SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2004 

What’s Inside: 
Roadside Reflections . . . . 2 

www.indiananationalroad.org: 
A New Web Site for the 
21st-Century Pioneers of 
the National Road . . . . . . .2 

Capital Corner . . . . . . . . .3 

Designation as One of 
America’s BywaysTM: . . . . .5 

Power Workshop 
Participants Deliver 
Olympic-Style Effort . . . . .6 

Rogue-Umpqua Scenic 
Byway Celebrates 
Community Style . . . . . . . .9 

Driving the Byways . . . .10 

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 



The Value of Values: 
Boundaries for Traveling the Road to Success 

Most organizations have a 
mission statement. Certainly, 
many organizations are formed 
around a mission even before a 
formal structure is developed. This 
is a broad statement of the purpose 
of the organization and what it 
exists to do. 

Some groups regularly take time to 
describe a vision for the future— 
an image of what the world will 
be like as they accomplish goals. 
This image can inspire people to 
join the effort to make 
the vision a reality. 

It is quite common for 
groups to set goals 
and make action 
plans to solve 
specific problems or 
complete projects. 
Goals are the milestones 
we expect to reach at a set 
point along a timeline. They 
are measurable and easy to 
describe in reports. 

Values are something quite 
different. It’s a word we hear and 
use often, especially when people 
are trying to demonstrate what 
they have in common or where
their differences are. More than a 
simple list of words or phrases,
values describe how we expect to 
travel to where we want to go. 

Values are the frame within which 
an organization operates. Values 
determine what goals are set, what 
opportunities are taken and which
are declined. They influence the 
organizational culture, how work 
is done and who works there. 
Organizations and the people who
work in them hold dozens, even 
hundreds, of values. The frame is 
made up of a few, usually four to 
six, strongly held and unwavering 
core values. 

Organizations do not have to 
explicitly identify values to operate 
or to be successful. Indeed, if the 
leaders of an organization do not 
intend to uphold a particular set 
of values or hold their 
followers 
better not to explore that 
territory. Once
values can become a powerful
bonding force for organization
members. Values can give them 
direction and test their commitment 
to a mission. If named and ignored,
however, they can become the
seeds for cynicism. 

Identifying values need not be an
exercise in crafting careful statements
to post on the wall or print on 
letterhead. Strongly held core 
values permeate the culture of an 
organization and inspire members 
to stay on the path. Individuals 
who don’t hold the same values will 
quickly become uncomfortable and 
are likely to find a fast exit. 

Story #1: How Values Can Go Wrong 

One organization grabbed onto the 
idea of listing core values as a way 
to demonstrate to the outside world 
the worthiness of their mission. 
The members spent several daylong 
meetings working through a process 
of identifying what they valued 
about their work and the communities 
they hoped to impact. The leaders of 
the organization were fully invested 
in the process even though many 
of the members were not. 
A breakdown came when, 
after several months of 
work, the group tentatively 
agreed to a short list of core 
values that were intended to steer 
not only the current group, but 
anyone who would take their places 
for decades to come. 

The group members turned to the 
leaders and asked, “Are these the
values you will uphold yourselves,
hold us accountable to in all the
decisions we make and the work we
do, and pass on to the leaders who 
come after you?” The leaders, after
a glance at each other and a telling
pause replied, “We can’t make this 
decision. Let’s assign a committee 
to finalize the list.”

That’s what happened, values by 
committee, rather than by leaders
who would work to instill them in
the culture and pass them on to 
their successors. Now, years later, 
the story is still told within the
organization with a strong note 
of sarcasm. The original leaders 
have long moved on to different
organizations. The remaining 
members and new leaders made no 
investment in the list of values the 
group worked so hard to identify. 
Although most of the group 
members involved in the process 
are also long gone, those who 
remain tell the story, ending with 
the lesson that values are little 
more than an expensive waste of 
time and energy. 

Story #2: How Values Can 
Provide a Common Direction 

A small agency with less than 
ten members had a transition in 
leadership and began thinking 
and talking in a completely 
different way. Now, regular items 
on meeting agendas reflected the 
organization’s core purpose, such as 
how to improve the lives of clients 
and how excellent work would be 
done. The strategic plan was 
reworked to more intentionally 
serve the agency mission and 
reflect the core values. 

