Heritage, Arts & Culture Task Force

Report from the Heritage, Arts & Culture Task Force 

Purpose Statement for Heritage, Arts & Culture 

Athens County’s heritage, arts, and culture are strong assets for our county’s future. Athens County will work collaboratively to identify, celebrate, promote, and preserve our county’s cultural resources and will create a sustainable plan to nurture and enhance Athens County as a center of excellence of diverse art and culture. 

Athens County will build on the strengths of the area and its residents and seek to:

1. Preserve its historic architecture, farms and viewsheds
2. Preserve its natural beauty as it creates an inspiring and ideal environment to nurture creative endeavors
3. Foster the growth of art and culture in all geographic parts of the county to enhance the quality of life and to provide opportunities for education and interaction
4. Support the creation of public art as a creative expression and therefore “branding’ of our community.
    

Assessment Report of Current Situation 

Little attention was given in previous land use plans to the role and the importance of heritage, arts & culture. These are powerful builders of community and greatly contribute to the quality of life for all county residents. They shall have a place in the current land use plan. 

An inventory of existing art spaces (galleries, studios, performance spaces, etc.) should be mapped as part of the County’s GIS mapping system. 

An inventory of existing historic sites, viewsheds, cultural and archeological sites and farms should be mapped as part of the County’s GIS mapping system.  

Endangered sites should be identified and ranked.

Historical Perspective

 In Athens County, after the boom and bust of the industries (i.e., coal, clay, timber, etc.) that began in the 1800’s and diminished after World War II, there was a migration from the area as people left in search of jobs.   

Forty years ago, there was little appreciation for the history, culture and related sites in the area.  Townships and towns that had thrived during the 1800’s and early half of the 20^th Century lost people, farms, school buildings, and businesses as structures and historic sites fell into disrepair.   

In the 1970’s, there was a reversal of this as people moved back into the area during the “back to the land” movement.  It was during this time that the arts began to flourish. Some projects began to renovate such sites as the Dairy Barn and Stuart’s Opera House, to name a few.  The growth of the arts and related activities has continued to this day. 

More recently, the trend to preserve and appreciate heritage and culture, has gained even more momentum, as sites such as Eclipse Company Town, The Ridges and Big Chimney began to be restored. 

Today people are beginning to value their history and there have been successes in preserving structures and sites. Sadly, however, many sites and structures are still endangered.  In addition, little or no value has been placed on the importance of prehistoric  sites (i.e., Native American mounds).  Many have been lost to decay or changes in land use (i.e., sub-development creation).
 

 Key Questions 

1. How can we protect communities, buildings, sites, and viewsheds in danger?
2. How does the county prioritize the importance of buildings in danger of collapse/ destruction, or places in danger of being logged or someway altered in sub-development creation and other land use changes?
3. Can there be tax incentives to re-purpose old buildings?
4. Can we stop the destruction of Native American Mounds?
5. Can we incorporate
   1. more public art and historic markers in our communities and along roadways and trails?
   2. More signage at Stroud’s Run (history of the park; where the houses were.)
   3. Significant architectural sites in Amesville: Beasley’s Mill, for example.
6. Can we create tax incentives for the arts and/or create Arts Districts?
   1. Idea: Build an Art “Village “at The Dairy Barn to house art workshops.
7. Can we build an outdoor amphitheatre (at Stroud’s Run or the Fairground)
8. Can we designate scenic byways?
9. Can we seek designation as a National Heritage Corridor?
10. Can we encourage walking tours in small towns?
11. Can we establish a County Cultural Commission to advance HAC goals? 
12. Can we encourage individual estate and land conservancy planning to protect historic farms and viewsheds?
13. Can we develop a viable arts incubator to further the growth of art and culture?
14. Can we create open, friendly, and accessible epicenters of art and culture that will encourage diverse regional and county audiences?
15. Can we partner with Ohio University and Hocking College in endeavors to protect and promote art and culture?
16. Can we nourish the rich Appalachian culture of the region by sharing the stories of its heritage?