The Patapsco Heritage Area received just over $160,000 in five grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority including Management and Marketing grants for Patapsco Heritage Greenway, $30,000 in funds to Howard County Recreation and Parks to begin the restoration of the Ellicott City Barnard Fort House as a Heritage Center, a survey and interpretive signage grant for the Oella Historical Society for the Historic Oella Cemetery Project, and $15,000 to the Ellicott City Partnership for Heritage Maps and tear off maps for Ellicott City. Read the Governor’s full press release below.
CROWNSVILLE, MD (July 7, 2017) – The Maryland Department of Planning today announced that 50 matching grants totaling $2,695,655 were awarded to Maryland non-profits, local jurisdictions and other heritage tourism organizations including museums, historic preservation, natural resources, cultural and educational organizations by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority (MHAA). These grant funds support heritage tourism projects and activities that draw visitors and expand economic development and tourism-related job creation throughout Maryland (a full listing of grants is included in the Adobe Acrobat version of this release).
“Heritage tourism fosters sustainable business development and job creation, while making our communities more attractive places to live in and visit,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “I congratulate Maryland’s 13 Certified Heritage Areas and their tourism partners on these grant awards that will contribute to our economy and improve quality of life for Marylanders all across our state.”
The MHAA oversees Maryland’s system of 13 locally-administered, State-certified Heritage Areas. Every Maryland county and Baltimore City have at least part of a Heritage Area within their boundaries. Heritage Areas foster broad public-private partnerships to preserve and enhance the best of Maryland’s historic sites and towns, unspoiled natural landscapes, and enduring traditions. These tangible links to both place and the past encourage residents to recognize they have a special piece of the American story to treasure and share with others, and that in doing so they are contributing to the economic well-being of Maryland’s communities.
Tourism is the 10th largest private sector employer in Maryland, providing more than 143,000 jobs and $17 billion of visitor spending annually. Maryland’s Heritage Areas contribute to Maryland tourism by saving and enhancing the places that attract heritage tourists – people who focus their travels on historic sites, museums, cultural activities, or the natural beauty of Maryland’s Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay coastal areas and Mountain Maryland. Studies show that these tourists tend to stay longer and spend more money than other categories of tourists.
The Maryland Heritage Areas Authority is an independent unit in the Executive Branch of government administered by the Maryland Department of Planning. Since its creation in 1996, the MHAA has awarded more than $31.7 million dollars in grants and helped to leverage $110 million in non-state funding for heritage tourism projects and activities in Maryland’s 13 Certified Heritage Areas.
To learn more about the Maryland Heritage Areas Program and the state’s 13 certified Heritage Areas, please visit the program’s webpage.“Heritage tourism fosters sustainable business development and job creation, while making our communities more attractive places to live in and visit,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “I congratulate Maryland’s 13 Certified Heritage Areas and their tourism partners on these grant awards that will contribute to our economy and improve quality of life for Marylanders all across our state.”