The new leaders continuously 
and consistently articulated the 
organization’s vision for change 
and the core values that would 
keep them on course, which 
included the agency becoming 
an energizing and effective work 
environment. They gave members 
freedom to make that a reality and 
gradually it became so. This group 
didn’t actually write a list of values 
or a detailed vision statement, 
but everyone spoke with the same 
pictures in mind and toward the 
same goals. They spoke the values 
out loud, even declared them 
publicly, and those values 
influenced individual and group 
behavior toward consistency. 

Early on there were 
people who joined the 
agency staff and board who 
did not hold the values or fit 
into the developing culture. 
The leaders did not adjust the 
values or culture for those folks. 
The pathway had been identified 
and the values embedded. Those 
who did not fit were invited to 
find their own way and they 
chose to leave the group. Tellingly, 
after years of staff turnover rates 
nearing 75 percent under previous 
management, the key members 
remain nearly unchanged several 
years later. 

As is true for any agency or 
company, the values held by this 
organization are neither right nor 
wrong; they’re just not for everyone. 
When values are clearly stated and 
strongly held, they support the 
decisions and actions that fit and 
make it very uncomfortable for 
those that don’t. 

Story #3: One Organization 
Tests Its Values 

Early in its creation, one organization 
spent time and energy to identify 
the common values they would 
uphold as they set priorities and 
made decisions. This group 
was a collaborative of many 
agencies that submitted a joint 
recommendation to a government 
body for a significant part of their 
funding. Each agency had a clear 
stake in how the recommendations 
were prioritized and who was at 
the top of the list to potentially 
receive funding. The individual 
agencies, staff-member jobs and 
the services to clients could either 
benefit or be at risk, depending on 
the recommendation. 

Over several years the process 
became increasingly competitive 
and contentious between 
the members. It became 
clear that working together to make a 
recommendation supported by all
would eventually become impossible. 
Realizing the potential loss to the
community was too large to ignore,
sought help to get themselves back 
on track and working cooperatively. 
In a single meeting, the group 
members went through a simple process 
of reviewing their organization’s 
stated values, re-committed to 
them, and were able to set aside 
the positions of individual 
agencies and give support to 
the interests and mission of the 
collaborative organization. 

The core values provided them 
the boundaries against which they 
could check their decisions and 
the goals they set for the future. 
Even though some agencies would 
lose funding, they all supported 
their common value to prioritize 
most-needed services. 


Where Do These Stories Take 
Us on the Byway Road? 

Over the past months, leaders of 
the National Scenic Byway 
Program asked staff members to 
participate in a process of identifying 
core values that guide our decisions, 
relationships and work culture. 
After a few discussions, feedback 
sessions, and sifting out what is 
core and long lasting from general 
ideas, a short list was passed 
back for the leaders to 
consider. These are the 
boundaries we work 
within, and upon which we 
premise policies actions. 
They’re sort of like guardrails 
that keep us on the 
road toward our desired 
destination. We might zig 
and zag from side to side, stop 
and check the map or even change 
vehicles on occasion, but how we 
do our work and the decisions
we make will be consistent with 
our values. 

You will see the impact of these 
values in the next round of byway 
nomination and the resulting 
designation decisions. You will 
notice the influence on the 
content and structure of our 
conferences and training sessions. 
Byway leaders, group members and 
state scenic byway coordinators 
will feel some gentle pressure from 
these values in the guidance and 
coaching from the America’s 
Byways Resource Center, the 
National Scenic Byways Online 
team and the Federal Highway 
Administration. 

It is very clear that the values 
we identified are not new to the 
program. They have been present 
all along. Simply put, program 
leaders have uncovered and 
articulated them and committed 
to hold them as guiding principles 
for all staff members. 

These values will keep us on the 
road to our intended vision. 
We will hold them up beside the 
opportunities we encounter and 
decisions we must make. With 
values strongly instilled and passed 
on to new team members over the 
years, we’ll all stay on track in 
working toward our mission and 
shared vision. 


The Value of Values 

Naming core values as a kind of 
group exercise has been somewhat 
trendy in recent years and we can 
take some key lessons from the 
stories above.
core values must be identified 
and upheld by leaders. 
The values don’t have 
to be written or posted 
to have a positive impact; 
they have to be lived. When 
values are shared, they keep an 
organization and its members on an 
intended path and working toward 
common goals. 

