Letter: Thanks for supporting Nation’s Oldest Port

Letter: Thanks for supporting Nation’s Oldest Port

Kathy Fleming, Executive Director
St Augustine Lighthouse and Museum

Dear Editor:

Wednesday, the St. Augustine city commission passed a resolution supporting the Nation’s Oldest Port National Heritage Area project; which celebrates the maritime heritage and culture of Northeast Florida.

A special “thank you” goes out to our city commissioners for their display of support and to the city staff who we have worked with over the years on this and other projects.

The “Nation’s Oldest Port National Heritage Area” will not only be a great complement to the St. Augustine 450th commemoration, but also will provide a lasting framework for years to come that will celebrate our unique maritime heritage.

Since 2007, community members and representatives of local organizations, known as the “Nation’s Oldest Port Heritage Area Alliance”, have met to share how the rich maritime landscape, converging waterways, and the Atlantic Ocean have uniquely shaped the culture and traditions of St Johns, Nassau, Duval, and Flagler counties.

The Heritage Area Alliance is dedicated to connecting residents and visitors with the historic, cultural, natural, recreational and scenic assets of the region through education, preservation and promotion of the area’s distinctive stories, resources and traditions.

To achieve this goal, the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum and the Heritage Area Alliance have worked together to prepare a feasibility study, which requires congressional approval, in order to establish the “Nation’s Oldest Port National Heritage Area” federal designation.

National Heritage Areas do not have any impact on private property rights, are voluntary, and do not create or impose any regulations on local communities or property owners. They have been shown to have great economic benefit to communities and regions in which they are located because they collaborate with communities to determine how to make heritage relevant to local interests and needs.