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In May 2008,
the U.S. Congress designated the area along Old Carolina
Road (Routes 15/231) from Gettysburg to Monticello in
Albemarle County, Virginia, as the “Journey Through Hallowed
Ground National Heritage Area.” All of Fauquier County is
contained within this Journey Through Hallowed Ground (JTHG)
National Heritage Area (NHA).
National
Heritage Areas are designated and authorized by the U.S.
Congress to encourage the interpretation of history in areas
of distinctive human impact on the landscape. National
Heritage Areas do not preserve or control any land, but seek
to promote tourism and to educate citizens on the natural,
cultural, historic, and scenic features that are a valuable
part of the national story.
The JTHG
Partnership, which led communities and businesses toward
obtaining the National Heritage Area designation, is
currently working with local businesses, local governments,
and community organizations to designate Route 15, Route
15/29 from its nexus in Prince William County, Route 15
through Warrenton, and Route 15/29 south of Warrenton,
through Routes 20/231/22 as an “All American Road” within
the National Scenic Byways Program. This “All American Road”
designation is another honorific designation that will make
federal funds available to government entities located along
this corridor for the purposes of developing tourism,
preservation, and enhancement of historical sites and
battlefields.
The JTHG has
prepared a basic Corridor Management Plan with the “All
American Road” designation to demonstrate public and private
support toward improving and sustaining this corridor as a
primary touring route. This Corridor Management Plan is
designed to reflect the desires of each town and county
along the Byway. The Corridor Management Plan draws from
existing Fauquier County Comprehensive Plan language.
In summary,
the “All American Road” and the established “National
Heritage Area” designations are both honorific designations
that do not involve any regulation of private property.
The JTHG
staff made a presentation about the Byway at a Fauquier
County Board of Supervisors' work session on September 11,
2008. The Board deferred a vote on the Resolution until
after a September 22, 2008 JTHG public meeting on the draft
Corridor Management Plan was held at the Warrenton Visitor’s
Center. On September 22, 2008 JTHG committed to minor
revisions in the draft Corridor Management Plan to clarify
the role of the Byway as part of the regional transportation
system. |