FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October
22, 2004
Don Short, Executive Director
Silos
& Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Office:
319-234-4567; Cell: 563-920-0955
Candy
Welch Streed, Program and Marketing Director
Silos
& Smokestacks National Heritage Area
Office:
319-234-4567; Cell: 319-404-0115
Ceremony
Celebrates Installation of National Heritage Signs
URBANDALE, Iowa—Congressman Leonard Boswell was one of several dignitaries who
attended a 10 a.m. ceremony today at Living History Farms in Urbandale
celebrating the installation of five gateway signs for Silos & Smokestacks
National Heritage Area. The signs are a result of a cooperative effort
between the John Deere Foundation, John Deere Waterloo Works, Iowa Department of
Transportation, and the National Park Service.
Congressman
Leonard Boswell congratulated the Heritage Area and commented, “I have always
been a strong advocate for tourism in Iowa and am honored to be working with
Silos & Smokestacks to provide a boost to Iowa's economy. I am proud that
one of the first Silos & Smokestacks signs will be in the Third
Congressional District.”
Other
dignitaries who attended the event include National Park Service Assistant
Regional Director Marty Sterkel, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Patty Judge, John
Deere Executive Dave Allbaugh, Iowa Department of Transportation Director Mark
Wandro, and Iowa Tourism Official Kathy Bowermaster.
“John
Deere has played an important part in both the silos and smokestacks roles in
the development of agriculture in the Midwest. We are pleased to be able
to support Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area by providing funding
for the signage plan. As agricultural development continues to evolve, it
is important that we identify, preserve, and interpret the significant elements
of our agricultural heritage to educate future generations,” said Dave
Allbaugh, John Deere Executive.
According to
Don Short, Silos & Smokestacks executive director, “These signs begin to
unite the Heritage Area making it a place. They will serve as a local
reminder that this living landscape is nationally significant in telling the
story of America agriculture.”
The gateway
signs are the first phase of signs and markers designed to help visitors
navigate and interpret the partner sites and communities of the Heritage Area.
In 2005, place identification signs will be installed at each of the 74 sites
and points of interest in the Heritage Area, and interactive kiosks will be put
in two of Iowa’s Welcome Centers, Top of Iowa on I-35 at the Northwood exit
and Amana Colonies.
Silos &
Smokestacks National Heritage Area is one of 24 federally designated heritage
areas in the nation and is an "Affiliated Area" of the National Park
Service. The Heritage Area is a 37-county area in Iowa that tells a
vivid tale of our agricultural heritage through operating farms such as Living
History Farms, museums, historic sites, and other sites throughout the region.
For more
information call 319-234-4567 or go to the organization's Web site at http://www.silosandsmokestacks.org.
A photo of the gateway sign is available at www.silosandsmokestacks.org/gatewaysigns.
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