In 1999 The White House Millennium Council was created to organize a number of national Millennium projects.

The quotes in the following two paragraphs were taken from the White House Millennium Council and Millennium Trails. More information about the Millennium Trails Project can be found at the Website:
Millennium Trails - http://www.millenniumtrails.org/

The Millennium projects are designed to be a grassroots effort that will "draw upon the creativity, ideas and leadership present in communities" to "encourage citizen involvement and unleash the full creative potential of the American people".

Millennium Trails is one of the national Millennium projects. "Millennium Trails will recognize, promote and support trails as a means to preserve open spaces, interpret history and culture and enhance recreation and tourism".

There are three levels of Millennium Trails.

16 National Millennium Trails
52 Millennium Legacy Trails (State Level)
2000 Community Millennium Trails

One trail in each state was selected to receive the 'Millennium Legacy Trail Designation'. Pennsylvania's Legacy Trail is a route that extends from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg.

The following description of characteristics for Legacy trails is taken from the Web page that was set up for on-line application. (Highlighted text is to emphasize key points for the message of this document.)

Millennium Legacy Trails will be selected from a pool of nominations submitted to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy by officials in each of the fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

The fifty-two Millennium Trails designated in the Legacy category will be representative of the diversity of trails; rail-trails and greenways, historic trails, cultural itineraries, recreational paths, waterways, alternative transportation corridors and other trail types will be included. Millennium Legacy Trails will include trails that serve a wide range of trail users and communities, and trails in various levels of completion. Trails in the early phases of planning can be considered if their applications clearly demonstrate an ability to complete the project.

Each trail project will be reviewed for the following characteristics:

• how it captures the essence and spirit of the state
• how it furthers the mission of the White House Millennium Council to
• "honor the past and imagine the future" of America;
• how it reflects the heritage and culture of the area it traverses;
• how it provides tangible future benefits to the people of the state;
• how it brings together individuals, groups and organizations, both public
• and private, in collaborative support of the trail.