Community members in North Central Montana are looking for input about a National Heritage Area.
For the past five years, the Upper Missouri River Heritage Area Planning Corporation has worked to be the first national heritage area designated in Montana.
The area would celebrate the history along the Missouri River Corridor from Great Falls to Fort Benton.
Cascade County Commissioner Jane Weber said the public has been very positive about the board pursuing a National Heritage Area.
“We have some folks in our Central Montana Region who have identified Montana as important to the development of the nation,” Jane Weber, Cascade County Commissioner, said.
Weber said to create a National Heritage Area, it takes an Act of Congress.
The Upper Missouri River Heritage Area is currently about halfway through the process before they submit their National Heritage Area to Congress.
Right now, they are conducting a feasibility study. Next week, they will reveal their statement of significance to the community.
“This will describe why we think this area has lent itself to be of significance to America’s Heritage,” Weber said.
They will also present the themes that will coincide with the statement.
Weber said they would like the community’s input to make sure they did not miss anything that would be significant to the region.
“The last thing we will talk about is the boundary of the proposed National Heritage Area,” Weber said.
Weber added the boundaries can still change even when it is going through Congress.
There are 50 heritage areas across the country and they all have seen an economic boost after they were designated.
“Businesses have come to those areas and new residents have moved into the area because they are interested in the history of the place they are going to reside. They consider those things amenities that drive businesses into communities,” Weber said.
The meetings will take place on Wednesday, January 30 at the Black Eagle Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m. and on Thursday, January 31 at the Montana Agricultural Center in Fort Benton from 6 to 8 p.m.
For more information about the Upper Missouri River Heritage Area, click here.
