SACKETS HARBOR HERITAGE AREA ADVISORY COMMITTEE

PROGRAM SUMMARY

Background

The Village of Sackets Harbor has been one of New York State’s Heritage Areas (originally Urban Cultural Park Program) since it was created by NYS legislature in 1980. The purpose of the program is to revitalize urban areas through preservation, development and interpretation of significant historic and cultural resources.  Sackets Harbor was one of the original thirteen Heritage Areas, representing most of the urban communities in the state, with Sackets Harbor being the smallest.  It was intended to be a state-local government partnership in which the local government would be primarily responsible for implementation of the program supported by grant funding and advisory assistance from the state.  State staffing for the program was cut over ten years ago and state support is largely through grant funding.

SHHA Program

The theme of Sackets Harbor’s Heritage Area is National Defense based on its military history.  The geographic boundary of SHHA is approximately the same as that of the Village’s Zoning Historic Overlay District – Battlefield, Village Core, Madison Barracks.  The four Goals of the Heritage Area are: Preservation, Education, Recreation, and Economic Development.    The guidance for implementation of the Heritage Area Program is provided in the 300+ page Sackets Harbor UCP Plan (1985).  An update of that Plan is now in the final draft stage; and it merges the Heritage Area Plan with the Village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program Plan.

The actual scope of the Heritage Area Program includes Village owned resources: the Visitor Center and Market Square Park, Pickering-Beach Museum, Ft. Pike Park, Chapin Alley & Hamilton Street waterfronts, Washington Park, Ambrose Street Park, Stoodley Park and War of 1812 Bicentennial Trail.  The Program scope can also include other Heritage Area resources that are not Village-owned, e.g. the Battlefield, Bank Building, Samuel F. Hooker House, Madison Barracks.

Program Implementation

-Heritage Area Advisory Committee - The Committee is appointed by the Mayor to advise the Village Board on implementation of the Heritage Area Program. The Committee also serves as the Advisory Committee for the Village’s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP).

-Heritage Area Director – coordinates and facilitates implementation of the Program amongst the Village, non-profit organization and State partners.

-Heritage Area Visitor Center Coordinator - oversees operation of the Visitor Center and provides staff support to the Heritage Area Program and Village Marketing Committee.  There is also an Assistant VC Coordinator to help the Coordinator staff the Visitor Center and with all HA program work.

-Pickering-Beach Museum Coordinator – Coordinates volunteers and oversees operation of the Museum during the summer.

Projects

The following projects have been done using NYS Heritage Area Grants: Bank Building rehabilitation, Sacket House-Visitor Center, Pickering-Beach Museum, Samuel F. Hooker House rehabilitation, Episcopal Church rehabilitation, Stone Hospital rehabilitation.

Village Plans

The Heritage Area has also been instrumental in the development of other plans:  Sackets Harbor Green Guide – 2008, Joint Parks & Recreation Plan – 2010, Battleground Preservation Plan – 2013.

Waterfront Feasibility Study 

Click here to review the Final report