National Trust for Historic Preservation Awards Discover Downtown Middlesboro A Preservation Grant

For Immediate Release
Isaac D. Kremer Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc. Phone (606.248.6155),downtownmiddlesboro@gmail.com	National Trust for Historic Preservation 202.588.6141, pr@savingplaces.org

National Trust for Historic Preservation Awards Discover Downtown Middlesboro A Preservation Grant from National Trust Preservation Funds

Grant Will Go Toward the People’s Plan for Economic Development, Job Creation and Revitalization

Middlesboro, Kentucky (June 4, 2013)—Today, Discover Downtown Middlesboro was awarded a $5,000 grant by the National Trust for Historic Preservation from the Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer Preservation Fund for Kentucky of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  The seed grant funds will be used to develop a strategic plan for the National Register-listed historic downtown area.

Discover Downtown Middlesboro has already hosted a Community Forum and Stakeholder’s Workshop with the help of this grant. The results are now being analyzed and further public input is being sought. Faculty and students with the Lincoln Memorial University School of Business will assist with preparing a professional report that will be completed by mid-September 2013. This will then guide downtown revitalization efforts over the next three to five years.

"Without organizations like Discover Downtown Middlesboro, communities and towns all across America would  have a diminished sense of place," said Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.  "The National Trust for Historic Preservation is honored to provide a grant to DDM, which will use the funds to help preserve an important piece of our shared heritage."

The National Trust for Historic Preservation dispenses small grants for local projects through the National Trust Preservation Funds grant program.  The grants range from $500 to $5,000 and have provided over $5.5 million dollars of funding since 2002.  They are awarded to nonprofit groups, educational institutions and public agencies, and must be matched, at least dollar for dollar, with public or private funds.  Preservation Funds grants are being used nationally for such wide-ranging activities as consultant services for rehabilitating buildings, technical assistance for tourism that promotes historic resources and educating children about their heritage.  These grants are often the deciding factor on whether historic buildings or sites can be saved for future generations.

For more information on National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Fund grants, visit: www.PreservationNation.org/resources/find-funding/grants/.

About Discover Downtown Middlesboro

Discover Downtown Middlesboro is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that  was founded in 2006. Since that time the organization has worked to spearhead revitalization of the downtown area. This is accomplished through coordinating grassroots action by volunteers on four committees – Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring. Some recent DDM projects include organizing the Christmas Parade and decoration of the downtown, addition of four fountains and seating at Cumberland Avenue and 20th Street, and encouraging the restoration of several buildings downtown.

About the National Trust for Historic Preservation

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is a privately-funded nonprofit organization that works to save America’s historic places to enrich our future. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is committed to protecting America’s rich cultural legacy and helping build vibrant, sustainable communities that reflect our nation’s diversity.

DDM President Keith Nagle Wins Prestigious Preservation Award

Keith Nagle accepting the Ida Lee Willis Award.

  

Ida Lee Willis Memorial Preservation Awards are presented each May, which is National Historic Preservation Month. The awards recognize those who have demonstrated an understanding of and appreciation for the value of preserving and reusing Kentucky’s historic resources, whether through the rehabilitation of an important structure or community resource, or lifetime commitment to encouraging and promoting historic preservation. The awards are named for the late Ida Lee Willis, a former Kentucky first lady who was appointed first executive director of the Kentucky Heritage Commission (now the Kentucky Heritage Council) in 1966.

IDA LEE WILLIS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION PRESERVATION AWARD WINNERS

The Ida Lee Willis Memorial Award is presented to the individual who has demonstrated outstanding dedication to the cause of historic preservation in the Commonwealth. The 2013 recipient is Stephen L. Collins, of Shelbyville, vice chairman of the Kentucky Heritage Council, chairman of the Kentucky Historic Properties Advisory Commission, and longtime chairman of the Ida Lee Willis Memorial Foundation. His fellow board members chose to honor him this year for his lifetime of service to preservation.