Perhaps your Byway group is 
exploring core values. Consider 
carefully the lessons of the stories 
from other organizations. If you go 
forward, be authentic and be bold. 
It’s an empowering journey.



Roadside Reflections by Michelle Johnson, 
Deputy Director, America’s BywaysTM Resource Center 

Byway Medley

I was listening to the radio the 
other day when I heard the song 
Big River by Johnny Cash. As I 
was listening, I couldn’t decide 
if Mr. Cash was chasing the 
Mississippi River or a woman. 
After I decided that it didn’t 
matter, I started thinking about 
the Great River Road (National 
Scenic Byway), and then other 
byways and their music, specifically 
songs about driving roads. My 
specific like Streets of Bakersfield
favorite “road songs” are Take 
Me Home, Country Roads
by John Denver and King of the 
Road by Roger Miller. I asked 
around the office and came up 
with an impressive list of road 
tunes. Let's take a spin. 

What shall we drive? A Little Red 
Corvette (Prince), a Chevy Van 
(Sammy Johns) or a Mercedez 
Benz (Janis Joplin)? I prefer a 
Pink Cadillac (Bruce Springsteen).

Next we’ll need a Ticket to Ride 
(Beatles). Now...what kind of trip: 
Is it a Drive (The Cars), or Life in 
the Fast Lane (Eagles)? Should we 
take the Long and Winding Road 
(Beatles), That Lonesome Road 
(James Taylor), Seven Bridges 
Road (Eagles), or go Rockin' 
Down the Highway (Doobie 
Brothers)?
 
There are songs about roads that 
are part of the national program
We all recognize (Get your Kicks 
on) Route 66 (written by Bobby 
Troup). Jimmy Buffett has an 
album called A1A, and he 
mentions the road in a tune or 
two. There’s Pacific Coast 
Highway (Sam Riney) and Route
101 (Herb Alpert). Michael Martin
Murphy sings Natchez Trace.
Marty Robbins has a cowboy
ballad called Billy the Kid and
Sheryl Crow sings about Leaving
Las Vegas. This list goes on and 
on. We even have a Byway with 
a musical connection right in the 
name: the Country Music National 
Scenic Byway in Kentucky. 

Back to our tour. Should we 
Take the Long Way Home 
(Supertramp)? Better stop at a 
gas station or we will be Running 
on Empty (Jackson Browne). 
Highway congestion? Traffic Jam 
(James Taylor). I'd Drive 500 Miles
(Peter, Paul and Mary), but The
Proclaimers would rather walk 
500 miles in their hit I'm Gonna 
Be (500 Miles). Sometimes you 
just need Wide Open Spaces 
(Dixie Chicks). Can’t spend too
much time on the road or I'll be 
Driving My Life Away (Eddie
Rabbit). Let's avoid Deadman’s 
Curve (Jan and Dean). Lost? Let’s 
ask Mama for directions because 
Mama Knows the Highway (Hal 
Ketchum). Other tunes worth 
mentioning: Turn the Page (Bob
Seger), Life is a Highway (Tom 
Cochrane), Everyday is a Winding
Road (Sheryl Crow) and Blue
Highway (Neil Diamond).

There are many songs about 
taking to the road to get
someplace. You could go 
everywhere like Hank Snow
does in I've Been Everywhere. 
Maybe your destination is more 
specific like Streets of Bakersfield
(Buck Owens), Is Anybody Going
to San Antone (Charley Pride),
By the Time I Get to Phoenix 
(Glen Campbell), Milwaukee Here
I Come (John Prine), North to 
Alaska (Johnny Horton) or Ridin’ 
My Thumb to Mexico (Johnny 
Rodriguez). Maybe the destination
doesn’t matter as long as you 
leave – as in Ventura Highway 
(America). Or maybe you can’t 
decide, so let’s flip a coin: Heads 
Carolina, Tails California (Jo Dee
Messina). AC/DC has a popular
song about a highway. You’ll 
have to trust me on the title—
it’s not a road we want to take 
and it’s definitely NOT a National 
Scenic Byway. 
 
