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| History Remembered |
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| News | |||
| Written by Robin Hixson | |||
| Wednesday, 01 July 2009 07:00 | |||
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Miami County resident John Robert Nichols is one of hundreds of stakeholders working to bring attention to the significance of the region’s history to American history as a whole. Several weeks ago, he addressed the Miami County Commission, once again raising awareness of the Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area as a historically and culturally distinctive region. Then, on June 18, area stakeholders met with the public in Kansas City to present the Freedom’s Frontier management plan, which has been completed. “First we had to do a feasibility study to prove to the National Park Service that this area has national significance and why its story is unique and should be told,” Nichols said. “The next step was development of the management plan, which outlines the day-to-day operations.” Now, he said, the management plan is being submitted for approval to the U.S. Department of the Interior, which will provide some oversight to the grass-roots organization that will operate the heritage area. Freedom’s Frontier has received it designation, so both NPS and the Department of the Interior will assist in the initial set-up of operations. Part of the whole process will be application for $10 million in federal grant funds. \Though memories of bloodshed along the Kansas-Missouri “border” that sparked the Civil War still echo through counties on either side of the state line, a collaboration has developed to integrate those stories into a shared history. Twenty-nine counties in Kansas and 12 in Missouri came together in a plan to capture those stories that illustrate the pivotal role this part of the country played in America’s development. Nichols said identified historic sites within those counties, whether individually owned or operated by local, organizational or state entities, will be able to apply for participation in Freedom’s Frontier or opt out, as they so choose. The Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area currently has one staff member and will eventually be fully staffed to oversee historic site applications to participate and the selection process. At this point, the process has been under way for between five and six years, Nichols said. “This is a long-term project,” he said. “It’s not something that can be done overnight.” Currently, there are 49 National Heritage Areas across the United States.
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