Draft Interpretive Plan Join the adventure! - Captain John Smith ...

esources of the Nation.” National Historic Trails such as
the Lewis and Clark Trail, the Pony Express Trail, the Trail
of Tears, and the Selma to Montgomery Trail were
authorized as part of this system to identify and protect
historic routes for public use and enjoyment and to
commemorate major events which shaped American
history. In my judgment, the Captain John Smith
Chesapeake National Historic Trail is a fitting addition to
the 13 national historic trails administered by the National
Park Service.
Pursuant to legislation we enacted as part of the Fiscal 2006
Interior Appropriations Act, in September 2006 the
National Park Service completed a detailed study which
found that the trail meets all three criteria for designation as
a national historic trail: it is nationally significant, has a
documented route through maps or journals, and provides
for recreational opportunities. Similar in historic
importance to the Lewis and Clark National Trail, this new
historic trail will inspire generations of Americans and
visitors to follow Smith’s journeys, to learn about the roots
of our Nation, and to better understand the contributions of
the Native Americans who lived within the bay region.
Equally important, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake
National Historic Trail will serve as a national outdoor
resource by providing rich opportunities for education,
recreation, and heritage tourism not only for more than 16
million Americans living in the bay’s watershed but for
visitors to this area. . . .
The Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic
Trail Act comes at a very timely juncture to educate
Americans about historical events that occurred 400 years
ago right here in Chesapeake Bay, which were so crucial to
the formation of this great country and our democracy. I
urge my colleagues to support this measure.
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