Link:
www.southernmdisfun.com
The Southern Maryland region
encompasses an abundance of historic, cultural, natural, and recreational resources
reflecting distinctive rural landscapes and historical development along the shorelines of
tidal creeks, rivers, and bays. These resources reflect Maryland’s beginnings, from
17th-century European settlement and the earliest footholds of religious freedom, to the
booming prosperity of 18th- and 19th-century tobacco plantations and the unique culture of
the Bay’s watermen and boat builders. Visitors to this region can trace
Maryland’s beginnings through these resources, as well as the prehistoric culture of
the Chesapeake Bay region.
The concept of a Heritage Tourism
Management Plan and Program within the Southern Maryland Region began some 10 years ago,
due largely to the efforts of a committee composed of representatives of state, county,
municipal and private agencies formed to gauge its feasibility. The concept emerged from
these earlier deliberations to include the entire three county area of Calvert, Charles,
and St. Mary’s Counties as the defined Heritage region since many of the
region’s historic and cultural resources were widely distributed in their locations.
In April 1999, the "Southern
Maryland Heritage Partnership" was formed to assume leadership in developing a
Heritage Tourism Management Plan in pursuit of official status under the terms of the Maryland
Heritage Preservation and Tourism Development Program. In December 2001, the
Heritage Partnership undertook the preparation of The Southern Maryland Heritage Tourism
Management Plan (Management Plan) to secure State Certification. The Southern Maryland
Heritage Area (SMHA) Steering Committee was formed at the outset and with the assistance
of Redman/Johnston, Associates (now Peter Johnston &
Associates, LLC), led the effort to prepare the Heritage Tourism
Management Plan. The Committee’s broad membership represented dozens of organizations
from Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties. In July 2003, the Maryland
Heritage Areas Authority approved the SMHA Management Plan and certified the SMHA as a
Maryland State Heritage Area.
The goals and objectives of the plan
are proposed within a framework of six major topic areas. Each of these areas represent
core components or key elements of successful Heritage Tourism Management Programs.
Although no one topic area can be considered of greater importance than another, each has
an important, and often mutually supportive, role to play in development of a balanced and
comprehensive program strategy.
These six major elements include:
Interpretation & Education:
The development of interpretive and educational projects, programs, and activities
designed to strengthen the traditions and authenticity of the heritage area, and improve
the understanding of visitors and residents of the significance of Southern
Maryland’s heritage resources to Maryland and the nation.
Linkages, Infrastructure &
Facility Development: The development of efficient transportation and wayfinding systems,
thematic tours, interpretive facilities, information centers, and gateways to improve
movement, connectivity, and visitor support within the Heritage Area.
Community & Economic Development:
The development of strategies that are scaled to the overall character of southern
Maryland and support heritage tourism in the region, to enhance public and private
investment in community revitalization and economic development.
Preservation & Resource
Stewardship: The development or enhancement of preservation mechanisms, programs and
initiatives for local jurisdictions, preservation organizations, and individuals to
improve conditions for long-term heritage resource stewardship and protection.
Marketing & Outreach: The
development of marketing strategies, public awareness campaigns, and outreach programs
that promote the Heritage Area to a wide audience and increase visitation to southern
Maryland.
Managing Implementation &
Partnerships: The development of an effective management platform, management
strategies, and cooperative partnerships to ensure successful implementation of the goals
for heritage tourism in southern Maryland.
Broad community support, from
businesses and organizations to governments and individuals, played a key role in insuring
the developing the SMHA Management Plan. Public workshops, community presentations, and
project newsletters were all been used as tools to inform the region’s residents
during the process of developing the Management Plan and such tools will need to continue
to be used by the "Southern Maryland Heritage Area Consortium to build public support
for heritage tourism initiatives in the region over time. The Steering Committee hosted a
series of public workshops in November and December of 2001 in Calvert, Charles, and St.
Mary’s Counties. At each workshop, community organizations and county residents were
invited to participate in discussions of what key heritage themes best told the
"story" of Southern Maryland. The Steering Committee utilized the results of
these workshops to help build a thematic framework to organize the region’s heritage
resources into a cohesive story, and to guide the process of developing strategies to
insure the long-term success of the Heritage Area through implementation of the
recommendations contained in the Management Plan.
Peter Johnston & Associates,
LLC 416 Goldsborough Street Easton
Maryland 21601
Telephone 410.822.9630
Fax 410.820.5039 Email
plj@peterjohnstonassociates.com
