Middlesboro Receives Seed Grant to Help Build a Thriving Economy for Cumberland Gap Area

Group created action plan at Appalachian Gateway Communities Regional Workshop focused on enhancing and capitalizing on the area’s natural and cultural assets

One of the many events that attract visitors to Fountain Square each year. Credit: DDM.

Middlesboro, KY. (June 11, 2014) – Discover Downtown Middlesboro has been awarded a $7,500 grant from the Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative to help the Passage Through the Gap Partnership to implement a plan to establish a tourism ambassador training program.

As an important entry point to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, communities in the Cumberland Gap area between Barbourville in Kentucky and Martin’s Station in Virginia sent a diverse team of local leaders, land managers as well as tourism and community arts representatives to participate in a three-day program earlier this year. The Appalachian Gateway Communities Regional Workshops focused on helping communities to spark economic development while maintaining and enhancing their quality of life.   The participating communities extended from Alabama to New York and engaged in action-planning exercises designed to identify the unique Appalachian characteristics that make their communities appealing places to live, work and recreate. Working with national and regional experts on sustainable tourism, economic development, the arts, natural and cultural resources, transportation and branding, the Passage Through the Gap Partnership team crafted a new vision that aims to enhance tourism, economic development, and job creation efforts in our area.

Team leader Isaac Kremer, Executive Director with Discover Downtown Middlesboro explained: “Through our strategic planning over the past year we identified enhancing tourism and regional collaboration as major goals. The Appalachian Gateways workshop served to simply accelerate plans we already had. We’re thrilled to bring the Certified Tourism Ambassador^TM program to our area ─ an approach that has successfully aligned businesses to enhance the visitor experience in 17 states, with over 11,000 front-line CTAs.”

The workshops and accompanying seed grants were presented by the Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative, a partnership by the Appalachian Regional Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Conservation Fund, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation that aims to help Appalachian gateway communities build thriving economies while protecting and conserving their precious natural and cultural heritage qualities and strengthening the overall quality of life. Fourteen teams participated in the workshops and nine teams were awarded seed grants totaling $60,000 to carry out their on-the-ground plans.  

“The Passage Through the Gap Partnership was an ideal candidate for an Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative seed grant because it demonstrated a clear need with a proposed project that is well-crafted, achievable, and designed to address the need,” said Kris Hoellen, Vice President of Sustainable Programs at The Conservation Fund.  “The project’s potential for both expanding and diversifying access to the artistic, cultural and natural heritage of the area will help to strengthen the community and spark sustainable economic development.”

The Appalachian Gateway Communities Initiative was developed by the Appalachian Regional Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts in 2007.  The Gateway Initiative has helped gateway communities across Appalachia expand tourism and other economic development opportunities through community assessments, tourism planning workshops and grants for project implementation.  The Conservation Fund and the National Trust for Historic Preservation have partnered to strengthen the leadership capacity of towns, cities and communities that neighbor publicly protected natural and recreational lands in distressed, transitional or at-risk counties.  

The regional workshops were held this winter at the Heartwood Center in Abingdon, Virginia, and at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

About the Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) is a regional economic development agency that represents a partnership of federal, state, and local government.  Established by an act of Congress in 1965, ARC provides funding for several hundred projects each year in the Appalachian region, in areas such as business development, education and job training, telecommunications, infrastructure, community development, housing, and transportation. These projects create thousands of new jobs; improve local water and sewer systems; increase school readiness; expand access to health care; assist local communities with strategic planning; and provide technical and managerial assistance to emerging businesses. www.arc.gov

About the National Endowment for the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is the largest annual funder of the arts in the United States.  An independent federal agency and the official arts organization of the United States government, the NEA’s mission is to support excellence in the arts; bring the arts to all Americans, and provide leadership in arts education.  The NEA awards more than $100 million annually, investing in every state.  www.arts.gov

About The Conservation Fund

At The Conservation Fund, we combine a passion for conservation with an entrepreneurial spirit to protect your favorite places before they become just a memory. A hallmark of our work is our deep, unwavering understanding that for conservation solutions to last, they need to make economic sense. Top-ranked, we have protected more than 7 million acres across America. www.conservationfund.org  

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded nonprofit organization, works to save America’s historic places. For more information, visit www.PreservationNation.org.

