Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, Florence, AL, USA

The first National Heritage Area in Alabama, MSNHA preserves and promotes cultural heritage in six counties of the Tennessee River basin.

The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area, with offices at the University of North Alabama, was officially designated by Congress in 2009. It spans across six counties within the Tennessee River waterbasin of North Alabama and was developed to help preserve the history of this region.

MSNHA began to take form in 1993, following a visionary community event, "Muscle Shoals Reconsidered." During this conference, community leaders addressed the issue of how to create a relationship between the cultural aspects of the region and the area's quality of life. Following a second conference, "Muscle Shoals Reconsidered II," two committees were developed to further explore the issue and in 2000, a study of the cultural heritage of the Muscle Shoals Region was produced. This study identified opportunities for coalition building, established an inventory of assets, weighed the liabilities and validated assumptions. The study also helped better define the themes, boundaries, and stories of the Muscle Shoals region. In 2001, U.S. Rep. Robert "Bud" Cramer introduced legislation directing the Secretary of the Interior to study the suitability and feasibility of establishing the MSNHA. The legislation was signed into law in 2002 and the designation was approved in 2009.

The National Heritage Area program, established by the Department of Interior and the National Park Service, recognizes regions throughout the U.S. with significant historical, cultural or natural features that help tell America's story. National Heritage Areas are designated by Congress and must meet strict requirements. For more information about national heritage areas, visit http://www.nps.gov/history/heritageareas/

The mission of the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area is to promote cultural tourism by education, preservation and conservation of the heritage and culture of the six counties within the designated area: Colbert, Franklin, Morgan, Lauderdale, Lawrence and Limestone. MSNHA seeks to inform, educate, develop and interpret visitor-ready sites, create living history experiences and chronicle the evolution of the area's landscape, as well as to extend the opportunities to the largest audience possible.