 
‘Saving America’s Treasures’ Week April 5-9
News Release
For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeannie Waller, 601-944-0113,
NATIONAL SAVING AMERICA’S TREASURES WEEK TO FOCUS ATTENTION ON NEED TO CONTINUE FUNDING FOR CRITICAL PRESERVATION PROGRAMS
Effort Highlights Need to Maintain Funding for Save America’s Treasures and Other Key Preservation Programs
JACKSON, Miss. (April 1, 2010) — On April 5-9, 2010, staff, supporters, and friends of Mississippi Main Street will join many other historic sites and communities across the country in the week-long national celebration Saving America’s Treasures – an initiative of the National Trust for Historic Preservation to raise awareness for federally-funded programs like Save America’s Treasures, Preserve America, and National Heritage Areas. Despite the enormous benefits and positive impacts to our nation’s historic sites, collections, and communities, these programs are currently threatened with elimination.
“We’re thrilled to support this national event, since Mississippi has benefited directly from the Save America’s Treasures, Preserve America and National Heritage Area program, and we are proof that these vital preservation programs are worth the investment,” said Bob Wilson, Executive Director of the Mississippi Main Street Association.
The Mississippi Main Street Association encourages community groups and individuals to participate in the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 'Saving America's Treasures' Week. A simple way to get involved is to plan a group photo at a Save America's Treasures Site, a Preserve America Community, or a National Heritage Area the week of April 5-9.
Saving America’s Treasures Week
The National Trust for Historic Preservation created Saving America’s Treasures Week to give local communities an opportunity to spotlight their treasures and highlight the importance of these critical preservation programs. Local events are intended to complement the National Trust’s creative advocacy campaign that blends grassroots efforts with traditional and social media outreach.
The funding for programs that have been eliminated or drastically reduced in the proposed federal budget for 2011 are:
Save America’s Treasures (Slated to be Eliminated): Launched in 1999 as the centerpiece of the White House’s millennium celebration and now in its 11th year as a successful public-private partnership between the National Park Service and the National Trust, Save America’s Treasures has been the driving force in the effort to protect the places, collections, and artifacts that tell America’s story. To date, the program has provided almost $300 million in federal challenge grants to 1,110 important preservation projects; increased community awareness and support by leveraging an additional $377 million in private and public funding; and created well-over 16,000 jobs in small towns, big cities, and rural communities coast to coast.
Preserve America Grants (Slated to be Eliminated): Created in 2003 as a White House initiative to support local preservation efforts, Preserve America has designated a total of 814 communities spanning all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and two U.S. territories. The program complements Save America’s Treasures’ efforts and has awarded more than $20 million to over 250 grant projects supporting planning, development, implementation, or enhancement of innovative activities and programs in heritage tourism.
National Heritage Areas (Funding Slated to be Halved): Inaugurated in 1984, the National Heritage Areas movement now encompasses 49 areas, ranging from city neighborhoods to farmland and battlefields. Visited by millions of heritage tourists annually, National Heritage Areas create jobs, generate revenues for local governments, and benefit local economies through revitalization and heritage tourism.
Take a picture, Save a treasure
In two short weeks, members of Congress will head home to their in-district offices for Spring District Work Period. In general, these scheduled breaks from Washington are designed for them to reconnect with constituents on local issues that matter. This is an excellent opportunity for our campaign to restore funding to federal preservation programs.
During the recess week of April 5th-9th, the National Trust for Historic Preservation will raise awareness about proposed funding cuts to historic preservation programs by scheduling a public photo day. You've probably seen pictures over the years from the National Trust's This Place Matters campaign. The Trust has adapted that popular concept for our efforts to save America's treasures by creating a special "This Treasure Matters" sign. The goal is to schedule as many public photo event events as possible, take a group picture, and then distribute it locally to spread the word about our campaign.
Here are five easy steps to get involved during the week of the Spring District Work Period:
1) Download Your Signs: Use these links to download printable signs. The more
smiling faces holding them, the better:
This Treasure Matters: http://bit.ly/treasuressign
Preservation = Jobs: http://bit.ly/jobssign
History Happened Here: http://bit.ly/historysign
2) Schedule Your Event: Use our online calendar to schedule your picture day during the week of April 5th-9th.
3) Spread the Word: Once you have a date selected, start spreading the word. Tell your network, update any social media you use, send an e-mail if you have a distribution list or listserv - whatever you can do to get folks to attend.
4) Smile for the Camera: Have the photographer take several digital photos, including vertical and horizontal shots. Make sure your photos show off your event attendees and your site.
5) Show Us Your Photo: When you're done, upload your photos to the National Trust. We're collecting all of them from across the country for display on our website.