Recovering from a broken heart?
Listen to Speed by Montgomery
Gentry. Leaving your lover? Tear 
off the rearview mirror and say 
Bye Bye (Jo Dee Messina).
Hitchhiking? David Allan Coe 
sings about the night he was
picked up by the ghost of Hank
Williams in The Ride. Running 
from the law? Take the Money 
and Run (Steve Miller Band).
Are you a leadfoot? Then your
song is I Can't Drive 55 (Sammy
Hagar). Truckin'? Try Convoy by
CW McCall or Six Days on the
Road (Dave Dudley). Ten four, 
good buddy. 

If you have kids in the car, you’ll 
appreciate the VeggieTales 
version of Willie Nelson’s On the 
Road Again. And don't forget
Wheels on the Bus. Those little
veggies also have Ease on Down
the Road and the necessary Are
We There Yet? 

Happy Trails (Roy Rogers and
Dale Evans)!



www.indiananationalroad.org: 
A New Web Site for the 21st-Century 
Pioneers of the National Road 

By Joseph M. Jarzen, Executive Director, 
Indiana National Road Association 

Pioneers in the 19th century 
traveling along the National 
Road learned news along the trail  
by stopping at pike towns, 
inns or by passing those coming 
from where they were going. The 
National Road opened a new 
relationship between the American  
East Coast and the West. Increased 
communication, exchange of ideas 
between strangers, and a greater 
awareness of the world around 
them resulted from taming the 
Northwest Territory with the 
first federally funded interstate 
highway, the National Road. 

While the situations are different, 
the reasons for travel less definitive, 
and the means of transportation 
more comfortable, Byway travelers 
of the 21st century still seek out 
information about the old pike 
road. Almost 200 years later, the 
The modes of communication are a 
world apart. Today’s pioneers 
have the capability to discover 
the stories, events and planned 
itineraries for their journey before 
they leave their living rooms by 
surfing the Internet. One of the 
most recent additions to the 
electronic ranks is the Indiana 
National Road Association’s new 
Web site, featuring the Indiana 
section of the Historic National
Road, All-American Road.

Funding for the Web site came from 
a National Scenic Byways grant 
matched by the Indiana Division 
of Tourism. The project is intended 
to help the Indiana National 
Road Association (INRA) develop 
a stronger marketing program 
for the Byway. After hiring the 
Indianapolis-based firm of Beltrame 
Leffler Advertising, INRA 
embarked upon the creation of a 
new identity for the organization, 
beginning with a logo that 
incorporates the Byway’s sign 
and intrinsic qualities. A new 
membership brochure reflecting a 
train ticket pamphlet and a driving 
tour brochure designed to be the 
traveler’s window to the Byway 
were also developed. 

Picking up on themes of the 
membership and driving tour 
brochures, the Web site expanded 
upon those tools to offer a wide 
variety of information to the 
public. Primary sites to be 
showcased in both the driving 
tour brochure and Web site were 
chosen based upon INRA’s 
Interpretive Master Plan. 
Additional destinations were 
included on the Web site to 
make it more encompassing 
and functional than the brochure. 
Other features included on 
the site are the interactive 
“National Road Diary” for travelers 
to share their reflections with other 
visitors. Likewise, the “What’s 
New” section is the 21st-century’s 
version of the community bulletin 
once posted around the pike towns. 

INRA designed the Web site as 
a means to promote the Byway, 
but also a way to advocate for its 
protection. Under Historic 
Landmarks Foundation of Indiana’s 
supportive wing, INRA was 
created in 1994 to preserve, 
protect and promote the Historic 
National Road.The mission is served
here as INRA’s preservation efforts, 
success stories and advocacy news
are featured on the site. 
 
The efforts to create the new 
marketing tools were long in 
coming, and will be improved upon 
with time. This project began from 
scratch with a committee working 
with the consultant. The full board, 
consisting of 20 individuals from 
the eight counties the road passes 
through in Indiana, was responsible 
for reviewing the information prior 
to release. The board members’ 
input was vital as they represent 
each of the localities showcased 
in the materials. In the end, the 
pieces are intended to complement 
one another, allowing travelers 
to learn more about the Byway, 
current preservation endeavors 
and how to become involved. 

Although our modern conveniences 
assist us with our journeys, the true 
experiences are those that happen 
unplanned. Stumbling upon a 
ruin of the past, sharing a pleasant 
conversation with a storeowner 
who saw the corduroy road 
removed, or enjoying apple pie 
in an authentic 1940s diner— 
these are the experiences that 
create memories. Through this 
new Web site, the National 
Road’s tradition of increased 
communication continues, 
serving new travelers along this 
road that built the nation. 



