Public Workshops on Maritime National Heritage Area

A team of consultants writing a feasibility study for a proposed Maritime National Heritage Area is sponsoring seven public workshops to gather public input on the idea. The workshops are scheduled for late May and early June in Bremerton, Bellingham, Port Townsend, Aberdeen, Anacortes, Tacoma, and Seattle. A full schedule for the workshops is available on Maritime Heritage Network. Everyone interested in promoting the region's maritime history is invited to attend.

A National Heritage Area is a federal designation that recognizes the culturally and historically significant resources in a region and that region’s role in the nation’s history. Today, there are over 40 National Heritage Areas across the country, none of which are on the West Coast. The designation supports local citizens in preserving, sharing, and promoting the region’s heritage, and does not increase federal regulation. The proposed Maritime National Heritage Area would include Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands, and most of the Pacific Coast of Washington State. More details about the expected impact of the proposal is available on Maritime Heritage Network.