Thank you for helping make "Saving America's Treasures Week" a success.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation Heritage Tourism Program staff can be reached at:
303-413-1986 (Amy Webb) or 615-226-4078 (Carolyn Brackett)
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The Mississippi Main Street Association is a program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Mississippi Development Authority. The mission of the Mississippi Main Street Association is to provide leadership, guidance and counsel to Mississippi Main Street communities through organization, promotion, design, and economic development to make our cities and towns better places to work, live and play.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (http://www.PreservationNation.org) is a non-profit membership organization bringing people together to protect, enhance and enjoy the places that matter to them. By saving the places where great moments from history – and the important moments of everyday life – took place, the National Trust for Historic Preservation helps revitalize neighborhoods and communities, spark economic development and promote environmental sustainability. With headquarters in Washington, DC, eight regional and field offices, 29 historic sites, and partner organizations in 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia, the National Trust for Historic Preservation provides leadership, education, advocacy and resources to a national network of people, organizations and local communities committed to saving places, connecting us to our history and collectively shaping the future of America’s stories.
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Grillin’ Greatness in Biloxi!
With twenty-two grill teams, three great bands and roughly 8,000 in attendance, the 2010 Grillin' on The Green (held March 13th) was a great, green success! Pictured left: Young Guns Barbecue (Jonathan Hobson and crew) 1st place professional winners in both ribs and brisket.
As barbecue smoke wafted into the crystal clear blue skies, the children played endlessly on colorful inflatables, all while parade-goers enjoyed continuous, live entertainment. The food was just simply the best sampling of the Coast's best barbecue. Competition was stiff and made for great viewing. One Grillin attendee stated, "I've never been to a food competition in person, only watched on the Food Network....this is so exciting".
As the tension mounted and time ran slim, the crowd gathered around the stage to hear the results. Four knowledgeable judges tested entries in ribs, chicken, brisket and original sauce. First place winners in each division (professional and amateur) and each category received $500.00 and a trophy. Second and third place winners also received a trophy. The Peoples' Choice trophy (along with $100.00) was awarded by popular vote of attendees. The festival was capped off by the Hibernia Society's annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. The consensus was "the best and biggest Grillin ever"! Maybe...but just wait till next year!
Competition Results:
1st Place Amateur Winners in ribs and brisket; Specialty Lumber Company (Terry Welch and crew).
RIBS: Professional Division:
1st Place: Young Guns BBQ (Jonathan Hobson)
2nd Place: Up In Smoke (Lynn Burton & James Williams)
3rd Place: BW's BBQ (Ben Walker)
Amateur Division:
1st Place: Specialty Lumber Company (Terry Welch)
2nd Place: Biloxi BBQ (Steve Polk)
3rd Place: Steel Pitt BBQ (Ed McLaughlin)
CHICKEN: Professional Division:
1st Place: Rue B Que (Jason Ruiz)
2nd Place: Pit Pirate (Troy Guillotte)
3rd Place: Young Guns (Jonathan Hobson)
Amateur Division:
1st Place: Community Bank
2nd Place: Pass Me Sa-More (Skip Negrotto)
3rd Place: Dis Iz It Bar-B-Q (Mark Johnson)
tied with Steel Pitt (Ed McLaughlin)
BRISKET: Professional Division:
1st Place: Young Guns BBQ (Jonathan Hobson)
2nd Place: Team Grate Grills (George Rogers)
3rd Place: Up In Smoke (Lynn Burton & James Williams)
Amateur Division:
1st Place: Specialty Lumber Company (Terry Welch)
2nd Place: Bad Dog Bar-B-Q (Gary Griffin)
3rd Place: Steel Pitt (Ed McLaughlin)
BEST ORIGINAL SAUCE:
Team Grate Grills
PEOPLES CHOICE AWARD:
Biloxi City Council Cooking Team (Ed Gemmill)
For questions or more information, please contact
Wilson addresses Main Street Growth in Tupelo
Wilson addresses Main Street Growth in Tupelo
TUPELO,Miss.-(WTVA) The head of the Mississippi Main Street Association says his organization is the most effective economic development tool now operating in Mississippi.
Executive Director Bob Wilson was guest speaker at a noon luncheon in Tupelo where he told listeners the organization has generated nearly a billion and a half dollars in investment for the State since 1993. And officials say that it all starts downtown.
Tupelo's Fair Park, say officials, is just one example of how the organization is not only improving the look of downtown areas across the state, but creating jobs as well.
