ABOUT IVCHA: Heritage Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)3, formed in 1992 as a three county, economic development/ historic preservation organization. IVCHA represents Jersey, Greene, and Calhoun counties, with many members all over the country. In 1994, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, we brought consultants in from both Washington D.C. and Washington State, invited local and state government officials, plus local community leaders, to an open forum at Hobson's Bluffdale Vacation Farm to formulate a plan for post flood recovery. After three days of intensive interviews, evaluations, and studies, the two consultants gave us several options to facilitate flood recovery. One involved Scenic Byway destination, or joining the Great River Road, and making an information center in the county for the Lower Illinois River Valley. Having in mind, of course, the new Corridor 67 coming down from the Quad Cities, we wanted something to attract travelers off this road and into our area. In 1995 the James J. Eldred House was donated to IVCHA by the Levis Family of Alton specifically to become an information welcome center for the Great River Road. IVCHA applied for and was granted a National Register of Historic Places designation for the house. Then a DECCA tourism grant followed and funded the first phase of restoration. This phase brought power to the property, stabilized the house, installed a temporary roof, and sealed the house against the elements. The Eldred Family of White Hall, direct decedents of James J. Eldred, painted primer on all the windows and doors of the exterior. In 2001, an Intermodal Surface Transpiration Act (ISTEA) grant was applied for and awarded to IVCHA, for the second phase of restoration. This Phase will bring water to the property; construct a barn for use as part of the visitor’s center complex, complete parking lots and public restrooms enabling us to open the welcome center to the public. In 2002, plans were made with the Simpson Family, of Carrollton, to emulate or rebuild the Robley Barn at the James J. Eldred House site. The Robley barn is a Robert Minch inspired round windowed barn which is distinctively native to the Greene County area. Our Welcome Center with attached dining and shopping facilities will bring people into our county off corridor 67. The James J. Eldred House Welcome Center will facilitate tourism for the entire three county area. It will generate overnight stays, fuel and food sales. The Lower Illinois Valley today is pristine and natural. The Welcome Center will discuss how the valley was formed and who has lived here. It will educate the public about what a wonderful, beautiful, fruitful and abundant life we have here today and how we have lived for thousands of years. IVCHA PLAN: Faced with the declining manufacturing and agricultural jobs, many rural communities are seeking new ways to sustain economic growth and increase employment. Often community leaders fail to recognize one industry that in recant years has been creating new jobs, income, and tax revenues—Heritage Tourism. ECONOMIC IMPACT: Heritage tourism can make a significant contribution to the local economy. Tourists purchase goods and services locally and pay taxes at the same rate as local residents, although they do NOT consume or use many local services. As a bonus, it has been proven that the community that is attractive to visitors is also attractive to industry. Superior living conditions, good recreational facilities, a lively historic district, with civic spirit abounding, is the same atmosphere sought by industries to build new plants. BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY: Tourism employs people who need jobs most, such as women, minorities, and youth. Tourism often employs people who do not want technical jobs and/or those who do want to work only part-time or seasonally.  Tourism jobs are recession fighters even in national recessions, tourism continues to produce new jobs. HOW TO START: SET THREE GOALS 1.Interpret your area 2.Stop visitors in your area 3.Extend their stay Where to start? TAKE AN INVENTORY Of Historic sites, and buildings, museums, monuments, landmarks, existing, or that could be developed into potential attractions.  There are also natural attractions, such as rivers, lakes, forests, wildlife, geologic formations. “Events” can also be considered, and often overlooked, such as annual festivals, county fairs, anniversary celebrations, tournaments, church dinners.  Greene County Days is a perfect example, which is an annual event and draws from several surrounding counties, and states. SIGNAGE: Get cities in area with historic districts and tourists attractions such as parks and museums to place appropriate signage on main streets directing tourists. SET UP TOURIST INFORMATION: And from the inventory of sites, landmarks, etc. create and print a brochure and /or create a website of those attractions then properly distribute and advertise these resources for the tourist. 20 CLUES TO RURAL COMMUNITY SURVIVAL: Evidence of community pride. Emphasis on quality in business and community life. Willingness to invest in the future. Participatory approach to community decision, making Cooperative community spirit. Realistic appraisal of future opportunities. Awareness of competitive positioning. Knowledge of the physical environment. Active economic development program. Deliberate transition of power to a younger generation of leaders. Acceptance of women in leadership roles. Strong belief in and support for education. Problem-solving approach to providing health care \Strong multi-generational family orientation. Strong presence of traditional institutions that are integral to community life. Attention to sound and well-maintained infrastructure. Careful use of fiscal resources. Sophisticated use of information resources. Willingness to seek help from outside. Conviction that, in the long run, you have to do it yourself.   A Middling Good Town By R.F. Dill ....This isn't the hub of any particular territory or the crossroads of America, but is it well located for obtaining raw materials and with respect to consuming areas. It has Good Rail service and better truck transportation then we like to see. Wet don’t boast the finest schools and churches-these you find in the metropolis-but we do have good schools and substantial churches which bespeak real emphasis upon cultural and spiritual traditions. There isn't a very elaborate park system, but we have mighty good fishing, boating and swimming all around. We are not a depressed area, although our people get pretty blue at times.... We really haven't the best people in the world...just some of the best, along with the usual quota of pretty ornery ones, but most of us are old fashioned enough to give a good day's work for a good day's pay. We don’t  promise the world with a fence around it in exchange for your payroll-but we are not too proud to do a little horse trading if you have a fairly good deal to offer. There is not much industry here now, which is why we would recommend it if your technical requirements are not too great. So if you'd like to put your middling good self in a middling good town, we would like to get the two of us together. Phone or Write. Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association “YOUR TRI-COUNTY PRESERVATION GROUP” ORGANIZED FOR PRESERVATION AND RESTORATION OF HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND SITES, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUT OUR TRI-COUNTY HERITAGE, IN ORDER TO PRESERVE OUR PAST FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS.

Links: Landmarks Illinois | Greene County Economic Development Group | Western Illinois Tourism | Greene County Illinois | Illinois Tourism