National Road Heritage Park to change name
The National Road Heritage Park of Pennsylvania is changing its name to The National Road Heritage Corridor. Officials made the announcement Tuesday morning at a press conference at the Historic Summit Inn in Farmington where they also announced two new key marketing strategies: a new brochure and the organization’s first Website at www.nationalroadpa.org
.
Donna Holdorf, executive director, explained the name change was prompted by inquiries from the public asking where the park is located and where is the entrance. Many people don’t understand the concept of a heritage park, which is a state designation given to areas of land that tell the story of Pennsylvania’s industrial history and the role it played in development of the nation. The objective is to promote and protect these areas in the interest of supporting long-term economic development. The state, which operates the program through the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, has 11 heritage parks.
The National Road Heritage Corridor, which was designated a heritage park in 1994, tells the story of the first federal highway that runs through Somerset, Fayette and Washington counties in Pennsylvania. The entire road runs from Cumberland, Md., to Vandalia, Ill., and was constructed during the early 19th century.
This is one of two state heritage areas that include Fayette County. The other is Rivers of Steel Heritage Area, which was designated in 1996, and celebrates the iron, steel, coal and coke industries. It encompasses Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
“We’re the first federally funded highway. It carried people everyday to the promised land – the West. We’re a story of transportation,’ Holdorf told the crowd. “So we are pleased to introduce our new name and new logo: the National Road Heritage Corridor.’
Officials unveiled the new logo that shows the name laid out against a shaded area that represents the state of Pennsylvania with the “g’ in heritage extended across the state in a manner similar to the path of the National Road.
The Website, which went into operation Monday, offers detailed information to the public about the National Road’s story, including a timeline, as well as information on historical sites and directions for visiting them.
The home page features a photo of a wagon train superimposed against a wagon wheel and encourages tourists to visit the corridor: “Now you can relive the spirit of a growing America by traveling the road and visiting the historic homes, toll houses and scenic vistas. Witness, firsthand, the struggles and rewards of a new nation.’
The historical sites are divided into categories. They include toll houses and bridges, which has segments on Addison Toll House, Searight Toll House in Menallen Township, and the S-Bridge in Washington County. The homes and museums category includes segments on Mount Washington Tavern in Farmington, Nemacolin Castle in Brownsville, LeMoyne House in Washington, the Bradford House in Washington and the Flatiron Building in Brownsville. National Monuments includes segments on Fort Necessity, Braddock’s Grave, Jumonville, all part of the Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington; Madonna of the Trail in Beallsville and the mile markers.
There are also categories on maps and directions, road trips, the National Pike Festival and related links as well as information on becoming a Friend of the Road and National Road merchandise.
The new color brochure features the scenic beauty and historic sites of the corridor while, again, including a photo of a wagon train on the front. Historic sites include the Bradford house, Madonna of the Trail, S-Bridge, Searight Toll House, Flatiron Building, Youghiogheny River Lake, Addison Toll House, the mile markers, Nemacolin Castle and Fort Necessity. There is also a detailed map of the road and key sites.
Both the Website and the brochure carry the caption “The Road that built the nation,’ which has become a theme of the National Road and the National Pike Festival, held annually on the third weekend in May.
Holdorf said projects the National Road has planned for 2003 include updating the management action plan, which will include public meetings; placing welcome signs and directions to visitors’ centers; installing information kiosks; developing a new National Road Heritage Corridor newspaper as well as a driving guide.
Chairman Bob Wetzel welcomed the crowd, which included the press, public officials, members of the National Park Service, and members of the National Road board of directors. He recalled this year’s federal designation that made the National Road a National Scenic Byway – All-American Road.
Tim Keptner, chief of the DCNR, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation, which oversees the heritage park program, said, “I’m extremely pleased with the direction the National Road is going.’
Randy Cooley, president of Westsylvania Heritage Corporation, which has partnered with the National Road in its new initiative focused on the heritage traveler, spoke of the potential of the baby boom generation as tourists. They are at a time when their children are in college and they want “to discover who we are as Americans.’