Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area Evaluation Findings

Abstract

This report evaluates the status of the Abraham Lincoln National Heritage Area (ALNHA) through the work of its local coordinating entity, Looking for Lincoln Heritage Coalition (LFL). The National Park Service defines National Heritage Areas (NHAs) as “places where historic, cultural, and natural resources combine to form cohesive, nationally important landscapes” (2016, p. 1). The ALNHA was established by Congress in 2008 by Public Law 110-229. LFL was designated as its local coordinating entity at that time. The ALNHA is one of 62 National Heritage Areas across the United States. Spanning forty-three counties in central Illinois and two communities in the northern and southern regions of the state, the ALNHA is one of the largest NHAs in the country. LFL’s mission is “to tell the quality stories of Abraham Lincoln's life and times to provide high quality experiences for visitors, economic opportunities for communities and to improve the quality of life for residents” (LFL, 2023). LFL is responsible for meeting the purposes, goals, and objectives of the heritage area’s authorizing legislation and approved management plan. This evaluation was required by Public Law 11-229 and guided by the National Heritage Area Evaluation Guide (2016), a document developed by the National Park Service with input from NHA representatives. The evaluation seeks to answer three key questions: 1. Based on its authorizing legislation and general management plan, has the Heritage Area achieved its proposed accomplishments? 2. What have been the impacts of investments made by Federal, State, Tribal and local government and private entities? 3. How do the Heritage Area’s management structure, partnership relationships, and current funding contribute to its sustainability? This report is divided into five sections. Section 1 introduces the evaluation process and the context in which the evaluation is conducted. Section 2 is an overview of the ALNHA, including a history and description of the region; a summary of the “Lincoln Landscape”; a detailed description of LFL, including its mission, vision, organizational structure, governance, communities, and partners; and a timeline of the LFL and the ALNHA. Section 3 answers the first of the three research questions above, with Sections 4 and 5 answering questions 2 and 3, respectively. The evaluation was conducted by the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands at Indiana University Bloomington. The evaluation spans the years 2008-2022; it was conducted in 2023. The ALNHA's authority to receive financial assistance from the NPS was reauthorized in early 2023 while this evaluation was in progress.