Editor's note: The New Hampshire Preservation Alliance, together with the N.H. Main Street Program, North Country Council and N.H. Department of Resources and Economic Development, recently worked together with many other local partners to define the assets and needs of the North Country for a major proposal to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for rural heritage development assistance.

New Hampshire's North Country is at a crossroads in its history, and preservationists want to help chart a course for its economic revitalization and success.

(NHDTTD/David Legg)

The region faces the same problems found in other rural areas-loss of manufacturing jobs, lagging infrastructure, loss of population, service industry jobs that do not pay living wages, increased business costs, remoteness and isolation from other businesses and difficulty in competing with warmer climate areas due to high utility costs. Unfortunately, while many rural areas of the country must address one or more of these challenges, the North Country confronts them all.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Census, 1999 per capita income (PCI) in the North Country's Coös County was the lowest in New Hampshire at $17,218, compared to the state's overall PCI of $23,844. Carroll County communities that are part of the North Country shared similarly adverse economic conditions.

Restructuring in the dominant forest products industry and other major employers has meant losing both jobs and community vitality, while the prevalent service industry jobs offer some of the lowest wages in the state. Between 1969 and 1999, employment in paper and allied products dropped between 17 and 52 percent in the North Country. In 2000 and 2001 alone, the job stability of more than 2,100 workers was affected by mill closures and layoffs in that area.

Part of economic diversification efforts for the North Country center on its natural and historical resources. Its Scenic Byways (the White Mountains Trail, the Presidential Range Tour, the Woodland Heritage Trail, the Moose Path Trail and the Connecticut River Byway) lead travelers to treasures throughout the region. They follow the less-known roads to quiet places, bustling festivals and a variety of unique experiences, providing exceptional journeys for visitors and residents alike.

(Poore Family Farm)

The North Country offers some of the finest viewsheds and diversity of landscapes in New England. While it is best known for the majestic White Mountains, its small towns, varied forest environments, unique wildlife-viewing opportunities, small farms on rich river bottomland and challenging hilltops are major attractions as well.

Nevertheless, there is opportunity for expanded preservation activity. The North Country has only three heritage commissions, four Main Street communities and lacks a single historic district.

During its work on the North Country Regional Cultural Plan, the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire held seven sub-regional meeting to acquire input from local residents. At every meeting the strong desire to identify, preserve and celebrate local treasures-natural, architectural and historical-was emphatically expressed by natives and relative newcomers alike.

In response to this phenomena-and to the compelling need for collaborative marketing for our small and under-funded history and heritage sites, the Arts Alliance and local partners at more than 30 historical societies and small museums are developing a North Country Heritage Map and Guide which will include itineraries based on locally-generated lists.

Many other economic initiatives are underway in the region, ranging from planning and marketing projects to new services and infrastructure for business. Increasingly, strategies include smart growth or downtown revitalization outcomes.

For example, a tri-town project in Bethlehem is taking place because of a unique agreement between thee communities who will be working together regionally, limiting competition for infrastructure funds. Each community will receive equal tax revenues, regardless of where development occurs. It is hoped that this project will be a model for other communities within the state to consolidate resources and protect areas from unplanned development. One of the major long-term effects of this project is that communities will be preserving their downtown centers by building off existing infrastructure as opposed to build-out within each community in order to compete for tax revenues within the region.

As plans are developed for the North Country's future economic vitality, preservationists will continue to play a key role in ensuring that the region's historic, architectural and natural resources are part of the success story and not victims to it.