Summer 2006
Tourism News

Partners in Tourism: Culture and Commerce is a coalition of cultural service organizations, the travel industry, and federal agencies that provides a forum for collaborative research, education, promotion and advocacy with the common goal of advancing the role of culture and heritage in the travel and tourism industry.

8th Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance Conference Set
November 8-11, 2006

Culture is the Spark is the theme of the 8th Cultural & Heritage Tourism Alliance Conference set for November 8-11 in Atlanta, Georgia.

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Cultural Heritage Tourism News is published by

© 2005 Partners in Tourism: Culture and Commerce

Editor: Carolyn Brackett

Assistant Editors: Kimber Craine, Verna Romero & Amy Webb

GOT NEWS? Send program updates, new initiatives and case studies to cht@nthp.org

Deadline for Dozen Distinctive Destinations Application is November 3

Applications for consideration as a 2007 Dozen Distinctive Destination will be available by September from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Communications Office. The deadline for applying for designation is November 3.

A National Trust committee will review all applications using the following criteria: communities must demonstrate well-managed growth, a commitment to historic preservation with a protected historic core and meaningful context, interesting and attractive architecture, cultural diversity, activities for families with children, an economic base of locally-owned small businesses, and walkability for residents and visitors.

In previously designated communities, residents have taken forceful action to protect their town’s character and sense of place. Whether by enacting a local preservation law to protect historic buildings against demolition, rewriting zoning codes to prevent commercial sprawl, removing regulatory barriers to downtown housing, making downtown areas more walkable, enacting design standards, or taking some other major step that demonstrates a strong commitment to their town, residents have worked hard to preserve the historic and scenic assets of their communities, with rewards that transcend town limits.
Communities receiving the designation receive national publicity through the National Trust, inclusion on the Trust’s web site, use of the Dozen Distinctive Destinations logo and a toolkit with ideas and guidance on generating awareness and publicity from the award.
To receive application guidelines and application forms, please contact Carrie Johnson at carrie_johnson@nthp.org.

Toolkit Created for Promoting Dozen Distinctive Destinations Communities

The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Heritage Tourism Program and Communications Division have created a toolkit to assist communities receiving designation as one of the Trust’s “Dozen Distinctive Destinations.”

Resource materials include best practices from previous Dozen Distinctive Destinations in leveraging the designation. The toolkit details special events, ceremonies and other activities planned by communities to celebrate their designation. Communications resource materials include ideas for working with the media to get maximum exposure for the award, and guidelines for creating press materials.

The resource materials may also be helpful to other communities in making plans for celebrations and publicizing other kinds of local milestones. The toolkit is found at www.nationaltrust.org/heritage_tourism/ddd_toolkit/index.

National Trust Promotes Heritage Tourism with Annual List of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations

The National Trust for Historic Preservation has announced the selection of its 2006 Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States.  The winning communities met the following criteria: well-managed growth, a commitment to historic preservation with a protected historic core and meaningful context, interesting and attractive architecture, cultural diversity, activities for families with children, an economic base of locally-owned small businesses, and walkability for residents and visitors.

Arrow Rock, Missouri: A scenic town perched high on a bluff above the Missouri River, Arrow Rock is a charming and vibrant community known for its cache of well-preserved early 19th-century buildings, breath-taking vistas and three centuries of river history.

Bartlesville, Oklahoma: Once a humble Oklahoma prairie town, Bartlesville struck it rich when oil was discovered here, and today the town cherishes both that history and the nation’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed skyscraper, which adorns the Bartlesville skyline.

Bowling Green, Kentucky: Nestled along the picturesque Barren River, Bowling Green is a thriving community with a history defined by a wealth of Civil War sites, a treasure trove of early 19th-century architecture and an ancient cavern, once the secret hideaway for soldiers and outlaws.

Lewes, Delaware: The first town in the first state, Lewes, a small hamlet where the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet, is proud of its miles of white sand beaches, colorful maritime heritage and diverse collection of historic homes, some dating back to the 1660s.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee boasts a world-famous art museum, a well-loved zoo and a host of diverse sites that celebrate its history as the beer-making capital of the United States.

Monterey, California: Made famous in the classic John Steinbeck novel, Cannery Row, coastal Monterey offers not only a stunning setting but an endless supply of visitor delights, including a world-class aquarium, a bustling wharf, historic canneries and centuries of Native American, Spanish-Colonial and Mexican heritage sites.

Palm Springs, California: Long a weekend getaway for the rich and famous, Palm Springs boasts a near-perfect climate, a desert location ideal for golfing, swimming or loafing and a dazzling array of inspired buildings designed in the Modern style.

Philipsburg, Montana: Known for its majestic mountains and wide-open spaces, Philipsburg is a city of extraordinary beauty and history. The community’s proud mining past can be witnessed today in its many historic treasures, including the state’s oldest operating school, jail and opera house.

Prescott, Arizona: Begun as a rustic and raucous mining camp on the Hassayampa River in 1863, Prescott was literally born overnight when gold was discovered in this stark land of granite dells. Today, Prescott is a thriving community that celebrates the Wild West in several nationally recognized museums featuring Native American and Western art and frontier history.

Saranac Lake, New York: A timeless Adirondack village nestled among pristine lakes, evergreen forests and mountains, Saranac Lake came to prominence as a pioneering health resort in the late 19th century. Today, the town is still a refuge for those who come to be cured by its serene setting and impressive collection of period architecture.

Waimea, Kaua’i, Hawaii: In the foothills of the Kohala Mountains on the island of Kaua’i, Waimea is too good to be true. The town’s exquisite setting and vast rugged canyon provide the perfect backdrop for Waimea’s most treasured possession – a diverse collection of architectural and cultural sites that date from the 13th century.

West Chester, Pennsylvania: A former Quaker village incorporated in 1799, West Chester is a picture-perfect town known for its charming brick sidewalks, large collection of Victorian and Greek Revival architecture, located in the Brandywine Valley.