Heritage Tourism

The weekend of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, they came from North Dakota, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, which had the largest contingency, and met with an equal number from Maryland to experience the anniversary and much more. These families all had a common ancestor from Washington County and they were here to celebrate their personal history, as well. This common ancestor, Henry Eavey, entered the colonies in 1732 through Philadelphia, migrated into Maryland very soon thereafter and Washington County (actually Prince George's County at the time)

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - In a ceremony Thursday morning in Washington, D.C., which was attended by first lady Laura Bush, Charles Town was recognized as one of 14 communities across the country that has made strides in promoting heritage tourism, a city official said. Charles Town was named a Preserve America Community for its work in a number of areas, including its effort to preserve the Fishermen's Hall building on West Street, its support to save the former Jefferson County Jail in town, its attempt to purchase the historic Happy Retreat home and its efforts to redevelop old industrial areas in and around North Street, according to Charles Town City Council member Matt Ward.

FUNKSTOWN erinc@herald-mail.com Steven Goodrich of Washington County's planning and community development department invited Funkstown on Monday to be added to a growing list of municipalities labeled "certified Civil War heritage areas. " Goodrich presented the draft of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Management Plan at Monday's Town Council meeting. The plan creates heritage areas, approved by state officials. Once heritage areas have been established within the town, Funkstown would be eligible for several benefits.

The public is invited to attend a workshop called "Target Investment Zones" as part of the Maryland Civil War Heritage Area initiative at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Frostburg State University Center at 14 W. Washington St. Attendees will learn about what the Maryland Civil War Heritage Area can do to help local communities become a vital setting for heritage tourism and discuss its unique opportunities and issues. The Maryland Civil War Heritage Area initiative includes the designation of Target Investment Zones, which are commercial areas, often main streets or downtowns, that offer historic settings, contain some services for heritage tourists and could benefit from additional financial incentives or investments.

History center planned for Chambersburg By DON AINES / Staff Writer, Chambersburg CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - Getting some of the 1.7 million people who visit Gettysburg, Pa., each year to spend more of their time and money in Chambersburg is the goal of a heritage tourism plan in its final stages of development for Downtown Chambersburg Inc. The anchor of the plan is the Chambersburg Heritage Center's proposal to spend up to...

A new study by two University of Nevada-Las Vegas professors shows that West Virginia depends on gambling for 8.01 percent of its general revenue. That's a bigger percentage than all except seven other states, but the researchers said that adding casino-style table games could make the state a resort destination for gamblers. That may be true as long as West Virginia has casino-style gambling and others do not. But when the others add these games, as they will in an effort to stay competitive, what then?

BOONSBORO On the road between South Mountain and Antietam National Battlefield, Town Manager John Kendall said he sees a town with a future capitalizing on its past. While Boonsboro is moving forward, Kendall is moving on. Nearly four years after he was hired as town manager, Kendall, 66, informed Town Council and Mayor Charles "Skip" F. Kauffman Jr. on June 5 that he plans to retire. He said Monday he believes the town is poised to build on the projects it began during his tenure.

chambersburg@herald-mail.com CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - After nearly five years of planning and raising funds, about 100 people gathered last week in a gravel lot across from the Franklin County Courthouse for the groundbreaking ceremony for the new $3.5 million Greater Chambersburg Chamber of Commerce Building and Heritage Center. "There are some former chairs of the chamber ... who thought the ribbon-cutting for this project would occur during their tenure," said Doug Harbach, the current chairman of the chamber.

Council votes to join Civil War program CLEAR SPRING - Town officials took the first step Monday night to climb on board the Maryland Civil War Heritage Area bandwagon, a decision that could open tourism possibilities for the town as early as next year. The vote was unanimous to introduce the proposed amendment to Clear Spring's comprehensive development plan. Mayor Paul Hose Jr. said there would be a public hearing on the proposal at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 12, just before the regular town meeting.