CAPITAL CORNER 
VIP Travels Oregon Byway 
in Take Pride RV

By Derrick Crandall, 
President, American Recreation Coalition 

Take Pride in America hit the 
road during the summer of 
2004, as key federal officials toured 
a number of western states to 
participate in public lands 
volunteerism projects and honor 
some of the nation’s top public 
lands volunteers. One segment 
of the tour was in Oregon, where 
Interior Secretary Gale Norton, 
Take Pride Executive Director 
Marti Allbright and I traveled in a 
stylish motorhome provided by 
Western Tour co-sponsor 
Monaco Coach. 

Our tour segment stretched 
between two key events: from 
the Monaco factory tour where 
Secretary Norton applied Take 
Pride decals to RVs coming off 
the production line to the Family 
Motor Coach Association 
convention where she addressed 
6,000 people. The route included 
driving the 82-mile, wonderfully 
scenic McKenzie-Santiam 
National Scenic Byway. Stacy 
Smith of the Willamette National 
Forest greeted Secretary Norton at 
the Byway’s western portal. Stacy 
boarded the motorhome to brief 
the Secretary on how the National 
Scenic Byways Program aids 
federal land-managing agencies 
that serve visitors to national 
parks, national forests and other 
sites with road and signage 
enhancements as well as visitor 
facilities. She noted that their 
efforts help entice travelers to 
stop along the routes and gain 
educational information— 
and exercise! 

Unilever, the large consumer 
products company whose brands 
range from Skippy peanut butter to 
Dove soap, also co-sponsored the 
Take Pride journey. Unilever has 
long contributed volunteers, 
materials and money to national 
parks—some $20 million over 
the past decade. On the Take 
Pride Western Tour, Unilever’s 
contributions included picnic 
tables and benches constructed out 
of 100% recycled-plastic lumber. 

Monaco provided support for other 
Take Pride tour segments as well, 
including several days of travel in 
Utah. VIP passengers in Utah 
included the state’s Lieutenant 
Governor. And once again, the 
route included travels on Byways 
and prospective byways. So don’t 
be surprised to see a motorhome 
fully decked with Take Pride in 
America insignia appearing on your 
Byway soon, offering VIP passengers 
great views of your corridor!

Funding Byways 
Operations: Teaming 
with Tourism Options 

I’m fortunate, indeed, to spend 
substantial time each year on the 
beaches of North Carolina’s Outer 
Banks. This summer’s time was 
especially enjoyable for the 
Crandall family, as we swam, 
surfed, rode boogie boards, watched 
dolphins frolic in waves less than 
fifty feet away and counted strings 
of pelicans gliding along just 
inches from the water. 

Currituck County has become a 
tourism mecca, with enough 
tourists to create traffic jams for 
hours each day along the sole, 
two-lane route through the area. 
Traffic improves in the off-season, 
both because the crowds decrease 
and an alternative route—the 
beach—opens up. 

Part of the attraction of the area 
is new infrastructure. We have 
new ambulances and fire trucks. 
We have lifeguards along the 
beach, and they perform rescue 
operations on a regular basis. We 
have a marvelous Fourth of July 
celebration, including a fair, a 
parade with hundreds of decorated 
bicycles led by the sheriff and a fire 
truck, and a first-class fireworks
display. We have a new, significant 
museum under construction, the 
Currituck Wildlife Museum, and 
a restored hunt club mansion 
and lighthouse. We’ve lost our 
wandering wild horse herd (cars 
proved far too dangerous), but the 
herd now ranges in a refuge and 
can still be viewed by visitors. 
The county now advertises in 
national publications and has a 
good Internet presence. 

Great, you say, but what does that 
have to do with byways? 

The answer is that there could 
be a great deal of connection. 
Virtually all of these visitor services 
and facilities are new—and have 
allowed us to protect the intrinsic 
attractions of the area—beaches, 
wildlife. And how did this 
come about? 

A dozen years ago, a number of 
us explored alternative ways to 
ensure needed services on our 
barrier island, which is cut off 
from the rest of the county by a 
five-mile-wide sound and has 
very few year-round (and voting) 
residents. We looked at parking 
passes and beach bands, voluntary 
assessments of subdivision 
associations and plain ol’ 
fundraisers. But all of these were 
“high maintenance” and failed to 
deliver our goal of substantial, 
dependable funding. 