In fact Mississippi Main Street is recognized across the country as the best of its kind. "As far as Main Street programs are concerned and there's coordination programs in all fifty States,and about 10 or 12 years ago, they put together a criteria list that involved economic impact it involved a lot of other things as far as efficiency of the programs and what not and Mississippi was named the number one program." said Bob Wilson.
Wilson says that the very existence of Fair Park proves the Main Street Association is a viable and very good economic tool all over the State.
The numbers don't lie. Since 1993, Main Street has helped generate over four thousand new businesses across the State ,well over 25 thousand jobs and rehabilitated over 35 hundred buildings. Mississippi Main Street has 56 active programs across the state, mostly in downtown areas which are considered the heart of a city.
"It is the community's identity, it is the past, present, and future, identity and image, and uniqueness of Tupelo so its very important that we continue to support downtown and encourage its growth." says Tupelo Main Street board member Amy Nash.
And like a healthy heart, Bob Wilson says, a vibrant downtown spreads life throughout the city.
Reported by Wayne Hereford
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Telling the Untold Story:Branding in Rural Communities
Telling the Untold Story:Branding in Rural Communities
By Randy Wilson & Ben Muldrow | From Forum Journal | Winter 2010 | Vol. 24, No. 2
More people are living in urban areas today than ever before. However, significant portions of our population still reside in rural areas. As preservation advocates, we understand these rural areas are priceless resources worth saving and promoting. Community marketing and branding is one approach to preserving our communities and stimulating economic growth.
But what about the citizens who live and work in these rural areas? Why should they care to market and brand their communities? The simple answer is, if we don’t brand our rural areas, everyone else will.
Every single day, citizens, visitors, workers, and tourists brand communities, whether rural or urban, based on their experience and interaction with the community and its assets. If the community does not brand and market itself, others will do it for them…and, perhaps, without the best intentions.
When considering community branding, what is the best approach? Is the approach to branding and marketing rural communities the same as that used in urban areas? If not, what are the differences? Do we brand and market the same kinds of cultural assets or take a new direction? Finally, what are the general principles that might apply when forming a branding and marketing plan for a rural area?
Community and Product Branding
Before answering these questions, it is probably wise to consider the more fundamental questions: What does community branding mean? How does community branding differ from the branding of products and services?
One helpful way to understand the concept of community branding is to first understand traditional branding. Consider the successful brands of Starbucks, Nike, and Apple. Scott Bedbury, creator of the Starbucks brand, defines a brand as a collection of perceptions in the consumer’s mind.
What immediately comes to mind when you hear the word Starbucks? The aroma of coffee? A comfortable atmosphere? A round green logo with a mermaid? A friendly barista? Or perhaps something entirely different, like, “You want me to pay $4.50 for a cup of coffee?!” The point is, a brand name summons all of your past experiences with the product or service, forming an instant opinion.
Branding and marketing address both the promises made and experiences created by using products and services. Starbucks promises to provide a “third place” of social interaction apart from the two most common places, work and home. Nike promises to provide athletes with the equipment, accessories, and clothes necessary to reach their athletic goals. And Apple promises to deliver a seamless, user-friendly experience with technology by reducing complicated devices to their simplest forms.
A promise is hollow, however, unless it produces a positive experience. While there are certainly exceptions, most customer satisfaction surveys would reveal that these three companies have done an excellent job of delivering on their promises and have garnered very faithful followings. The real magic of a brand is the reaction of individuals when they see the green mermaid of Starbucks, the swoosh symbol of Nike, or the silhouetted fruit of Apple. These logos achieve the status of universally recognized icons and evoke feelings in people about the experiences each company promises.
Although no mermaid will greet you at Starbucks, no swoosh sign can be purchased at a Nike store, and fresh fruit is not for sale at an Apple store, these icons have become an identity or “brand” that represents many positive experiences made possible by using the products and services of these companies. As such, these brands have become the dynamic expressions, or essence, of each company.
Community Branding:Urban vs. Rural
This same approach applies to branding communities, whether urban or rural.An opinion is formed based on your experience with the places, people, and cultural offerings of a community. The goal of a branding and marketing campaign is to re-tell these positive experiences in a compelling way to a broader audience, while diminishing the negative experiences (without being dishonest). Ideally, the negatives will eventually be turned into positives.
Our communities must be branded in such a way that the people, places, and events become dynamic and evoke positive feelings about the potential experiences to be had there. We must be aware of the tendency to reduce all potential experiences into a single identity that features only one aspect of the community. While there is nothing wrong with featuring a single icon, a good branding and marketing system must encompass multiple interpretations of the ever-expanding options for positive experiences within a community.