The weekend of the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Antietam, they came from North Dakota, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Nebraska, which had the largest contingency, and met with an equal number from Maryland to experience the anniversary and much more. These families all had a common ancestor from Washington County and they were here to celebrate their personal history, as well. This common ancestor, Henry Eavey, entered the colonies in 1732 through Philadelphia, migrated into Maryland very soon thereafter and Washington County (actually Prince George's County at the time)

BLUE RIDGE SUMMIT, Pa. -- It does not take much imagination to sense how a Confederate Civil War soldier felt the night of July 4, 1863, as he marched through Monterey Pass. Under his feet, the rocky road pooled with water as it stretched around the mountain, making way for a 17-mile wagon train. Above his head, the rumble of thunder and the crack of lightning lighted the midnight sky. In his stomach grew a growl of intense hunger while in his feet, the ache of retreat blistered each step from the blood-stained fields of Gettysburg, Pa. To his left, the boom of cannon fire and the retort of muskets released balls of lead into anything that moved.

Council votes to join Civil War program CLEAR SPRING - Town officials took the first step Monday night to climb on board the Maryland Civil War Heritage Area bandwagon, a decision that could open tourism possibilities for the town as early as next year. The vote was unanimous to introduce the proposed amendment to Clear Spring's comprehensive development plan. Mayor Paul Hose Jr. said there would be a public hearing on the proposal at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 12, just before the regular town meeting.

Signs marking the area's Civil War history and sidewalk dining are in the works as part of a three-county tourism plan that got state approval Thursday. According to Tom Riford, president and CEO of Hagerstown-Washington County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Maryland Heritage Authority agreed to help fund four Washington County projects as part of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area it approved Thursday. A joint project of Washington, Carroll and Frederick counties, the plan will exploit the area's history to attract tourists, Riford said.

BOONSBORO On the road between South Mountain and Antietam National Battlefield, Town Manager John Kendall said he sees a town with a future capitalizing on its past. While Boonsboro is moving forward, Kendall is moving on. Nearly four years after he was hired as town manager, Kendall, 66, informed Town Council and Mayor Charles "Skip" F. Kauffman Jr. on June 5 that he plans to retire. He said Monday he believes the town is poised to build on the projects it began during his tenure.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. - In a ceremony Thursday morning in Washington, D.C., which was attended by first lady Laura Bush, Charles Town was recognized as one of 14 communities across the country that has made strides in promoting heritage tourism, a city official said. Charles Town was named a Preserve America Community for its work in a number of areas, including its effort to preserve the Fishermen's Hall building on West Street, its support to save the former Jefferson County Jail in town, its attempt to purchase the historic Happy Retreat home and its efforts to redevelop old industrial areas in and around North Street, according to Charles Town City Council member Matt Ward.

FUNKSTOWN erinc@herald-mail.com Steven Goodrich of Washington County's planning and community development department invited Funkstown on Monday to be added to a growing list of municipalities labeled "certified Civil War heritage areas. " Goodrich presented the draft of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Management Plan at Monday's Town Council meeting. The plan creates heritage areas, approved by state officials. Once heritage areas have been established within the town, Funkstown would be eligible for several benefits.

A new study by two University of Nevada-Las Vegas professors shows that West Virginia depends on gambling for 8.01 percent of its general revenue. That's a bigger percentage than all except seven other states, but the researchers said that adding casino-style table games could make the state a resort destination for gamblers. That may be true as long as West Virginia has casino-style gambling and others do not. But when the others add these games, as they will in an effort to stay competitive, what then?

We need more than office space To the editor: The Jefferson County Commission's plans for building increased government space in our growing county required hard work and skill, but they are, after all, only plans for office space and parking cars. Citizens and communities do not live by government space alone. Also, no historic architects or groups were involved - or anyone else, for that matter. What a shame. Great possibilities exist to combine heritage with practical needs to create a splendid downtown multi-use area and strengthen community ties at the same time.