Designation of a National Heritage Area

Main Benefits of National Heritage Area Designation for the Oil Heritage Region

• Higher profile and reputation as a National Heritage Area, thus having Venango County and eastern Crawford County be even more of a destination for heritage and recreational travelers.
• Public Law 108-447, Division J, Title VI as enacted November 20, 2004 designating the Oil Region National Heritage Area Act allows up to $10,000,000 federal during next 15 years, to be matched with Pennsylvania and other local funds to more rapidly implement the widely varied projects to develop, preserve and promote the region’s cultural, recreational, historic and natural resources.
• Able to receive, upon request, technical assistance from the National Park Service.

Definition of a National Heritage Area

The National Park Service definition for a national heritage area is as follows:

“A ‘National Heritage Area’ is a place designed by Congress where natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally distinct landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography. These patterns make National Heritage Areas representative of the national experience through the physical features that remain and the traditions that have evolved in them. Continued use of National Heritage Areas by people whose traditions helped to shape the landscapes enhances their significance.”

The focus is on the protection and conservation of critical resources; the natural, cultural, scenic, and historic resources that have shaped us as a nation and as communities.

National Park Service Criteria for National Heritage Area

The National Park Service has established ten criteria/elements of suitability/feasibility analysis while designating a heritage area.

1. Area has an assemblage of natural, historic, or cultural resources that together represent distinctive aspects of American heritage worthy of recognition, conservation, interpretation, and continuing use, and are best managed as such an assemblage through partnerships among public and private entities, and by combining diverse and sometimes noncontiguous resources and active communities.
2. Reflects traditions, customs, beliefs, and folklife that are a valuable part of the national story.
3. Provides outstanding opportunities to conserve natural, cultural, historic, and/or scenic features.
4. Provides outstanding recreational and educational opportunities.
5. The resources important to the identified theme or themes of the area retain a degree of integrity capable of supporting interpretation.
6. Residents, business interests, non-profit organizations, and governments within the proposed area
   are involved in the planning, have developed a conceptual financial plan that outlines the roles for all participants including the federal government, and have demonstrated support for designation ofthe area.
7. The proposed management entity and units of government supporting the designation are willing to commit to working in partnership to develop the heritage area.
8. The proposal is consistent with continued economic activity in the area.
9. A conceptual boundary map is supported by the public.
10. The management entity proposed to plan and implement the project is described.

National Park Service Criteria for National Significance

The National Park Service has established four criteria for evaluation of national significance for natural, cultural or recreational resources.

1. A site must be an outstanding example of a particular type of resource.
2. A site must possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our nation’s heritage.
3. A site must offer superlative opportunities for recreation, public use and enjoyment or for scientific study.
4. A site must retain a high degree of integrity as a true, accurate and relatively unspoiled example of a resource.

List of Current National Heritage Areas (49)