Consider the potential pitfalls if Starbucks changed its logo to a coffee cup, Nike switched its swoosh to a shoe, or Apple replaced its logo with an iPhone. While these new logos are actual examples of company products, each fails to capture, or represent, the full range of the products and services (read: promises and experiences) they provide. Yet how often have we seen a community represent its entire essence with a single physical icon? This single-asset approach to branding is not wrong, it is merely incomplete.
By way of example, the Bennettsville, S.C., logo featured is quite attractive, yet by virtue of a singular focus on the cupola of its courthouse one might interpret that to be the only attraction in this city. In actuality, Bennettsville boasts a great number of rural tourism assets beyond its handsome courthouse.
Perhaps a better example is the redesign of the Lake City, S.C., seal and marketing logo. The former iteration of the city seal had a literal representation of three elements: rural industry, tobacco, and its coastal location represented by the palmetto tree. Again, these elements are not incorrect—and can be handsomely depicted as shown in the redesigned seal—however, it is merely incomplete as Lake City boasts far more than these three elements alone can communicate. Contrast its seal with the marketing logo that features a five-pointed star composed of five rotations of “LC” (for “Lake City”) and five colors that represent its holistic approach to community revitalization. This logo approach is open for interpretation in the community’s current, as well as future, revitalized state.
Therefore, our rural communities must be branded to represent a full range of cultural offerings and positive experiences. However, there are distinct differences between branding commercial goods and services and branding our communities. We must understand our rural communities as assets, resources, destinations, and cultural offerings rather than merely as a list of products or services. Each rural community is different, and the list of assets will change, and, one hopes, expand, based on its unique offerings.
So, how is this done in a practical way? Based on our experience with hundreds of communities, most of which are primarily rural, we have discovered the following guiding principles:
A logo that is too literal, portraying just one or a few sites or features, conveys a limited view of a place. A better approach is to develop an evocative logo that is open to interpretation and that will continue to work as the community changes.
Understand Community. There is no substitute for thoroughly understanding a place prior to branding. A simple tour or single interview will not suffice. Countless hours must be spent researching, touring the area, and visiting the obvious sites as well as places off the beaten path. One must speak with numerous individuals (in groups and one-on-one), dine in local restaurants, listen to local music, smell the smells, walk the streets, and essentially immerse oneself in the local culture. Only then can one truly understand a community and its essence.
Redefine Cultural Assets. When considering rural areas, we must dismiss our usual list of what we consider “assets.” What works in an urban area might not work in a rural area. Frankly, sometimes one must look a bit harder for the compelling and unique story in a rural community. With hard work and an open mind, one will almost always uncover the intriguing “unknowns”—the beautiful edifice, the remarkable history, the fascinating rumor, the mesmerizing song, the amazing meal, the comical character, the clever craft, the famous son or daughter, etc. Individually these “assets” might not rival a major attraction in an urban area, but taken as a whole, they weave an authentic, cultural tapestry that tells a real story.
Determine Points of Emphasis. Key to branding a rural community is to establish whether to emphasize a town or region’s “hard” or “soft” assets, or both. “Hard” assets are the physical characteristics, sites, and destinations in a community. “Soft” assets are the people, culture, and practices in a community. There is no right or wrong approach; however, the decision must be made from a thorough understanding of both kinds of assets in the community.
The following examples illustrate branding based on different points of emphasis.
Emphasize Character:The Arkansas Delta
The branding for the Arkansas Delta region honors the area's agricultural roots and its food, music, and family traditions.
The Arkansas Delta boasts many places of significance, but we believe its most compelling aspect is the character of its people. The culture of the Arkansas Delta features what we termed a “culture of agriculture.” Namely, it is a culture wholly dependent upon the land. This agricultural lifestyle produces an attitude of resolute resiliency, forged from both good and hard times. The blues music genre, which originated from the people of the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta, best expresses this attitude of resiliency.
The cultural identity of the Delta focuses on a lifestyle united by food, family, and faith. Across 15 counties, there is a regional pride felt among the people of the Arkansas Delta, or “Deltoids,” as they refer to themselves. This sense of identity is rare in our cultural mixing bowl and made for the most compelling branding approach. The branding campaign developed from the theme “Arkansas Delta: Soil & Soul,” a direct reference to the very nature of its people, place, and “culture of agriculture.”
For more information see “Arkansas Delta Byways: Connecting the Dots” in this issue and also http://www.deltabyways.com. Note: The Arkansas Delta project was a National Trust for Historic Preservation Rural Heritage Development Initiative.
The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area is a 14-parish region of Louisiana along the Atchafalaya River Basin. In the 1950s, a massive dam and levee system was built to control the Atchafalaya River and to preserve the future flow of water down the Mississippi River to New Orleans. The levees run the entire length of the National Heritage Area and, in most places, limit access to the river.
