Tom Harkin: “I rise as cosponsor of America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership Act of 1996. This bill would establish America's…”

“I rise as cosponsor of America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership Act of 1996. This bill would establish America's Agricultural Heritage Partnership in northeast Iowa in order to promote the story of agriculture in our Nation's rich history. A few years ago, leaders from Waterloo and other communities in northeast Iowa developed an initiative called Silos and Smokestacks. Silos and Smokestacks is a private organization that has worked to remodel and renovate old, and often abandoned, buildings in Waterloo. This effort is a wonderful example of communities and concerned citizens working together to preserve a unique part of American history. The hard work by Silos and Smokestacks has provided the foundation for a unique heritage park that would combine the stories of our Nation's agricultural and industrial development. In the past, the focus of the National Park Service has been to create and administer the so-called natural areas, commonly known as our National Park System. A heritage park involves local, State, Federal, and private interests in recognizing and preserving sites of cultural and historical significance. Heritage areas are something like a large interactive museum in which people have the opportunity to gain firsthand knowledge of an important facet of our Nation's history. The National Park Service has determined that northeast Iowa is an ideal location for a heritage park.”