Salem Receives Heritage All-Star Community Designation
Salem, OR (PRWEB) September 20, 2013 -- Salem has been designated by the Oregon Heritage Commission as an “Oregon Heritage All-Star Community.” The commission created the All-Star program to recognize the strong efforts by Oregon communities to broadly preserve and develop heritage resources.
An All-Star designation requires that communities meet at least 15 of 20 criteria related to local heritage. Salem meets 18 of the 20 criteria – the highest number of criteria of any Heritage All-Star community to date. The criteria include heritage tourism efforts, historic preservation programs, photo and document archives, museums, historic cemeteries and more.
“This designation recognizes Salem's commitment to its heritage and is evidence of the substantial artistic and cultural assets and events that Salem has to offer. Salem should be viewed as a cultural and heritage destination, for here you can experience some of the finest heritage sites anywhere, high quality arts programming and the largest art fair in Oregon,” stated Salem Mayor Anna Peterson.
Additional outstanding heritage sites in Salem include The Willamette Heritage Center at the Mill, a 5-acre campus which houses numerous early settlement buildings including the Thomas Kay Woolen Mill; Historic Deepwood Estate, an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian located on 4.5 acres of lush gardens and nature trails; and the new Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health – a one-of-a-kind museum located in the historic Kirkbride building where the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was filmed. The Salem area is also home to more than 25 wineries, numerous art galleries and award-winning restaurants.
"Salem is one of a handful of Oregon communities that have proven they meet the designation criteria,” said Kyle Jansson, coordinator for the Oregon Heritage Commission. “We applaud the city, its cultural and heritage organizations, its businesses and its residents for their efforts to date and look forward to supporting them in the future."
Technical assistance will be provided to Salem and other all-star communities to sustain and expand the heritage offerings and facilities. To learn more, visit http://www.oregonheritage.org.
Kuri Gill, Oregon Heritage Commission, http://www.oregonheritage.org, 503-986-0685, [email protected]
Share this article