We thus focused on a property tax 
surcharge or a tourism tax. The 
former was opposed by the few 
full-time residents. So area 
business leaders and homeowners 
organizations asked the county to 
impose a five-percent tourism 
tax on property rentals and 
hotel rooms. 

The result seems to be a win for 
all. Those vacationing in the 
area—the primary beneficiaries of 
the expanded services—pay for 
those features. And they pay quite 
a bit. An average five-bedroom 
house in my community rents for 
about $4,000 a week during the 
12-week prime season. That means 
the weekly tourism tax is $200, or 
about $20 per person. 

And we have actually seen demand 
for rentals increase because of the 
added services; the market seems to 
favor Currituck over other beach 
places with fewer services. 

The question, then, is about 
applying this concept to byways to 
boost interpretation, improve the 
road and ancillary facilities, and 
subsidize things like museums and 
more. Tourism taxes already exist in 
most areas of the nation, especially 
urban areas. They fund airports and 
stadiums, advertising campaigns, 
mass transit and more. In some cases, 
the tourism taxes are statewide or 
regional, and businesses along the 
byways are already involved. And we 
are enjoying some benefits. State 
tourism agencies have been great 
friends of the Byways program 
nationally. In some states, in fact, the 
tourism agency is the Byway lead. 
But could higher, more focused 
tourism tax levies provide the higher 
services needed by some Byways? 

We need to discuss this concept– 
learning more about what is now 
happening and what might be 
instituted. And we have a great way 
to share ideas and experiences 
through postings on the Sharing 
Ideas of www.bywaysonline.org. 
Sign on and react to these thoughts 
and share your own today. I’ll be 
eager to exchange information and 
join you in shaping tomorrow’s 
Byways program. 


Update: The Russian 
Heritage Highway 

You may recall that in an earlier 
column this year, we told you about 
an exciting spin-off from the U.S. 
scenic byways effort. Former Nevada 
Governor Bob Miller and former 
Nevada Tourism Commission 
Executive Director Tom Tait, early 
and active byways champions, had 
introduced former Soviet leader 
Mikhail Gorbachev to the byways 
idea and generated an exciting 
concept: the Russian Heritage 
Highway. The route links 
two primary Russian 
tourism centers, Moscow 
and St. Petersburg. It also 
passes through towns and 
villages central to the lives 
of countless Russian 
cultural and political 
leaders, from Tolstoy to 
Tchaikovsky. And it 
provides access to outstanding 
recreation opportunities, such as 
fishing, hiking and more. 

Mikhail Gorbachev sees the route 
as a tool for many uses, including 
economic development, historic 
preservation, community pride and 
increased contacts between Russians 
and those from other nations, and 
especially the U.S. We had a 
wonderful exchange of ideas at a 
meeting in Las Vegas in March, 
but we also came to understand that 
much remains to be done. Many of 
the institutions that play a vital role 
in U.S. byway efforts-—public and 
private—-don’t exist in Russia. 

Now the institute that Mr. 
Gorbachev heads has put together a 
high-level session for late August in 
Tver, a city two hours outside 
Moscow and on the proposed route. 
The American delegation will 
include Governor Miller and Tom 
Tait, myself and others. The Russian 
team will include four governors of 
states along the route and the federal 
Minister of Transport. And the goal 
of the meeting is to accelerate 
actions and make the Russian 
Heritage Highway a reality in 2005. 
Shortly after his return from Russia, 
Tom Tait will be working with 
members of the National Tour 
Association to begin developing the 
route’s trip package.

PHOTO: Derrick Crandall and President Mikhail Gorbachev 
at Lake Las Vegas, March 21, 2004. 
great views of your corridor! 



AMERICA’S BYWAYSTM DESIGNATION 

Designation as One of America’s Byways:TM 
Which Is More Important—Quality or Quantity? 

Editor’s Note: 
This is part of a continuing series 
of articles about the nomination of 
roads to join the distinct and diverse 
collection of America’s Byways. 
Future issues will supplement 
information currently available 
on the community Web site. 

