With the ratification of the PA by Fort Bragg, the SHPO, and the Advisory Council on
Historic Preservation, the army satisfied its historic preservation responsibilities under Sec¬
tion 1 06 and was able to request congressional approval of the lease and management con¬
tract. Given the breadth of preservation issues covered by the Fort Bragg PA, the Council
has posted this case on its website (www.achp.gov), noting that the agreement may serve as a
model for other military installations. Jeff Irwin, Michael Larson, and Erin Curran repre¬
sented Fort Bragg in the agreement negotiations. Renee Gledhill-Earley, environmental
review coordinator, represented the SHPO.
Heritage Tourism and Trails on the Rise in North Carolina
The 2003 Governor’s Conference on Tourism hosted by the Division of Tourism, Film,
and Sports Development provided positive news on the state of tourism, especially heri¬
tage tourism, in North Carolina. This good news comes as the national travel industry is
coping with a depressed economy and fears of terrorism. Speakers at the conference
acknowledged those problems but also reported several developments that bode well for
the state and its historic sites and museums.
Tourism in North Carolina has grown to a $12 billion industry. While travel nation¬
wide was flat in 2002, North Carolina’s share grew 2.9 percent, or almost ten times the
national average rate of grow'th. North Carolina remained the sixth most- visited state, fol¬
lowing California, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, and New York. Visiting historic sites and
museums remained popular in 2002. The activities most favored by travelers were shop¬
ping (26 percent), beaches (13 percent), outdoor activities (10 percent), and historical
places/museums (10 percent). Heritage tourism continues to be a significant niche market.
North Carolina is developing a new-- statewide Civil War trails program modeled after
that of Virginia. The North Carolina Department of Transportation has awarded a $1.1
million grant to a nonprofit organization to develop the trails and link them with existing
ones in Virginia and Maryland, with assistance from the Office of Archives and History.
The estimated total project cost, including a trail through central and eastern North
Carolina and another in the mountains, is $1,375 million. Local officials and organizations
are expected to provide small matching grants in exchange for recognition on the trail.
Most markers and pull-offs on the first trail — Carolines Campaign: End of the War —
should be in place by April 2004. Phase II of the project — Raids, Railroads, and Run¬
aways: War in the Mountains — will be finished by April 2005. Additional sites and trails
may be added.
A grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation is enabling the North Carolina Arts Council,
Handmade in America, and the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service to plan
another trail system of agricultural/cultural tourism sites. Those trails will combine arts,
history, and agricultural resources at sites with special appeal to tourists seeking authentic
rural experiences. Tourism in the state’s thirty-eight most rural counties has increased 72
percent since 1992. Possible trail themes include Markets and Mazes, Farms and Barns,
Trail of the Long Leaf Pine (wood and lumber), and Lift Every Voice (African American
music) . Sites will be related to cultural, heritage, agricultural, and natural resources; have
standard hours of operation; offer interpretation; and focus on authenticity and quality.
Developers plan to have a w'ebsite by 2004 and the trails will be marketed nationally. For
further information contact Maryanne Friend of the North Carolina Arts Council at
marYaimc.jriciid@iicmail.net.
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