Wheeling National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings

Wheeling National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings Authors: Prepared for: Barry Goodstadt, PhD. United States Gia Meli National Parks Service Sam Mathur Washington D.C. 500 Grove St, Ste 301 Herndon, VA 20170 Table of Contents Executive Summary 5 Section 1: Introduction 11 1.1 Purpose of the Report 11 1.2 Overview of the Wheeling National Heritage Area (WNHA) 12 1.3 Evaluation Methodology 13 1.4 Roles 17 Section 2: Overview of the Wheeling National Heritage Area 19 2.1 Introduction and History of the Wheeling National Heritage Area 19 2.2 History of WNHA and Partners 23 2.3 Chronology of the Development of WNHA 31 Section 3: WNHA Fulfillment of the Authorizing Legislation 38 3.1 Goals and Objectives of WNHA 38 3.2 Grants 45 3.3 Arts and Recreation 49 3.4 Community Development 56 3.5 Preservation and Education 61 3.6 Marketing & Tourism Activities 64 3.7 WNHA Partners 66 Section 4: Impact of Public/Private Investments 69 4.1 Investments in WNHA 69 4.2 Use of Financial Resources 74 4.3 Other Measures of NHA Impact 76 4.4 WNHA Retained Earnings 76 Section 5: WNHA Sustainability 77 5.1 Defining Sustainability 77 5.2 Honoring WNHA’s Legislative Mandate 77 5.3 Partnerships 81 5.4 Financial Sustainability 82 5.5 Self Sustaining Projects 84 5.6 Sustainable Economic Changes in Wheeling 84 5.7 Sustainability Summary 85 Appendix 1: Evaluation Legislation 86 Appendix 2: Wheeling National Heritage Area Act of 2000 89 Appendix 3: Evaluation Methodology 96 Appendix 4: Domain and Source Crosswalk 103 Appendix 5: Community Intercept Survey 106 Wheeling National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings Executive Summary Executive Summary Purpose of the Report This report was prepared on behalf of the • The city played a major role in the develop- National Park Service (NPS) as part of the evalua- ment of industrial and commercial opera- tion of the Wheeling National Heritage Area (also tions focused on iron, steel, boat building, referred to as WNHA or Wheeling Heritage). The glass, and textile manufacturing specific goals of this report are to evaluate: • Wheeling has played a role in the restoration of Victorian culture and architecture 1. The accomplishments of the program since in the nation its establishment as a National Heritage Area • Wheeling served as the capitol of the (NHA) in October, 2000 (FY 2001) Restored Commonwealth of Virginia and 2. The level of program investments and lever- was the site of the West Virginia constitu- age provided by NPS Heritage Partnership tional convention as the State of West Vir- Program funding ginia declared its independence from the 3. The sustainability of WNHA as an ongoing Commonwealth of Virginia during the Civil force in the community War At present there are 49 National Heritage Areas that have been authorized by Congress. As each Key Evaluation Questions of these NHAs reaches the end of its authorization period, NPS conducts an evaluation of the Question 1: program and reports the results to Congress. Based on its authorizing legislation and general management plan, has the Wheeling National To ensure unbiased evaluations, NPS contracts Heritage Area achieved its proposed accom- with an independent evaluation firm to conduct plishments? the evaluation and prepare the final report. This independently produced report was prepared by Question 2: ARCBridge Consulting & Training and serves to What have been the impacts of investments document the methodology used and the find- made by Federal, State, Tribal and local govern- ings that have emerged from the analysis. ment and private entities in the Wheeling area? The Congressional legislation authorizing the Question 3: Wheeling National Heritage Area (Public Law How does Wheeling Heritage management 106-291), in October 2000, pointed to several structure, partnership relationships, and distinct legacies or themes which served as the current funding contribute to its sustainability? basis for the authorization. These included: • Wheeling has served a significant role in transportation as a result of being the west- ern terminus of the National Road in the 1880’s and one of the largest inland ports during the nineteenth century Wheeling National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings 5 Executive Summary Evaluation Methodology In order to address these questions, ARCBridge This early project work was followed by a later used a structured evaluation methodology that visit to carry out further data collection and in- has previously been used in the evaluation of terview key stakeholders on the ground. The in- other NHAs. This methodology involves a three- terviews included discussions with: phased process which includes: • Individuals who managed partner organiza- 1. Tailoring of the evaluation design to the tions (e.g., various community, civic organi- Wheeling Legislation and Management Plan zations) 2. Gathering and performing an initial view of • Sites and buildings where Wheeling Heritage results has made restoration investments (Artisan 3. Analyzing the data and documenting findings Center, Heritage Port, Wheeling Stamping Building, Capitol Theater, Heritage Port, The process of tailoring the evaluation required Main Street shops) working early on with Wheeling Heritage staff to • West Virginia Independence Hall where assemble and review foundational documents. Wheeling Heritage has invested in interpre- Such documents consisted of the enabling legis- tive exhibits within the facility lation and planning documents (such as manage- • Wheeling Heritage Board members (focus ment plans, strategic plans, and marketing and groups) communication plans). Gathering of these doc- • Previous Wheeling Heritage Executive Direc- uments began in conjunction with a “meet and tors (by telephone) greet” session held at the beginning of the proj- • Community intercept interviews at various ect and was subsequently continued through sites conference calls and follow-up discussions over the course of the ensuing months. The analysis of this material also involved exam- ination of financial records, partnership records, During the “meet and greet” session, the ARC- and grants management records. A significant Bridge team met with Wheeling Heritage staff portion of the analysis was focused on financ- and with members of the Board of Directors and es of the organization including fundraising, visited several sites and communities to under- non-federal matching funds, expenditures, and stand the work and process used in implement- the overall economic impact of the program. ing the Wheeling Heritage program. The “meet and greet” session was also an occa- sion where the ARCBridge team held a discussion with Wheeling Heritage staff to identify program inputs, program participants, and various types of program outputs and impacts. This discussion led to the development of a logic model which described the process by which the program staff believed that the program was able to gen- erate impact in the community. 6 Wheeling National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings Executive Summary Key Findings Question 1 In addition, the city has had a critical role in the Based on its authorizing legislation and gener- history of the nation as the state of West Virgin- al management plan, has Wheeling Heritage ia became independent of Virginia and became achieved its proposed accomplishments? part of the Union. Section 3 of this report and Table E.1 (see below) Congressional legislation specified that the aim outlines the overall scope of the mission and of the Wheeling National Heritage Area was to Wheeling Heritage activities addressed to Evalu- preserve and to interpret the cultural and his- ation Question 1 based upon the legislation and torical resources of the Wheeling area. This en- the Wheeling Heritage Management Plan. Table compassed the role of the city as a transporta- E-1 makes it evident that the activities of Wheel- tion center beginning in the late 1800s and as a ing Heritage have been clearly focused on the key developer of industry and commerce in iron, purposes of the legislation and the goals outlined steel, textile, glass, and tobacco manufacturing. in the Wheeling Heritage management plan. Purposes Specified in Goals Wheeling Heritage Activities Legislation Preservation and interpreta- • Restoration and illumination of the tion of culturally important Wheeling suspension bridge Preserve and interpret sites and artifacts related to • Development of the Heritage Port and the transportation heri- Wheeling’s role as a transpor- Heritage Trail tage of Wheeling tation hub beginning in the • Construction of the Intermodal Transpor- th 19 century tation Center • Renovation of the Artisan Center Preserve and interpret Preservation and interpreta- • Restoration of the Wheeling Stamping the industrial/commer- tion of sites and artifacts tied Building cial heritage of Wheel- to its industrial and commer- • Grants for signage at the Glass Museum ing cial development and the Glass blowing mobile unit • Grant for the Hot Glass Road Show • Grants to the Oglebay Institute • Investments in feasibility studies to support restoration projects at the Stone Preserve and interpret Preservation of architectur- Center, Stale Communications, WV the area’s Victorian ally important buildings and Northern Community College, and the architectural history structures Paxton Zinn building • Investments in the National Register of Historic Places Nominations and Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program Recognize Wheeling’s • Investments in exhibits at the West Vir- role in the history of the

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