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Following recognition by MHAA, the Upper Eastern Shore Heritage Area Council should focus its management planning
efforts on key issues revealed during the preparation of this report. The discussions in each chapter have presented what the potential heritage area currently offers visitors to the region. The process
of developing a management plan will reveal what else can be done.
Chapter 2: Evidence of the Areaâs Heritage
Historical Overview and Resources of Statewide Significance
- 1. While there is ample, visible, and accessible evidence of the regionâs heritage, architectural inventories
are not complete for each county. Caroline Countyâs survey is old, and many sites may have been lost. Talbot Countyâs survey is heavily weighted toward the heritage of big houses and famous
families. While Queen Anneâs survey has not been published, the survey of Kent Island is complete. Kent Countyâs survey focuses heavily on domestic architecture. More surveys should be completed for
the region that are balanced for all types of architecture: vernacular, religious, utilitarian, commercial, civic, high-style, and grandiose. In addition, archeological inventories for the region currently are
inadequate, particularly in comparison with other parts of the state. Lacking data across the region on structures, landscapes, and archeological sites can hinder effective management, preservation, and
interpretation of all historic and cultural resources.
- 2. No history has been written solely for the Upper Eastern Shore. Excellent histories talk about the
region, but none focus solely on the stories of the potential heritage area.
Stewardship
- 1. Only Talbot County and the towns of Easton, St. Michaels, and Chestertown have preservation ordinances.
No county or municipality has a preservation plan. On the Upper Eastern Shore, historic preservation as public policy is not as rigorously pursued as environmental and agricultural
conservation. Private stewardship is impressive, but many owners are not rewarded with income and property tax incentives provided by the state when local ordinances are in use.
Chapter 3: Interpretive Structure and Programs
Interpretation
- 1. Access to historic sites is limited.
Public access to historic sites is an issue because the vast majority of important sites are privately owned and not open to the public.
- 2. Museums need more staff and longer hours of operation to accommodate visitors.
- 3. Potential negative aspects of tourism exist and need to be addressed and mitigated.
Tourism, if not properly managed, can harm historic, cultural, and natural sites. Sensitive sites may be harmed by over-use, local roads may become clogged with traffic, and commercial development geared toward more tourists can threaten the sites visitors came to see. Any planning or interpretive program must account for such impacts.
- 4. Interpretive programs will need to be coordinated across the region.
Currently, many groups administer interpretive programs, but there is little coordination. Efforts may be needed to close any gaps of communication or eliminate competition between museums and other sites who market to the same audience.
Chapter 4: Managing the Heritage Area
The main issues to be considered in creating the management entity for the heritage area will be the following:
- 1. Structure of the council: government-based or nonprofit? If a nonprofit, independent or
membership-driven? What kinds of members?
- 2. Role of the council: granting for projects, implementing projects, providing support for projects, or
all, or none; providing technical assistance to partners; acting as advocate; providing public outreach; and more.
- 3. Sources of funding for the council: in addition to MHAA funding, which requires matching funds,
where will other funds come from?
- 4. Level of autonomy from and connection to county and municipal governments.
- 5. Structuring partner relationships, including: how partners participate in decision-making; the minimum
degree of participation required of partners (potentially including staff support, in-kind contributions, financial support, and other contributions); and maintaining or changing partnerships (what happens
when old partners pull out, or new partners want in?)
- 6. Executive and staffing arrangements within the organization: how are organizational decisions to be
made and executed?
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