Overview

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• Overview
• Partners
• Goals of the Program
• Partner Meetings
• Targeted Markets
• Media Targets Marketing Strategies
• Kick-Off Event
• The Blackstone River Valley Experience
• (What we did and where it happened)
• Outcome

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• Overview
• The largest mobilization of culture, heritage and
  the arts in Blackstone Valley history
• 5 centuries of history in 3 days
• 100 experiences
• 155 Interpretative Programs
• 24 communities
• 2 states

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Local Partners
John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National
Heritage Corridor Commission
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Our National Partners
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Our State Partners
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• Goals of the Program
• Encourage new visitation from new markets
• Highlight the attributes of the Blackstone River
  Valley and support their preservation
• Promote the historic and cultural venues in the
  Valley - More than 50 are sporadically open to
  the public
• Increase local participation in preserving the
  Valleys historic, cultural and natural assets

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• Support sites to enhance the
• experience for the visitor
• and the community
• Increase awareness and
• build enthusiasm to our
• Preserve America destinations
• Develop further the Valleys
• Heritage Tourism product
• Showcase the improvements
• to the Blackstone River
• Create Sustainable Tourism
• in the Valley

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Meeting of the Partners at
River Bend Farm, Uxbridge, MA
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• Targeted markets
• Blackstone River Valley
• Southeastern Massachusetts
• Central Massachusetts
• Northern Rhode Island
• Southern Rhode Island
• Eastern Connecticut
• Families, children,
• Schools, seniors

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• Media Coverage
• Newspapers Worcester Telegram Gazette, The
  Patriot, Providence Journal, Metro West Daily,
  Milford Daily News, The Woonsocket Call,
  Pawtucket Times, Blackstone Daily, Valley Breeze,
  Blackstone Valley Tribune, Spencer New Leader,
  Bay State Parent.
• Radio Television Stations WPRO-AM News Radio
  630, WLNE-TV Channel 6 ABC Providence, WJAR-TV
  Channel 10 NBC Providence/New Bedford, WPRI-TV
  Channel 12
• Many TV and radio stations in Massachusetts and
  Rhode Island expressed interest in Footsteps in
  History, however, it is not known whether they
  ran with the story since we were budgeted for
  print monitoring only.

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Media Web Site Coverage Footsteps in History,
Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, WTNH News
Channel 8, WPRI Eyewitness News, Yahoo,
Providence Journal, Worcester Telegram Gazette,
Cox Communications, Craigs List, Social Web
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• Marketing through
• Rack cards
• Posters
• Lawn Signs
• Program handouts
• Publicity through print
• and broadcast media
• Contest.River Cruise on the Explorer Boat

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River Cruise WinnerCarlo Mencucci
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Posters
Rack Cards
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Lawn Signs for each site
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Program Handouts

• Total of 40,000 copies.
• 40,000 copies distributed to
• -visitor centers
• -sites
• -kiosks
• -government buildings
• -retail establishments
• -libraries
• throughout the Blackstone River Valley and
  surrounding areas

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Examples of Publicity and Paid Ads
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Publicity Report Of Public Relations Campaign
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• Kick Off Reception
• The Hearthside in Lincoln RI October 3, 2006
• Guest Speakers
• U.S. Senator Lincoln Chafee RI
• Wendy Nicholas, Director of the
  Northeast Office of the National
  Trust for Historic Preservation
• Speakers
• Edward (Ted) Sanderson, Executive
  Director of the
• RI Historical Preservation
  Heritage Commission
• Michael Steinitz, Director, Preservation
  Planning
• Division, Massachusetts Historical
  Commission
• Lawrence Gall, Interim Executive Director
• JHC Blackstone River Valley National Heritage
  Corridor
• Robert Billington, President of the
  Blackstone Valley Tourism Council

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Blackstone River Valley Experiences

• 5 Visitor Centers
• Historic homes
• Museums
• Museums, Exhibits, Displays,
• Experiential Programs
• Stores, Farms, Theaters, Manufacturers
• Recreational activities

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Visitor Center Broadmeadow Brook Wildlife
Sanctuary Worcester, MA
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Visitors Center River Bend Farm Uxbridge, MA
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Visitors CenterMuseum of Work Culture
Woonsocket, RI.
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Visitors Center Interstate Route 295
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Visitors Center Pawtucket, RI
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Historic HomeThe Hearthside
RI
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Historic Home Valentine Whitman House RI
RI
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Historic Home Smith Appleby House
RI
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Historic Home Daniels Farmstead
MA
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Historic Home John Cornet Farnum House
MA
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Historic HomeSalisbury Mansion
MA
gt
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RI
Museum Slater Mill
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Museumof Work Culture
RI
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MuseumCaptain Wilbur Kelly House
RI
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MuseumLittle Red Shop
MA
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MA
MuseumEcotarium
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MuseumWillard House Clock Museum
MA
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ExperientialJack-o-Lantern Carving
MA
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RI
ExperientialBlacksmith Forging a Nail
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ExperientialBuilding A Wetu
MA
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MA
Experiential Playing Period Piano
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ExperientialSinging Period Hymns
RI
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MA
ExperientialFiring up the Stove
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RI
Living History Program Light Infantry Encampment
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Period StoreTown Trader
RI
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Period StoreE.N. Jenckes Store
MA
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MA
Working Apple Orchard Sweetwilliam Farm
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RI
Vintage Theatre Stadium Theatre for Performing
Arts
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MA
One of America's Few Remaining Chalkware to Glass
Ornament Makers Vaillancourt Folk Art
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Example ofHistoric ArchitectureStatue of Hope
MA
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Recreational Activities Canoeing On Blackstone
River
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Recreational Activities Biking on the Bike Path
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Recreational Activities Walking in the Blackstone
Valley
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• Outcomes
• Attracted over 15,000 visitors to the Valley
• Showcased the Valley to Visitors and Residents
• Continue the National Model program for Preserve
  America
• Created an Annual Event
• Review Results and Prepare Plan for 2007
• Information obtained from site/destinations

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Comments Suggestions

• Great feedback, but advertising should be out
  sooner and put on September calendar of events
  liked the free advertising additional
  suggestions, see e-mail (Sweetwilliam Farm)
• A big success with over 100 people visiting wish
  to be invited to a part of next years event
  (Stanley Kunitz home)
• 3. Footsteps was fabulous (St. Anns Arts
  Cultural Center)
• Letter noting that Footsteps is a good idea,
  however, the Friends of Hearthside feel that
  Columbus Day Weekend is not the best choice.
  (See letter for additional info)
• Need better explanation with rack cards for
  contest instructions
• No guest book needed most sites have them
  already duplication of effort.
• Box needed for contest entries

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• Next Steps
• Send Critique Survey
• Organize the Blackstone Valley Historic and
  Cultural Site Network
• Organize, coordinate, and schedule meetings with
  various groups and organizations throughout the
  Valley to improve/enhance the Footsteps in
  History weekend in Phase II

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Thank you for making Footsteps in History a
great success!!