[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 97 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN RECOGNITION OF THE DELAWARE & LEHIGH NATIONAL HERITAGE CORRIDOR'S 
                 DESIGNATION AS A SMITHSONIAN AFFILIATE

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                          HON. MATT CARTWRIGHT

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 7, 2017

  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Delaware & 
Lehigh National Heritage Corridor as it becomes America's first 
National Heritage Area to receive a partnership designation from the 
Smithsonian Institution. The D&L, as we in eastern Pennsylvania call 
it, preserves the historic canal that carried anthracite and iron from 
Wilkes-Barre to Philadelphia. It is one of three National Heritage 
Areas in my congressional district, and it runs through three of the 
17th District's counties. I am proud to support areas like the Delaware 
& Lehigh National Heritage Corridor by co-sponsoring the National 
Heritage Area Authorization Act.
  A National Heritage Area is a site designated by Congress for the 
purposes of preserving history and encouraging an appreciation of the 
site. It is a place where natural, scenic, cultural, and historic 
resources combine to offer a landscape of stories celebrating our 
unique journey and status as a region. A National Heritage Area is a 
lived-in landscape and is administered by a state government, non-
profit, or private corporation rather than the National Park Service. 
It is a place where stewards collaborate with residents to forge a way 
to make heritage relevant for local interests and needs. This 
community-driven approach to heritage conservation and economic 
development must be preserved and grown. These sites are essential to 
how we share who we were, who we are, and who we might become with the 
next generation.
  The Smithsonian Institution was founded in 1846 and is the world's 
largest museum, education, and research complex. It has over 216 
affiliates. This affiliation partnership for the D&L comes on the heels 
of its recent merger with the National Canal Museum in Easton, 
Pennsylvania. The affiliation partnership designation will raise the 
profile of the D&L and help it better connect to nature, recreation, 
and our nation's industrial heritage. As a Smithsonian affiliate, the 
D&L will reap the benefits of co-branding, professional development, 
and customized client service to facilitate exhibition and artifact 
borrowing needs.
  Those who know me well know my passions for preserving history, 
natural resources, and outdoor recreation opportunities. With the D&L, 
these passions are one. It is my honor to share with the House the 
story of a place that so well engenders a love of nature and of history 
and that now includes its welcome into the Smithsonian family.

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