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Contact:

Isaac Kremer, 606-248-6155, Discover Downtown Middlesboro, downtownmiddlesboro (at) gmail.com

Katie Allen, 304-876-7925, The Conservation Fund, kallen@conservationfund.org

Molly Theobald, Appalachian Regional Commission, mtheobald@arc.gov

Tony Tighe, National Endowment for the Arts, tighet@arts.gov

Tourism to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Creates $50.3 Million in Economic Benefits, Report Shows Visitor Spending Supports 702 Jobs in Local Economy

Elaine Wilson with Kentucky Trail Town initiative meeting with leaders at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Credit: DDM.

A new National Park Service (NPS) report shows that 853,988 visitors to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park in 2012 spent $50,370,000 million in communities near the park.  That spending supported 702 jobs in the local area.

“Cumberland Gap is proud to welcome visitors from across the country and around the world,” said Acting Superintendent Diane Griffin.  “We are delighted to share the story of this place and the experiences it provides and to use the park as a way to introduce our visitors to this part of the country and all that it offers. National park tourism is a significant driver in the national economy – returning $10 for every $1 invested in the National Park Service - and it’s a big factor in our local economy as well.  We appreciate the partnership and support of our neighbors and are glad to be able to give back by helping to sustain local communities.”

Griffin further explains that this spending certainly complements the goal of Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Kentucky to achieve Trails Town designation.  “This past Saturday, March 1st, Landscape Architect students from the University of Kentucky, working in conjunction with Discover Downtown Middlesboro Executive Director Isaac Kremer, unveiled a comprehensive trails plan for the town, with connectivity to the park, based upon tremendous creativity and foresight incorporating the arts, resource protection, visitor use and sustainability and certainly is geared to all user groups.”

Griffin also outlined an additional regional trails initiative involving not only Middlesboro, but also Pineville and Harlan, KY; Cumberland Gap and Harrogate, TN; Lincoln Memorial University (TN); Lee County, Virginia; Pine Mountain State Resort Park (KY) and the Pine Mountain Trail (KY); Wilderness Road State Park (VA); the Cumberland Trail (TN); and the Great Eastern Trail, the long distance trail which will
connect Alabama to New York.  “Working cohesively with all these groups, imagine the multiplier effect of this $50.3 million as folks extend their visits and participate in other activities offered in the area.”

The peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by U.S. Geological Survey economists Catherine Cullinane Thomas and Christopher Huber and Lynne Koontz for the National Park Service.  The report shows $14.7 billion of direct spending by 283 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park.  This spending supported 243,000 jobs nationally, with 201,000 jobs found in these gateway communities, and had a cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy of $26.75 billion.

According to the report most visitor spending supports jobs in restaurants, grocery and convenience stores (39 percent), hotels, motels and B&Bs (27 percent), and other amusement and recreation (20 percent).

To download the report visit http://www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/economics.cfm
The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.  To learn more about national parks in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia and how the National Park Service works with communities to preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide local recreation opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/kentucky,
www.nps.gov/tennessee or www.nps.gov/virginia.

McConnell Helps Middlesboro Secure National Park Service Assistance

For Immediate Release, Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Contacts: Robert Steurer, Stephanie Penn 202-224-8288

McConnell Helps Middlesboro Secure National Park Service Assistance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced today the National Park Service agreed to provide technical assistance for Middlesboro, Kentucky, which will be used to help improve infrastructure to the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. 

Earlier this year, Senator McConnell was contacted by Middlesboro officials asking him to assist with their grant application with the National Parks Service. In July, Senator McConnell contacted the Southeast Program Manager of the National Park Service on behalf of his constituents to encourage a “fair review” of their grant proposal.

On October 23, the National Park Service informed Isaac Kremer, Executive Director of Discover Downtown Middlesboro, that their application was approved and they would receive assistance for Fiscal Year 2014 for this community-based initiative.

“This is great news for the people of Middlesboro,” Senator McConnell said. “The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is one of Kentucky’s top tourist attractions, and this effort will help attract visitors and highlight the historical, cultural and natural resources of the area.”

Isaac Kremer, Executive Director of Discover Downtown Middlesboro, said, "Senator McConnell has championed job creation, downtown revitalization, and economic development throughout Kentucky and our area of Appalachian Kentucky in particular. We are strengthened and encouraged through his support of our community revitalization goals that include development of a Cumberland Gap to Middlesboro trail."