Preservation Project Awards recognize outstanding examples of restoration or rehabilitation of historic buildings, or other types of projects that have had a positive impact on Kentucky’s built environment. 2013 recipients are:

·         The Cox Building, Maysville

·         Rockcastle River Historic Truss Bridge, advocate Jim Hayes and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

·         Sadieville Rosenwald School

Service to Preservation Awards honor those who have furthered historic preservation activities or have had a positive impact in their communities, including individuals, organizations, public officials, financial institutions, news media, and/or volunteers. 2013 recipients are:

·         Nancy Adams, Pine Mountain Settlement School

·         Keith Nagle, Discover Downtown Middlesboro

·         Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation deTours Committee, led by board member sponsor Pamela Perlman

New this year, the awards selection committee voted to give special awards to two groups for their personal commitment to taking up a local preservation cause, and going above and beyond to engage others in their efforts. Recipients of Grassroots Preservation Awards are:

·         Obie Fardo, Frank Hussung, Billie Newman and Charlie Pyles, for rehabilitation of Bethel Church and Cemetery in Pendleton County

·         Friends of Sherman Tavern, Dry Ridge

Additional information about recipients and projects will be posted following the ceremony. For questions, contact Diane Comer, 502-564-7005, ext. 120 or email diane.comer@ky.gov.

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An agency of the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, the Kentucky Heritage Council/State Historic Preservation Office is responsible for the identification, protection and preservation of archaeological resources and historic buildings, sites and cultural resources throughout the Commonwealth, in partnership with other state and federal agencies, local communities and interested citizens. This mission is integral to making communities more livable and has a far-ranging impact on issues as diverse as economic development, jobs creation, affordable housing, tourism, community revitalization, environmental conservation and quality of life.  www.heritage.ky.gov

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.

Armed Forces Day, May 18 at 2pm in Downtown Middlesboro, KY

Flier for the event.

Middlesboro will have our annual Armed Forces Day Celebration this Saturday, May, 18 at  2:00 pm at the City Hall Parking lot. In case of rain the location will be the Middlesboro Community Center at 705 N Petersborough.  The theme this year is "Celebrate Freedom."

The 149th Mountain Warriors Delta Company will have equipment on display for inspection.  Also for the first time we will have reenactors dressed in Civil War garb. Middlesboro High School and Bell County High School Bands will perform.

This is the fourth year for this event and it is getting bigger each year. Bring your lawn chairs sit back and enjoy.  Turn it into a picnic.  This year there will be a pig roast.  So all you need to bring is what would go well with a "roasted pig."

The Armed Forces Day Celebration is generously sponsored by Bowling Law Office, DR Alexander Garage Corp., Hinkle Contracting Company, and Home Federal Bank.

National Leader in Sustainable Communities and Preservation Named First President of National Main Street Center, Inc.

