Above : Bastille Day , Picnic en Blanc - Bastille Day in Castine pays homage every July 14th to the French roots of the community . The French National Day is the anniversary of the Storming of the Bastille on July 14 , 1789 , a major event of the French Revolution , as well as the Fête de la Fédération that celebrated the unity of the French people on July 14 , 1790 . Photo by Susan Adams .
In October 2019 a Summit was convened to broaden the conversation with a wider group of stakeholders and to consider all the stories of Downeast Maine . The Summit was attended by 40 + participants from local businesses and non-profit organizations in both Washington and Hancock Counties . The Summit did not attempt to define a geographic scope for the proposed NHA , but participants agreed that important framing determinants for the boundary are the glacially influenced landscape , natural resources economy , and shared history .
The necessary decision about where to draw the NHA boundary raised questions about whether or not to include Mount Desert Island , or indeed any of Hancock County at all . Some people expressed adamance that doing so would rob Washington County of much needed assistance and long overdue recognition . Others strongly believed that the region ’ s heritage is so intertwined that to draw a line based on political boundaries or concerns over resource allocations would be a disservice to telling a cohesive and accurate story . The possibility of excluding everything west of the Schoodic region was also discussed . Ultimately , people agreed that a National Heritage Area boundary inclusive of both counties will bring more strength to all communities to connect residents , manage visitors , and leverage opportunities .
During the second stage of NHA development – Management Planning – priority areas of focus for financial and other support will be identified based on locations and integrity of existing heritage resources , contributions these resources can make to the story and goals , opportunities to expand upon these resources , and the local need for assistance to do so .
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