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Labor Day Concert to Commemorate Labors of our Nation During the Civil War

"Privates by Choice" to perform at Cumberland Gap NHP

Middlesboro, Kentucky - The origin of Labor Day may rarely be thought of as much more than a welcome respite for the working masses.  Likewise, our personal celebrations on Labor Day probably do not reflect the effect work has had upon our whole history as a nation. 

On Saturday, August 31^st, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park will host the band “Privates by Choice” as they perform original musical scores that will highlight the labors of our nation during the Civil War.  To commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the war, the group will perform a unique selection of newly composed acoustic/folk songs during this free concert at the Wilderness Road Campground Amphitheater. 

Instruments featured will be guitar, mandolin, violin, hammered dulcimer, cello, mountain dulcimer, bass and some light percussion in various combinations.  Within the crying of the violin and the steady drumbeat of the dulcimer, one will be able to hear the groans of soldiers as they scuffled up these mountains.  Ranger Pam Eddy shares “The song entitled ‘Biscuits of Manassas’ literally sends a shiver down my spine every time I listen to it! I was excited to hear the tune recently played on the radio and am thrilled to invite everyone from the region to see this fabulous group in person over Labor Day weekend!”  The ensemble's writers and musicians all have Kentucky roots, except for one Missouri boy.  The band members are well-seasoned musicians with credits and recordings gracing many public radio station programs. 

The concert will offer an interesting opportunity for reflection on the connections between Labor Day and the Civil War.  In the 19^th century, our nation was experiencing an age of tremendous growth.   However, a great fundamental economic difference was emerging between the country’s northern and southern regions.  In the north, labor focused essentially around manufacturing and industry and small scale farms.  For the south, the bulk of the economy rested upon a system of large-scale farming dependent on slave labor to grow major crops such as cotton and tobacco. 

Among other things, these fundamental differences in the types of labor performed in separate regions of America would eventually lead to Civil War.  Likewise, the preservation of the nation would rest upon the efforts of American men, women and children during the war.  Our nation owes our very existence to work - as Americans have toiled in sweat and persevered in earnest to sustain America’s liberty and unification throughout the years. 

The Wilderness Road Campground is located in Virginia, two miles east of the Hwy 25E and Hwy 58 intersection.  Visitors should proceed to the amphitheater, located at the end of loop C where parking is available.  In case of rain, the program will be held at the national park visitor center, located on Hwy 25E, just south of Middlesboro, KY.  This program is being co-hosted by the Friends of Cumberland Gap and park partner Eastern National.  For more information about Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, please call (606) 248-2817 or visit www.nps.gov/cuga..  For more info on the Friends of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and how to become involved, please visit www.friendsofcumberlandgap.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofcumberlandgap..  Learn how Eastern National supports the interpretive and educational mission of the National Park Service by visiting www.easternnational.org

Evening Walk through the Cumberland Gap to Unveil the Hidden Stories of America’s Great Legacy

Staff at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park eagerly heralds the third annual “Within the Shadows of Cumberland Gap Heritage Walk” being held Saturday, August 3^rd, 2013.  Each year, some of the lesser-known people in the Gap’s history - from geologists to politicians, from scalp buyers to ancestors of presidents - are showcased.  This year, visitors will encounter seven short plays along the Wilderness Road that may surprise even those who think they know all about the Cumberland Gap! 

“We tend to think of people such as Daniel Boone and Civil War generals at the Cumberland Gap, but there were thousands of other people who traveled through this historic passageway” explained park historian Martha Wiley.  “This is our chance to share with park visitors and neighbors some of these ‘hidden history’ stories.  It’s a lot of fun for park staff and volunteers to be able to portray some of these riveting characters from our past!” 

Rangers will be leading three hikes along the Wilderness Road with the first one beginning at 6:00 p.m., the next at 6:30, and the final at 7:00 p.m.  Each hike will take approximately 90 minutes traversing 1.5 miles on a dirt trail with hilly sections; good walking shoes are required.  This popular event is free, but each tour is limited to 30 people, so reservations are recommended by calling the park visitor center at (606) 246-1075.   

Visitors should be at the Daniel Boone Visitor Information Center above the town of Cumberland Gap, Tennessee 30 minutes prior to the scheduled tour time, as shuttles will take visitors to the starting point at the Thomas Walker parking area.  In case of heavy rain the event will be cancelled. 

