National Heritage Areas at Home

The Essex National Heritage Area's Heritage at Home website.

United States (April 21, 2020)

Social distancing may be in effect, but that isn’t stopping the National Heritage Areas from supporting people all over the country with fun at-home heritage, including music, movies, games and more!

Essex National Heritage Area created the fun, interactive website “Heritage at Home” to allow people to learn about the history and culture of Essex NHA without having to leave the safety of their homes. Learn about the Salem Witch Trials, the real European style stone castle “Hammond Castle,” and more.

Essex NHA’s Heritage at Home site also includes information on outdoor recreation opportunities, for safe social-distancing walks, and information on the Backyard Junior Ranger program. With this program, kids can enjoy Essex-county themed games, fun challenges, and activities designed to help children identify and appreciate what they are grateful for in the Essex community. Junior Rangers can complete these activities while practicing social distancing.

A virtual concert from musicians in the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area.

Unwind with the traditional old-time and folk music of Blue Ridge National Heritage Area at one of their virtual concerts. If you have a little extra time on your hands, and a musical instrument you always meant to learn just laying around, these concerts will inspire you to play along!

"Picking Peanuts," by the late North Carolina artist Ivey Hayes (1948-2012). Gullah Geechee National Heritage Corridor

Take a journey to Gullah Geechee National Heritage Area and enjoy a selection of Gullah Geechee informational videos, movies about Gullah Geechee history, and culture. For heritage at home with young children, check out a copy of the illustrated children’s book “Who Dem Gullah… ask Princess Anyika: Tales of a Gullah Princess,” written by a Gullah Geechee author. In this book, the curious young Gullah Geechee Princess, Anyika, learns about the history of her royal Gullah Geechee ancestors, and about who she is.

A Mountains to Sound Greenways National Heritage Area staff member, and her cat, enjoy virtual breakfast.

Other NHAs are both giving and receiving virtual support. . Mountains to Sound Greenways National Heritage Area staff held a virtual fundraising breakfast instead of their planned in-person breakfast on April 9^th. Participants enjoyed a variety of breakfasts from their homes, played trivia to win prizes, and raised $98,742 of the $100,000 goal!

One of the breakfasts from the Mountains to Sound Greenways National Heritage Area's virtual breakfast.

Follow these NHAs and others such as Arabia Mountain National Heritage Area, Augusta Canal National Heritage Area, Cache La Poudre National Heritage Area, and Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area on Instagram to enjoy fun at-home activities such as heritage-themed word-finds, games, and more.

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