one of seven Preserve America Communities in Tennessee

MARYVILLE, Tenn.-In August 2007, Senator Lamar Alexander and John L. Nau III, co-chair of the Preserve America Steering Committee and chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, which administers Preserve America programs for the White House in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, officially recognized Blount County as a Preserve America Community. Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham and Herb Handly, executive vice president of tourism for the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, accepted a certificate of designation signed by First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of the Preserve America initiative.

First Lady Laura Bush, in a letter to Blount County Mayor Jerry Cunningham, said, "Congratulations to Blount County on your designation as a Preserve America community! The preservation and enjoyment of your historical and cultural resources celebrate an important part of our nation's heritage. You honor our nation's past and inspire and educate for the future. President Bush and I applaud your achievement. As your community shares its story with residents and visitors, you set a great example for others."

Blount County, through the Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitors Bureau, applied for the designation in June of 2007. Mrs. Bush designated Blount County as one of the nation's newest Preserve America Communities, in August 2007. When appointed, Blount County was one of seven Preserve America Communities in Tennessee, and it was the only county in the state to receive the designation.

"As a native of Blount County, this news doesn't surprise me one bit," said Alexander. "Preservation is an important part of teaching and protecting our American history. This designation by the Preserve America initiative is a testament to the efforts to protect Tennessee's history - and that's good work worth praising in Blount County."

The Preserve America initiative is an Administration effort to encourage and support community efforts to preserve and enjoy America's priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the nation's past; strengthened regional identities and local pride; increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets; and support for the economic vitality of our communities.

"Sustainable historic preservation is a wise investment in the future, not a cost for maintaining the past. Communities and the nation receive significant economic, educational, and cultural benefits, including heritage tourism, in return for their preservation efforts," said Nau.

Blount County's application highlighted the Townsend Heritage Festivals as its preservation event-the festivals are designed to showcase Appalachian history, heritage and culture. Additionally, the application discussed the list of historic properties in Blount County, such as those at Maryville College; the area's museums, like the Little River Railroad Museum and the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center; the leadership/educational groups, such as Experience Your Smokies and Leadership Blount; and interpretive tours, such as the Shadows of the Past Bike Trail and the Blount County Historic Guide.

Handly said that when they put together all of the events, community attractions and historic sites in Blount County, it was clear that the community was an ideal fit for the Preserve America program.

"We are embracing our heritage and celebrating that which makes us unique. This designation recognized that, and it fits with our mission of establishing sustainable tourism focused on our heritage and culture, which is why the visitors bureau sought this designation," said Handly. "I'd like to thank everyone who supported this effort because this truly was a community recognition, and it will take the community's continued involvement and support to preserve our past in order to secure Blount County's future."

Communities designated through the program receive national recognition for their efforts.

"To be designated as a Preserve America county is a wonderful way for us to share with others our proud heritage and history. I thank Herb Handly for his efforts in obtaining this designation," said Cunningham.

Benefits include the right to use the Preserve America logo on signs and promotional materials; eligibility for Preserve America Grants; notification to state tourism offices; and listing in a Web-based directory that showcases Blount County's preservation efforts and heritage tourism destinations. Preserve America Communities are also featured in National Register Travel Itineraries and in "Teaching With Historic Places" curricular materials created by the National Park Service.

"Maryville College was founded in 1819, certainly one of the older claims on Blount County's history," said Dr. Gerald Gibson, president of Maryville College. "And thirteen of our structures are listed on the national register of historic places. From Anderson Hall, built in 1870, still in use and ready to undergo restoration, to the civic arts center that is about to take form in a manner consistent with the historical architectural character of the College, Maryville College is proud to be one of Blount County's appreciating assets. We are pleased and honored that our County's historical and cultural uniqueness are being recognized on this national scale."

The White House is working with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, and Transportation, the General Services Administration, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the President's Council on Environmental Quality, and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities to implement Preserve America. For more information about the initiative and its programs, visit www.preserveamerica.gov.
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