This program is being co-hosted by the Friends of Cumberland Gap and park partner Eastern National.  For more information about Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, please call (606) 248-2817 or visit www.nps.gov/cuga.  For more information on the Friends of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and how to become involved, please visit www.friendsofcumberlandgap.org or find them on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/friendsofcumberlandgap.  Learn how Eastern National supports the interpretive and educational mission of the National Park Service by visiting www.easternnational.org.  

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park Kicks Off a Summer Full of History, Nature and Music with the Melodies of “Wild Blue Yonder!”

Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is especially known for its exciting schedule of free programs that highlight the area’s amazing wildlife, history and Appalachian music! On Saturday evenings during the summer, special weekly campfire programs are held at the park’s outdoor amphitheater located at the Wilderness Road Campground. This year’s summer campfire program schedule will kick off on May 25th with the folk/Americana band “Wild Blue Yonder!”

This musical group, a regional favorite since 2001, has broken into the realm of “newgrass.” Two top-selling CD releases have helped “Wild Blue Yonder” receive airplay on more than 60 stations in the U.S. and abroad. Their performances have spanned the southern states including North Carolina, Kentucky, Georgia, Mississippi, Virginia, and eastern Tennessee.

Sisters Cindy Wallace and Laura Knight, who both contribute fiddle and a variety of percussion to the band, began performing while still in their teens with their family in North Carolina. As the Wallace sisters, they have graced well known music venues including Dollywood and the Music Mansion in Sevierville, Tennessee. “Love So True,” their self-penned tale of lasting love, was among selections featured on a special 2010 CD celebrating Mast General Store’s 125th anniversary.

The Wilderness Road Campground is located in Virginia, two miles east of the Hwy 25E and Hwy 58 intersection. Visitors should proceed to the amphitheater, located at the end of loop C where parking is available. In case of rain, the program will be held at the national park visitor center, located on Hwy 25E, just south of Middlesboro, KY. This program is being co-hosted by the Friends of Cumberland Gap.

For more information about Cumberland Gap National Historical Park please call (606) 248-2817 or visit www.nps.gov/cuga. For more information on the Friends of Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and how to become more involved please visit www.friendsofcumberlandgap.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/friendsofcumberlandgap.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 395 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.

Local Communities Benefit from $44,029,000 Generated by Cumberland Gap National Historical Park’s Tourism

Local Communities Benefit from $44,029,000 Generated by Cumberland Gap National Historical Park’s Tourism
Part of $30 Billion Impact Which Supports 252,000 Jobs Nationwide

A new National Park Service (NPS) report for 2011 shows that the 828,947 visitors to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park spent $44,029,000.00 in communities surrounding the park. This spending supported 602 jobs in the local area.

Visitors from Barbados learn about Cumberland
Gap during a ranger program.
Courtesy: Cumberland Gap NHP

“With its mosaic of splendid scenery and vistas, rich history, varied recreational opportunities and almost 85 miles of trails, Cumberland Gap is a wonderful place to learn about America’s story,” articulated Park Superintendent Mark Woods. “We attract visitors from across the U.S. and around the world who come here to experience the park and then spend time and money enjoying the quality and diverse services provided by our neighboring communities in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia and getting to know this amazing part of the country so proudly known as Appalachia. The National Park Service is proud to have been entrusted with the care of America’s most treasured places and delighted that the visitors we welcome generate significant contributions to the local, state, and national economy.”

The information on Cumberland Gap is part of a peer-reviewed spending analysis of national park visitors across the country conducted by Michigan State University for the National Park Service. For 2011, that report shows $13 billion of direct spending by 279 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. That visitor spending had a $30 billion impact on the entire U.S. economy and supported 252,000 jobs nationwide.

Most visitor spending supports jobs in lodging, food, and beverage service (63 percent) followed by recreation and entertainment (17 percent), other retail (11 percent), transportation and fuel (7 percent) and wholesale and manufacturing (2 percent).

To download the report visit www.nature.nps.gov/socialscience/products.cfm#MGM and click on Economic Benefits to Local Communities from National Park Visitation, 2011. The report includes information for visitor spending at individual parks and by state.

To learn more about national parks in Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia and how the National Park Service works with communities to preserve local history, conserve the environment, and provide local recreation opportunities, go to www.nps.gov/kentucky,
www.nps.gov/tennessee or www.nps.gov/virginia.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 395 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.