A-State Heritage Sites Launches Pursuit of National Designation: Public to Participate
JONESBORO – The Arkansas State University Heritage Sites, established more than a quarter century ago, is pursuing designation as a National Heritage Area.
A program committee has been established for this purpose and a feasibility study will be conducted.
“The Delta region has a rich heritage. It’s full of stories that deserve to be told on a national scale,” said Adam Long, director of the A-State Heritage Sites.
Community meetings are being conducted to assist in defining these nationally significant stories and to inform the public about the process.
“A National Heritage Area designation would build on the work that Arkansas State University has done alongside community partners throughout the Delta. It would keep the local communities in charge of their own stories but would bring federal resources in to aid them. It would be a beneficial next step for the region, and we invite the communities in to learn more,” continued Long.
The public is invited to attend the in-person community meeting to find out more about the process and discuss the places, natural resources, and history that create the Arkansas Delta area.
The first informational meeting will be held from 10 until 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, at Beth El Heritage Hall, located at 406 Perry St. in Helena. The second meeting will be from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, at the University of Monticello Student Success Center, located at 350 University Dr. in Monticello.
Additional public meetings will be held elsewhere in the Delta throughout the year. 
Tourists visit Lakeport Plantation, which is one of the A-State Heritage Sites the public is welcome to visit.
