Washington, DC- Chairman John L. Nau, III of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and National Park Service Director Fran Mainella joined the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus today to present designation certificates signed by First Lady Laura Bush, Honorary Chair of Preserve America, to 28 new Preserve America communities.

Representatives Brad Miller (D-NC) and Michael Turner (R-OH), co-chairs of the Congressional Historic Preservation Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives, sponsored the event to highlight the newly designated communities. Also participating in the program was Anita McBride, Deputy Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the First Lady.

"Each community has its own story," said Director Mainella, "These stories present opportunities-opportunities for heritage tourism, education, and historic preservation. Through Preserve America, particularly with its new grant program, these stories come alive."

Five million dollars is available for FY 2006 for projects that focus on creative public-private partnerships that can serve as models to other communities to advance national goals of historic preservation, heritage tourism and education, and related economic development. The grants will encourage sustainable resource management strategies and sound business practices to ensure the long-term success of projects and the continued preservation of heritage assets. The grants are administered by the Department of the Interior's National Park Service. Grant applications can be found at www.cr.nps.gov/hps/hpg/PreserveAmerica/index.htm or www.PreserveAmerica.gov.

"Preserve America communities illustrate the importance of historic preservation to economic development," Nau said. "Through the Preserve America grants, these communities and many others can continue to invest in their future by preserving their past."

The 28 communities receiving the Preserve America Community designation today are being recognized for their dedication to protecting and celebrating their heritage. They are:

Alaska - Sitka Arkansas - Blytheville Helena Osceola Arizona - Springerville Williams Colorado - Georgetown Connecticut - Norwalk Kansas - Leavenworth Kentucky - Harlan London Maryland - Easton Maine - Camden Gardiner

Mississippi - Cleveland North Carolina - Ocracoke New Hampshire - Hooksett Keene Ohio - Georgetown South Carolina - Charleston South Dakota - Brookings Lead Vermillion Tennessee - Jonesborough Texas - Galveston Virginia - Suffolk West Virginia - Beverly Bramwell

Designation as a Preserve America Community provides national recognition for what communities have already achieved, while also serving as a way to enhance the contribution of heritage tourism and other economic development strategies to their economies. This unique designation indicates that the community is working to preserve and use its heritage assets as building blocks for the future.

Preserve America is a White House initiative to encourage and support community efforts for the preservation and enjoyment of our priceless cultural and natural heritage. The goals of the initiative include a greater shared knowledge about the Nation's past, strengthened regional identities and local pride, increased local participation in preserving the country's cultural and natural heritage assets, and support for the economic vitality of our communities. For more information on the Preserve America initiative, visit www.PreserveAmerica.gov.

ADVISORY COUNCIL ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 809
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-606-8503
Fax: 202-606-8647
www.PreserveAmerica.gov