In the last two Vistas articles 
about the nomination process, 
we talked to you about the 
privilege of becoming part of the 
America’s Byways™ collection. 
We emphasized the importance of 
looking at your byway through the 
eyes of the traveler, and about 
telling your compelling byway 
story through vibrant photos and 
rich content. We urged you to 
have a clear sense of your goals and 
objectives, and to make sure you 
capture the essence of your byway 
in everything you submit. 

As you begin collecting your 
thoughts and compiling 
information about your byway in 
preparation for nomination, 
please keep your eye on quality 
more so than quantity. Quality is 
as important to the preparation 
of your nomination as it is for 
the integrity of your byway, the 
significance of Intrinsic Quality(s), 
and the authenticity of the 
visitors’ experience. 

Remember to explore America’s 
Byways on the www.byways.org 
Web site before you prepare your 
online nomination. Make sure the 
story you submit is told in an 
engaging and authentic manner, 
and that the images and useable 
maps you include entice the visitor 
to “come closer” and experience 
your byway. If the U.S. Secretary 
of Transportation designates your 
byway, we will use information 
from your nomination on 
www.byways.org. In the Travelers 
Use of the Internet 2002 study 
done by the Travel Industry 
Association of America (TIA), 
it was reported that 45 percent of 
all travelers use the Internet for 
travel plans and 63 percent of 
online travelers use a destination 
site (like www.byways.org) for 
travel planning. The #1 reason 
people plan their travel online is 
to search for maps and driving 
directions. And there is a definite 
upward trend in the use of the 
Internet for travel planning. 


The Weight of Your 
Words vs. The Weight of 
Your Document 

The nomination and designation 
process for National Scenic Byways 
(NSB) and All-American Roads 
(AAR) has many components. We 
will ask you to submit information 
in a part-by-part online nomination. 
Representatives from FHWA 
in Washington D.C., the 
America’s Byways Resource Center 
in Minnesota and the National 
Scenic Byways Online team in 
Utah are working to make the 
nomination process as seamless as 
possible. We are crafting the 
online nomination to ask and 
collect the necessary information 
needed to complete a fair, thorough 
assessment of your byway and its 
justification to become part of 
the America’s Byways collection. 
We have created a Nomination 
Readiness Worksheet and are 
completing a Nomination Guide 
to assist you in preparing your 
nomination submission. 

One of our goals is to request 
information for the online 
nomination efficiently with little, 
if any, duplication. We will include 
limitations on the number of 
words to encourage you to submit 
succinct answers to the questions 
posed. Remember that the reviewers 
will have multiple nomination 
documents to review. The more 
organized your submission is, 
the easier it will be for them. In 
checking for information on the 
average adult attention span, 
researchers reported the average to 
be no more than 20 minutes, and 
some suggested the average to be as 
little as 30 seconds. Whether the 
average attention span is 30 seconds 
or 20 minutes, keep in mind that 
how you present your byway story 
is important. If you want to 
keep the reviewer’s attention and 
embrace your enthusiasm for 
the byway, you need a quality 
document. If you provide a 
voluminous, repetitive nomination, 
the reviewers may not absorb all 
the materials you provide. 

Upcoming Vistas articles will 
provide more details on the 
nomination tools—the 
Designation Readiness Worksheet 
and the Nomination Guide—and 
on the final online nomination that 
you will prepare for your byway’s 
possible national designation by 
the Secretary. We are trying our 
best to produce a clear and 
user-friendly nomination package. 
Look for additional information 
on the www.bywaysonline.org 
Web site. We will keep State 
Byway Coordinators informed. 
And remember, your State Byway 
Coordinator is the best person 
to ask about nominating and 
preparing your byway for possible 
national designation.


SOME KEY POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND
WHILE PREPARING YOUR NOMINATION: 

1. The nomination process starts 
by communicating with your 
State Byway Coordinator. 

2. The local community and 
stakeholders are important 
to the process. There must be 
community involvement in 
the development of the 
corridor management plan 
and community support for 
the byway’s possible national 
designation. 

3. It’s important to explain the 
integrity of the proposed 
designated route--from 
the standpoint of safety, 
continuity and the significance 
of Intrinsic Quality(s). 

4. You should clearly state what 
the essence of your byway is 
and how it relates to the 
principal Intrinsic Quality(s) 
identified in your submission. 
5. You must have a corridor 
management plan that 
addresses the 14 (NSB) or 
17 (AAR) planning elements. 

