History is all around us. It can be
found in a particular buildings, fields, towns or meadows.
But some stories encompass a
much larger place.
Heritage areas are the living landscapes
behind America's grandest stories.
Heritage areas must be officially
designated by Congress or a state legislature. This designation
occurs when a legislative body determines that a cluster of
nationally significant historical resources exist within a
given area, and that these resources should be preserved and
interpreted for the American people.
There are heritage areas which interpret
the stories of early Native American and European settler
life, 19th Century industrialism, the evolution
of transportation in America, the rise of modern agriculture,
and modern heavy industry. Each area has a story to tell about
our American heritage.
