Special designation sought

July 18, 2006

By JOEL DAVIDSON/Frontiersman

PALMER - History is carved into, and pokes out of, the Mat-Su.

Likewise, across the country, natural and cultural landscapes weave together, revealing the many ways people inhabit and work their corners of the Earth.

Certain pockets of the country are so compelling as to become national treasures. These are often places where legendary battles raged, or where culture and invention so defined the landscape that they marked the nation's identity.

On Thursday, a group of Mat-Su Borough citizens are set to gather in downtown Palmer to discuss whether portions of the Valley qualify as significant enough to become one of less than 30 National Heritage Areas across the United States.

Fran Seager-Boss, the Mat-Su Borough's cultural resources specialist, thinks the Mat-Su's unique blend of history and natural beauty make it a prime candidate for the national designation.

&#8220We just have to see if we can make a good enough argument for it,” she said Monday.

From original Native Alaskan sites and early homesteaders and gold-miners, to the Great Depression-era farmers who settled Palmer in the 1930s, Seager-Boss said she is hopeful that the Valley's history will be recognized by the U.S. Congress.

Efforts to explore the project are funded through a combination of state grants and local contributions from Palmer and the Mat-Su Borough.

Eric Noll is helping Seager-Boss. Up from Washington State University, Noll is temporarily working to research local spots that might qualify as National Heritage Areas.

Noll is pursuing his doctoral degree in urban design and planning and was an integral player in helping the city of Palmer draft its Comprehensive Plan for future development.

&#8220The borough is not short on rich history by any means,” Noll explained. &#8220However, we are trying to get a better understanding of how this rich history and national resources mesh with the National Heritage Area criteria.”

To date, only 27 National Heritage Areas exist in the country, and most of them are east of the Mississippi River, where Civil War and Revolutionary War battlefields dot the landscape.

Traditionally, the nation has viewed the East as historical and the West as wilderness, Noll said. That's slowly changing, however, which bodes well for the Valley's chances of establishing a National Heritage Area.

If the Mat-Su succeeds in convincing Congress to approve such a site, it would allow local officials, organizations, and nonprofits to work with the National Park Service in implementing heritage-area activities. These might include regional visitor centers, recreational trails and educational outreach.

The designation also comes with limited technical and financial assistance from the National Park Service, while allowing local bodies and individuals to retain control of their land.

The Mat-Su still has a way to go before realizing a National Heritage Area. The next step is Thursday's meeting, where Seager-Boss hopes to hear from a range of farmers, historians, geological and recreational groups, and members of the tourism industry.

&#8220We are looking for more people to participate in this process,” she said. &#8220We want a diverse group that will help us determine the boundaries of a National Heritage Area designation.”

Since 1916, the National Park Service has been the federal agency responsible for preserving nationally significant natural and historic resources for present and future generations. Heritage areas allow the Park Service to fulfill this mission without acquiring or managing more land.

The meeting Thursday, which is open to the public, begins at 6 p.m. in the Gold Miners Hotel. For more information, call Seager-Boss at 745-9859 or 745-9655.

Contact Joel Davidson at

352-2266 or joel.davidson@ frontiersman.com.