The Journey Through Hallowed Ground

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership

Secures Major Grant from U.S. Secretary of Transportation

                                New Way-Finding and Digital Tools Offer Good News for Visitor and Local Businesses

WATERFORD, VA, September 2, 2011  -- U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood recently announced $417.3 million in grants to fund an array of efforts, including $1.3 million for creation of way-finding and digital tools for visitors travelling The Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway, which serves as the primary road to many of the nation’s most prized national heritage sites and historic downtown communities, attracting visitors from across the globe, and generating valuable tourism dollars in four states.

In partnership with 30 historic Main Street business communities; thousands of small businesses; hundreds of working farms, wineries and vineyards; 30 locally-elected town councils; 15 county boards; and with the bipartisan support of Congressmen Frank Wolf (VA-10) and Gerald Connolly (VA-11), The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership created a proposal that will provide visitors from the around the world visual and electronic way-finding tools to reach the cultural, historic, recreational and scenic destinations along the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway.

Secretary LaHood explained that, "Transportation investments like these will create jobs, increase mobility, improve quality of life for all Americans and strengthen our national economy." 

In addition to creating way-finding signage along the route, the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership is working with its partners to create brochures and a multimedia mobile application for use with Smart Phones.  The app will be will be GPS-based providing users multimedia information about the heritage sites, recreational attractions and vibrant downtowns along the JTHG National Scenic Byway.

“Treasuring these culturally rich and historically invaluable heritage sites, downtown communities, and working farms is one thing,” said Cate Magennis Wyatt, president of the Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership and former Virginia Secretary of Commerce and Trade for the Commonwealth of Virginia.  “Experiencing them is another.  Providing visitors the tools to learn about and more, access to these vital heritage sites, helps the visitor and supports local businesses.

“In these challenging economic times, it’s investments like these that will make a difference in the long and short term.  These places already drive many of the local economies.  And now, Americans and global tourists alike will be better able to find economical places to vacation and discover our rich national heritage.”

Tourism is the largest employer within the JTHG National Heritage Area, accounting for more than 54,000 jobs in 15 counties and 4 states and each year, generating more than $3 billion in annual revenue.

Plus a recent research study by the U.S. Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council (USCHT) in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Commerce, revealed that 78% of all U.S. leisure travelers participate in cultural and/or heritage activities while traveling, translating to 118.3 million adults each contribute more than $192 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

"We discovered that an impressive number of U.S. travelers seek out cultural and heritage experiences," said Helen Marano, director of the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, U.S. Department of Commerce. "With 78% of all domestic leisure travelers participating in cultural and heritage activities, their expenditures confirm that this is a strong market, and they are contributing significantly to our communities during these challenging economic times.”

In 2009, based on the Old Carolina Road’s intrinsic cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic qualities, Secretary LaHood designated the thoroughfare that intersects the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area as a national scenic byway.  It’s one of the highest designations the Secretary can bestow upon a public road.  Now known as the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Scenic Byway, the heritage route runs 180 miles through three states from Gettysburg, PA to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville, VA.  It includes portions of US Rt. 15, VA 231, VA 20 and VA 53, running through Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania.  The JTHG National Scenic Byway is part of the America’s Byways® collection of just150 distinctive routes nationwide designated by the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

Congressman Frank Wolf (VA-10) said, “This route not only carried this country’s Founding Fathers, but also working men and women like you and me whose ideals have shaped this great nation.  It is only fitting now to help point the world here to experience our national heritage and also help local businesses.  With national and international visitors, heritage sites and historic downtowns can thrive even in these challenging times and our ancestors will be better remembered.”

Congressman Gerry Connolly (VA-11) explained, “The Journey Through Hallowed Ground Partnership can be proud of their efforts, working with dozens of communities and local citizens to first win federal designation of the National Scenic Byway, and now financial support that will bring crucial tourism dollars to the historic towns and attractions between Gettysburg and Monticello.

“Their efforts will benefit the region with increased tourism from visitors across the globe and untold prestige, by providing terrific tools to learn about and experience the rich culture, history and heritage spanning so many generations found along the 180-mile JTHG National Scenic Byway.”

The Journey Through Hallowed Ground is a National Heritage Area with a National Scenic Byway running through it.  From Gettysburg to Monticello, it’s known as the region Where America Happened ™.  It contains more history than any other region in the nation and includes: National and World Heritage sites, over 10,000 sites on the National Register of Historic Places, 49 National Heritage districts, nine Presidential homes, 13 National Park units, hundreds of African American and Native American heritage sites, 30 Historic Main Street communities, sites from the Revolutionary War, French-Indian War, War of 1812 as well as the largest collection of Civil War sites in the nation.

The JTHG Partnership is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness of the unparalleled history within the swath of land from Monticello to Gettysburg and has successfully created the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area and has had the Old Carolina Road (Rt. 15/20/231) from Gettysburg, through Maryland, to Monticello designated a National Scenic Byway. For more information, go to: www.HallowedGround.org