In the United States, a National Heritage Area (NHA) is a site designated by Act of Congress, intended to encourage historic preservation of the area and an appreciation of the history and heritage of the site. There are currently 62 NHAs, some of which use variations of the title, such as National Heritage Corridor. (which serves as an official list of all 55 National Heritage Areas)

National Heritage Areas are neither National Park Service units or federally owned or managed land. NHAs are usually administered by state governments, non-profit organizations or other private corporations, referred to as "local coordinating entities". A single coordinating authority oversees each area. The National Park Service provides an advisory role and limited technical, planning and financial assistance, in a form of Public–private partnership.

Each area has its own authorizing legislation and a set of unique resources and goals. Areas considered for designation must have specific elements. First, the landscape must be a nationally unique natural, cultural, historic, or scenic resource. Second, when the related sites are linked, they must tell a unique story about the U.S.NPS FAQ NHAs may often geographically overlap each other, and may also overlap portions or entireties of federally owned or managed land, National Park Service units and other protected areas. To date, more total NHAs, as well as more total acreage of land, have been designated east of the Mississippi River.

Legislative history The first NHA created, the Illinois and Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, located in Illinois, was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 21, 1984.

The National Heritage Areas Act of 2006 designated ten new NHAs and authorized three studies of potential NHAs. It was signed into law by President George W. Bush on October 12, 2006.

The Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 designated ten new NHAs. The bill was signed into law by President Barack Obama on March 30, 2009.

The John D. Dingell Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019 laid out procedures for planning and management of NHAs and designated six new NHAs. It was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 12, 2019.

The National Heritage Area Act of 2022 established a National Heritage Area System and created a standardized process for the Department of the Interior to provide financial and technical assistance to NHAs. The law also provides a process for the study and designation of new NHAs and evaluation for existing NHAs. It authorized three studies of potential NHAs and established seven new NHAs. The bill was passed by the Senate on December 20, 2022 by unanimous consent and the House on December 22 (on a vote of 326-95), and was signed into law by President Joe Biden on January 5, 2023.