When studying the area, it was obvious that this region (like the Arkansas Delta) was defined by its connection to the river. Although the parishes lined the river basin, the levees made it nearly impossible to actually connect with the river. Our challenge was to connect the region to the river through a marketing and branding campaign.
The separation of the river and the region spurred a study of the cultural experience that made this region distinctive. What was discovered was a place that was home to the Acadian people and the development of the Cajun culture with foods and a language all their own. From this discovery, we created the brand tagline “Atchafalaya: America’s Foreign Country.”
For more information see http://www.atchafalaya.org. Note: The Atchafalaya project was a project of the Louisiana Atchafalaya National Heritage Area.
Emphasize Experience:Central Kentucky
The Central Kentucky Rural Heritage Development Initiative is a collection of eight counties in central Kentucky between Louisville and Lexington. When branding the identity of the region, the stakeholders asked, “Why are these eight counties grouped together?” The answer became very clear after seeing the diverse range of cultural experiences from the east to the west, whether traveling the Bourbon Heritage Trail, visiting a traditional Shaker Village, touring Lincoln’s birthplace, or watching a performance of “My Old Kentucky Home.”
A visitor to these Kentucky “crossroads” can absorb the quintessential Kentucky story without ever stepping foot in the big cities to either side. This region was the perfect cross section of Kentucky and boasted many cultural assets worth preserving in their rural environs.
Understanding and embracing the rural roads was the avenue to creating a brand identity that spoke of the unique cultural experience: “Kentucky Crossroads: Where Everything Comes Together.”
For more information see http://www.kycrossroadsregion.com. Note: The Kentucky Crossroads project was a National Trust for Historic Preservation Rural Heritage Development Initiative.
Emphasize Order:Covington County, Miss.
Given the challenge of branding a county with three disparate communities, a new tagline?"Rails, Rivers, Roads?Reconnect"?was developed to emphasize the attractions along these shared transportation routes. The "CovINgton County" logo encourages county residents to patronize the shops and commercial services of all three communities.
A countywide branding program in rural Mississippi revealed three predominant communities that had minimal cooperative spirit. This disunity was fueled by everything from high school football rivalries to local political and economic competition. We needed a branding campaign to rally and unify the communities as well as foster a spirit of cooperation.
The first step was to search for unifying elements that existed among the communities. Internally, there seemed to be none. However, externally, three organizing elements tied the three communities together: a major roadway, a meandering river, and a historic railway. One of the communities was known for recreational opportunities on the river, another boasted a beautiful train depot and plaza, and the third was known for its boulevard (Old Highway 45) along the major roadway. Therefore, the unifying brand tagline created for the county was “Rails, Rivers, Roads…Reconnect.”
After identifying the external elements that united the communities, the next step was to foster a renewed spirit of cooperation among the communities. A market analysis revealed there was virtually no cross-commerce among the communities. So we created and designed a countywide loyalty campaign that emphasized shopping “in” CovINgton County. Additional recommendations to address this internal disconnect were to foster the cross-marketing of each communities’ assets and the creation of a formalized, countywide tour. In response to the cross-marketing recommendation, a guidebook for reconnecting Covington County was designed. The formalized tour took on a surprising identity: Covington County is host to arguably the best named community in all of America….Hot Coffee. That’s right, Hot Coffee, Miss.! With that kind of whimsical brand equity already built into the name, we simply formalized the tour into the “Hot Coffee Tour.”
Why Community Branding?
Sometimes serendipity plays a role in branding. A tour of Covington County plays on the appealing name of one of its communities?Hot Coffee, Miss. This eye-catching logo is designed to be used on printed materials as well as merchandise such as t-shirts and mugs.
Let’s return to the fundamental question: Why is branding rural areas important? We have already established that we must brand our communities or everyone else certainly will. But more importantly, branding helps capture the essence of our communities and communicates that message to a broader audience. The greater purpose in branding our rural communities is to build community pride, stimulate the local economy, and promote a preservation spirit that compels people to be better stewards of their culture and the place they call home.
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Randy Wilson is the president of Community Design Solutions, a consulting practice committed to engaging citizens in the process of designing their communities. He also serves as the architect for the Mississippi and South Carolina Main Street programs.
Ben Muldrow is a partner in Arnett Muldrow Associates based in Greenville, S.C. He is the community branding specialist for Arnett Muldrow and has developed brands in hundreds of communities all over America.
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Picayune Train Depot
Amtrak’s Crescent train connects Picayune with the cities of New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham and New Orleans. Visit the Train Museum inside the Intramodal Center downtown. |
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