Patrice Frey, a national leader in community development at the intersection of preservation and sustainability, has been named the first president and CEO of the National Main Street Center, Inc. Stephanie Meeks, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and National Main Street Center, Inc., board chair Barbara Sidway made the announcement today. Frey, who currently heads the National Trust’s Sustainable Communities priority, will lead the newly formed subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The National Main Street Center, Inc., is an extension of the 33-year old Main Street program of the National Trust, which uses historic preservation as a tool for economic development in downtown and neighborhood commercial districts. More than 2,000 communities have participated in the Main Street program since its inception, leading to more than 235,000 building rehabilitation projects and the creation of nearly 475,000 jobs in those cities and towns. As the National Trust’s director of sustainability, Frey has conceived and grown the National Trust’s work around Sustainable Communities, which includes the Seattle-based Preservation Green Lab as well as offices in Chicago and Phoenix. “Her entrepreneurial skills in building an effective program with national impact led the National Main Street Center board of trustees after a long national search to unanimously and enthusiastically choose Patrice to lead Main Street in a similar way to the next level,” said Barbara Sidway, chair of the National Main Street Center. “As a private business owner, I am impressed by Patrice’s ability to build an organization.” “With her outstanding track record in preservation, sustainability, community revitalization, research, and nonprofit leadership, Patrice brings the skills we need to launch this new subsidiary and expand the Main Street program,” added National Trust president Stephanie Meeks. “Through the development of cutting-edge research, innovative policy solutions and technical tools that make it easier for people to reuse and green older buildings in our Sustainable Communities priority, Patrice has demonstrated that she has the vision and leadership skills to take Main Street to new heights.” Frey, a graduate of Scripps College and the University of Pennsylvania, where she received a Masters degree in historic preservation with a concentration in Real Estate Design and Development at the Wharton Business School — has been active in the field of preservation, community development, and sustainability for almost 15 years. In her most recent position, she provides thought leadership in the sustainable communities field and has served as lead author on a number of papers and studies, including The Greenest Building: Quantifying the Environmental Value of Building Reuse. “Patrice has shown a strong leadership sense and an ability to connect historic preservation with new and non-traditional partners that we believe will help us shape the future of the Main Street movement,” said Ms. Sidway, in making the announcement. “We were looking for someone who understood the new directions in community revitalization and sustainability, where Main Street has been an important player over the past three decades. In addition, we were seeking a strong leader who possessed the communication, fundraising, finance, and networking skills required to launch a new venture, and we believe we have found those in Patrice.” Frey will meet with the Main Street community at the annual National Main Streets Conference in New Orleans in April, and will join the National Main Street Center staff on May 1. She will lead the National Main Street Center organization from Chicago, where the program began more than three decades ago. Click here to read press release.

Revitalization Expert Storm Cunningham to Kick-off Strategic Planning for Downtown Middlesboro

Storm Cunningham

Middlesboro, Kentucky, March 21, 2013 – Downtown Middlesboro will host internationally recognized revitalization expert Storm Cunningham on April 19 and 20, 2013. Mr. Cunningham is author of the Restoration Economy and ReWealth, and CEO of ReCitizen, L3C.  His website ReCitizen.org is transforming the way people revitalize places by utilizing “crowd” technologies.

Storm will kick off a strategic plan for downtown Middlesboro on Friday, April 19, at 6 p.m. with a one-hour talk at Lincoln Memorial University, in the Math and Science Building Room 100. During his talk and the question and answer session to follow, he will share the potential of crowdmapping (to perceive opportunities), crowdsourcing (to design projects), and crowdfunding (to launch projects) to put tools into the hands of citizens to revitalize their own communities.

The following day, the strategic planning will begin with a community leaders workshop facilitated by Mr. Cunningham. In the following months faculty and students from Lincoln Memorial University School of Business will analyze feedback and conduct additional research to prepare the formal strategic plan. The plan is expected to be completed around September.

Middlesboro will be one of just a few pilots nationally to use the new technology that Mr. Cunningham has developed at ReCitizen.org.  Subsequent to the planning exercise Mr. Cunningham has also agreed to use Middlesboro as an example of successful community-led revitalization efforts nationally.

In addition to using ReCitizen.org in preparation of the strategic plan, upon completion of the plan ReCitizen.org will help with implementation of projects people have identified as priorities for them.

This event is made possible through the generous financial support of the Appalachian Regional Commission and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Other partners include Appalachian Regional Healthcare – Middlesboro, Bell County, Bell County Chamber of Commerce, Bell County Historical Society, City of Middlesboro, Kentucky Heritage Council, Kentucky League of Cities, Kentucky Main Street Program, Kentucky Small Business Development Center, Lincoln Memorial University, Preservation Kentucky, and TourSEKY.

Contact:

Isaac D. Kremer, Executive Director

Discover Downtown Middlesboro, Inc.

(606) 248-6155

downtownmiddlesboro@gmail.com

www.downtownmiddlesboro.org

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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.