National Maritime Heritage Area

Welcome! A National Heritage Area is a federal designation that recognizes the culturally and historically significant resources in a region and that region’s role in the nation’s history. Today, there are over 49 National Heritage Areas across the country, mostly in the eastern United States. The designation supports local citizens in preserving, sharing, and promoting the region’s heritage, and does not increase federal regulation. Examples of National Heritage Areas

The map at right shows the potential quarter-mile boundary of Washington State’s proposed National Maritime Heritage Area. Click here to see the more detailed proposal for the boundaries of the National Maritime Heritage Area. To see a more detailed map, click the map image. Award-winning columnist Knute Berger described the Maritime Heritage Area in a Crosscut article June 24, 2009.

Share Your Thoughts!
A National Heritage Area is not possible without the participation of maritime communities and the public. We need your help and input for the final determination of boundaries, resources, themes, and management of the designated area.

Share your thoughts and comments on the proposed National Maritime Heritage Area via this survey. You can also nominate a Maritime Heritage Resource.

The National Maritime Heritage Area needs your support!
Help spread the word! The Information and Outreach Toolkit provides an overview of the opportunities and issues for the Heritage Area proposal. You’ll also find sample letters of support to share your enthusiasm for the Heritage Area.

The following organizations have written letters of support:

Association of King County Historical Organizations | Blaine Neighborhood Association | Central Whidbey Chamber of Commerce | City of Port Townsend | Clallam County Parks & Recreation | Drayton Harbor Maritime | Grays Harbor 2020 | Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority | Historic Everett | Island County | Island County | Island County Economic Development Council | Island County Historical Society | Kalakala Alliance Foundation | New Dungeness Lighthouse Association | Northwest Maritime Center | Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building | Pacific Northwest Maritime Heritage Council | Port of Everett | Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society | San Juan County | Sound Experience | Whidbey Island Chamber of Commerce

Potential Benefits of National Heritage Designation
• Growing heritage tourism through raising national awareness of the region, coordinating tourism promotion, and creating travel itineraries and packages
• Promoting economic development by increasing visitor expenditures, creating jobs and support for local businesses and services, and diversifying the local economy
• Healthier marine ecosystems through organizational partnerships and linking ecosystem health, maritime history, and economic development
• Enhancing pride of place due to increased awareness of maritime resources and working waterfronts
• Building and strengthening partnerships among heritage organizations, local jurisdictions, marine businesses, and recreational users of maritime resources
• Access to potential federal funding and increased competitiveness for grant programs
• Bringing National Park Service support for projects and operations
• Increasing heritage tourism for coastal and Puget Sound communities
• Providing new funding for community-based museums and heritage groups
• Supporting working waterfronts and our region’s maritime industry
• Raising awareness of marine resources and the health of resource-based industries

Designation as a National Heritage Area will not:
• Increase federal regulation in the region
• Affect local control over land-use
• Create a management entity with the authority to acquire land

Links for additional Information:
• Feasibility Study Overview
• Regional Meeting Materials
• Critical Steps for Becoming an National Heritage Area
• GAO testimony regarding NHAs? effect on individual property rights
• Economic Impact of Heritage Tourism

CONTACT US
Please contact Curt Warber or Fauna Doyle with questions or comments.

More information about the overall designation process and ongoing outreach efforts can be found here.