Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore is a rural region with a wealth of historic, cultural and natural resources that distinguish it from other places in the state and country. The lower shore counties of Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester encompass a vast region stretching from the shorelines of Tangier Sound and Chesapeake Bay to the washed beaches of the Atlantic seaboard.
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We're easy driving from much of the US east coast.
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The seafood industry and agriculture have long formed the backbone of the lower shore economy and sustained a way of life built on the resources of land and water. A number of factors have adversely affected these traditional industries over the past decade, decreasing the economic base of the area and threatening its rich heritage.
The State of Maryland Heritage Areas Authority oversees a program that provides matching grants to partnerships and private interests to develop management plans to guide public and private investments in the development of cultural tourism opportunities.
Once such plans are adopted locally and accepted by the Authority and a locale becomes a Certified Heritage Area, its communities and businesses are eligible for targeted financial and technical assistance from the Authority and other state agencies.
A HERITAGE AREA is a region that shares a common history, where historical trends and events can be traced across the landscape and where unique cultures live. A heritage area is designed to serve the interests both, of residents and visitors, sparking tourism and economic development. A heritage area tells the stories of a region by interpreting important sites, and it can foster preservation, recreation, and investment for the benefit of residents and tourists.
HERITAGE AREA SPONSORS are typically partnerships of public officials, the business community, preservation organizations, educators, and citizens. They guide the planning, coordination, and projects that are undertaken across a designated heritage area. The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council is the sponsor for the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area.
NATIONAL AND STATE PROGRAMS FOR HERITAGE AREAS include 18 National Heritage Areas named by Congress. These include the Delaware and Lehigh Canal National Heritage Corridor (PA) and the South Carolina Heritage Area, as well as a number of statewide programs including Maryland's. Maryland Heritage Areas are significant to the state's history, and may have national importance. The sponsors of there areas work toward the goals of recognition and certification by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, administered through the Maryland Historical Trust. Certification gives access to state funding for specified programs within heritage areas. The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Area was recognized in 1997 and is now one of 11 Certified Maryland Heritage Areas. LESHC's operating support is grant funded by Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, (MHAA).
LESHC's management plan is approved by the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. It includes information on the boundaries of the Certified Heritage Area and "Target Investment Zones," and presents the heritage areas vision and goals and the strategies, projects, programs, actions, and partnerships.
WHO PARTICIPATES LESHC invites the support of public officials, civic groups, business leaders, educators, and citizens interested in the needs of the refion, including recreation, conservation, historic preservation, museums and interpretation, and tourism and economic development.
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You can help lead us into the future by joining the Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Committee or sending a tax deductible contribution to:
PO Box 4601 - 212 West Main St, Suite 301C - Salisbury, MD 21801
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