MISSION STATEMENT:
The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area promotes the stewardship of our historic, cultural, and natural Civil War resources, encourages superior visitor experiences, and stimulates tourism, economic prosperity, and educational development, thereby improving the quality of life of our community for the benefit of both residents and visitors.
About the Heritage Area
The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area participates in the Maryland Heritage Areas Program, which encourages a region's residents, businesses, governments and nonprofit organizations to join together in broad-based, public-private partnerships to preserve, enhance, promote and celebrate their historic, cultural and natural resources. Operating under the auspices of the Tourism Council of Frederick County, Inc., a not-for-profit organization, the Heart of the Civil War is guided by a 21-member Advisory board comprised of representatives of local government units, state and national parks, and private organizations from all three heritage area counties: Carroll, Frederick, and Washington. The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area Director is Elizabeth Scott Shatto, who also serves as Coordinator of the Frederick Historic Sites Consortium.
Management and marketing of the heritage area is overseen by a three-county partnership with staff housed at the Tourism Council of Frederick County, Inc. Nonprofits and local governments through creative partnerships undertake development and enhancement of heritage tourism products in the Heart of the Civil War, guided by the heritage area Management Plan, and often with grant funding made possible through the Maryland Heritage Area Authority.
A number of other initiatives and programs complement and work in concert with the Heart of the Civil War Heritage area, including the Catoctin Mountain National Scenic Byway, the Historic National Road, the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Water Trails, and the Journey Through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area.