List of National Heritage Areas

Current There are 62 National Heritage Areas, listed below with their respective local coordinating entity: +AreaState(s)Designation DateLocal Coordinating AuthorityNotesAbraham Lincoln National Heritage AreaIllinoisLooking for Lincoln Heritage CoalitionAlabama Black Belt National Heritage AreaAlabamaCenter for the Study of the Black Belt at the University of West AlabamaAppalachian Forest National Heritage AreaMaryland/West VirginiaAppalachian Forest Heritage Area, Inc.Arabia Mountain National Heritage AreaGeorgiaArabia Mountain Heritage Area AllianceAtchafalaya National Heritage AreaLouisianaLouisiana Office of Tourism, Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and TourismAugusta Canal National Heritage AreaGeorgiaAugusta Canal AuthorityBaltimore National Heritage AreaMarylandCity of BaltimoreBlue Ridge National Heritage AreaNorth CarolinaBlue Ridge National Heritage Area PartnershipBronzeville–Black Metropolis National Heritage AreaIllinoisBlack Metropolis National Heritage Area CommissionCache La Poudre River Corridor National Heritage AreaColoradoPoudre Heritage AllianceCane River National Heritage AreaLouisianaCane River National Heritage Area CommissionChamplain Valley National Heritage Area New York/VermontChamplain Valley National Heritage PartnershipCrossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage AreaNew JerseyCrossroads of the American Revolution AssociationDelaware and Lehigh National Heritage CorridorPennsylvaniaDelaware and Lehigh National Heritage Corridor, Inc.Downeast Maine National Heritage AreaMaineSunrise County Economic CouncilErie Canalway National Heritage CorridorNew YorkErie Canalway National Heritage CorridorEssex National Heritage AreaMassachusettsEssex National Heritage CommissionFreedom's Frontier National Heritage AreaKansas/MissouriPartnership TeamFreedom's Way National Heritage AreaMassachusetts/New HampshireGreat Basin National Heritage AreaNevada/UtahGreat Basin Heritage Area PartnershipGullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage CorridorFlorida/Georgia/North Carolina/South CarolinaGullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor CommissionHudson River Valley National Heritage AreaNew YorkHudson River Valley GreenwayIllinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage CorridorIllinoisCanal Corridor AssociationJohn H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage CorridorMassachusetts/Rhode IslandBlackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor CommissionJourney Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage AreaMaryland/Pennsylvania/Virginia/West VirginiaThe Journey Through Hallowed Ground PartnershipKenai Mountains – Turnagain Arm National Heritage AreaAlaskaLackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage AreaPennsylvaniaLackawanna Heritage Valley AuthorityLast Green Valley National Heritage CorridorConnecticut/MassachusettsThe Last Green ValleyFormerly the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor. Renamed December 19, 2014. Maritime Washington National Heritage AreaWashingtonWashington Trust for Historic PreservationMississippi Delta National Heritage AreaMississippiDelta CouncilMississippi Gulf Coast National Heritage AreaMississippiOffice of Coastal Management and Planning, Mississippi Department of Marine ResourcesMississippi Hills National Heritage AreaMississippiMississippi Hills Heritage Area AllianceMormon Pioneer National Heritage AreaUtahUtah Heritage Highway 89 AllianceMotorCities National Heritage AreaMichiganInitially named Automobile National Heritage AreaMountains to Sound GreenwayWashingtonMountains to Sound Greenway TrustMuscle Shoals National Heritage AreaAlabamaUniversity of North AlabamaNational Aviation Heritage AreaOhioAviation Heritage Foundation, Inc.National Coal Heritage AreaWest VirginiaNational Coal Heritage Area AuthorityNiagara Falls National Heritage AreaNew YorkNorthern Neck National Heritage AreaVirginiaSunrise County Economic CouncilNorthern Plains National Heritage AreaNorth DakotaNorthern Rio Grande National Heritage AreaNew MexicoOhio & Erie Canalway National Heritage AreaOhioOhio & Erie Canalway CoalitionOil Region National Heritage AreaPennsylvaniaOil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & TourismPath of Progress National Heritage Tour RoutePennsylvaniaSouthwestern Pennsylvania Heritage Preservation CommissionDecommissioned in 2008Rivers of Steel National Heritage AreaPennsylvaniaSteel Industry Heritage CorporationSacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage AreaCaliforniaDelta Protection CommissionSangre de Cristo National Heritage AreaColoradoSangre de Cristo NHA Steering CommitteeSanta Cruz Valley National Heritage AreaArizonaSanta Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, Inc.Schuylkill River National and State Heritage AreaPennsylvaniaShenandoah Valley Battlefields National Historic DistrictVirginiaShenandoah Valley Battlefields FoundationSilos & Smokestacks National Heritage AreaIowaSouth Carolina National Heritage CorridorSouth CarolinaSouth Carolina National Heritage Corridor, Inc.South Park National Heritage AreaColoradoTourism and Community Development Office, Park CountySouthern Campaign of the Revolution National Heritage CorridorNorth Carolina/South CarolinaUniversity of South CarolinaSouthern Maryland National Heritage AreaMarylandJanuary 5, 2023Tri-County Council for Southern MarylandSt. Croix National Heritage AreaU.S. Virgin IslandsVirgin Islands State Historic Preservation OfficeSusquehanna National Heritage Area PennsylvaniaSusquehanna Heritage CorporationTennessee Civil War National Heritage AreaTennesseeCenter for Historic Preservation, Middle Tennessee State UniversityUpper Housatonic Valley National Heritage AreaConnecticut/MassachusettsUpper Housatonic Valley National Heritage Area, Inc.Wheeling National Heritage AreaWest VirginiaWheeling National Heritage Area CorporationYuma Crossing National Heritage AreaArizona/California Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area Corporation

Proposed +AreaState(s)Passed by CongressRef.Great Dismal Swamp National Heritage AreaVirginiaStudy approved, in processKa‘ena Point National Heritage AreaHawaiiStudy approved, in processMonterey Bay National Heritage AreaCaliforniaNoGuam National Heritage AreaGuamStudy approved, in processCoastal Virginia National Heritage AreaVirginiaNoSouth Kona National Heritage AreaHawaiiNoNation's Oldest Port National Heritage AreaFloridaNoCalumet National Heritage AreaIndiana, IllinoisStudy approved, in processLahaina National Heritage AreaHawaiiStudy approved, in processKentucky Wildlands National Heritage AreaKentuckyStudy approved 2019, study completed 2023, criteria metConnecticut Western ReserveOhioStudy completed 2011, criteria not met Chattahoochee Trade National Heritage AreaGeorgia, AlabamaStudy completed 2015, criteria not metKentucky Lincoln National Heritage AreaKentuckyStudy completed 2015, criteria not metFinger Lakes National Heritage AreaNew YorkStudy completed 2023, criteria met

See also African-American Heritage Sites (U.S. National Park Service) Hispanic Heritage Sites (U.S. National Park Service) Native American Heritage Sites (U.S. National Park Service) Women's History Sites (U.S. National Park Service)

References

External links

Alliance of National Heritage Areas