6. Information on the safety 
of the proposed designated 
byway must be provided. 

7. The experience of the byway 
is broader than just the road. 
Distinctive features of the 
byway corridor—the points 
of interest, activities and 
events—should be included 
in the context of a traveler’s 
complete itinerary. 

8. You will be asked to 
demonstrate that your byway 
is ready for travelers if the 
Secretary designates your 
byway. Signage, traveler 
amenities, directional maps 
and visitor information 
should be available. 

9. You should be able to 
provide confirmation of 
the regional and/or national 
significance of your byway. 

10. And lastly, you should 
understand that becoming 
part of America’s Byways, 
the “collection of distinct 
and diverse roads designated 
by the U.S. Secretary of 
Transportation,” is a privilege. 
If designated, your byway 
will be marketed and 
promoted as part of this 
collection, and the photo 
images and features 
information you provide 
with your nomination 
submission will be posted on 
the www.byways.org Web 
site for potential travelers to 
use in making their vacation 
destination decisions. 



POWER WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS 
DELIVER OLYMPIC-STYLE EFFORT 

Mayflies. A 500-year-old 
Douglas fir. An oyster. 
A hippopotamus. A butterfly. 
What do all these things have 
in common? 

Answer: They represent the 
essence of Byways in the National 
Scenic Byways Program. Those of 
you who attended one of the 
America’s Byways Resource 
Center’s Power Workshops during 
the past five months may recognize 
a particular Byway’s essence, as 
drawn by yourself or a fellow 
participant. And having attended 
the workshops and gained new 
knowledge, you also understand 
the relationship between your 
Byway’s essence and your 
responsibilities to the resources 
that contribute to your essence. 


Workshop Re-Cap in 
One Word: Sustainability 

The Resource Center offered 
Power Workshops at five regional 
locations that focused on 
specific skills to provide Byway 
organizations tools to build a 
sustained future. We hired three 
experts to join us as we traveled 
across the country, teaching 
fundamental skills that Byways 
can begin implementing. 

Over the years, through research 
and one-on-one discussions with 
Byway leaders, we have learned 
that sustainability of local 
organizations around the country 
is critical to the healthy future 
of the National Scenic Byways 
Program. After all, it is a grassroots, 
citizen-driven national program 
that is supported from the federal 
level. The America’s Byways 
Resource Center’s role is to assist 
local organizations as they develop 
a workable organizational structure, 
craft a vision and identify goals and 
strategies to realize their futures. 

In the beginning, the goals of the 
program included developing a 
national program, encouraging state 
programs, designating byways as 
part of the collection and providing 
guidance for the development 
and implementation of corridor 
management plans. Today, more 
than ten years later, the program 
faces different challenges and 
questions: How do the Byways 
that are part of the collection stay 
organizationally and fiscally fit 
into the future? How can Byway 
organizations become more efficient 
resource managers? How can they 
develop, communicate and realize 
a clear and compelling vision? 
How do Byway leaders maintain 
their efforts and engage 
emerging leaders? 

We took these questions and 
used them to develop specific, 
fundamental skills that Byways 
can start using today. It was our 
intention that the learning points 
from the Power Workshops would 
increase local knowledge and 
strengthen leaders’ abilities 
to effectively plan and manage 
their Byway into the future: 
sustainability. We want each 
Byway within the program to be 
able to exist, be successful and 
have bright, satisfying futures. In 
other words, we want each Byway 
to meet individual Byway goals 
and objectives and realize visions. 


Twelve Indicators of 
Sustainability 

The skills taught at the workshops 
supported 12 indicators of a 
healthy, sustained organization. 
(See the side bar on page 8 for the 
indicators for the three topics.) 
These 12 indicators were selected 
from a much longer list and our 
intention was to cover as much 
ground as possible for the workshop. 

Most Byway groups will not work 
on all 12 of these indicators or 
topics at the same time. A Byway 
organization needs to be strategic 
about the types of changes they 
want to make during a specific 
time frame. And after setting 
priorities for change, organizations 
will take on one or two indicators 
in a specified time frame. It is 
important to note that each of 
the 12 indicators is intertwined 
with the others. Improving one 
indicator may help you in another 
and visa versa. 

One of the key learning points 
that weaves so well between 
the three areas is the concept of 
creating and telling a compelling 
story. The workshop focused on 
the need for a compelling story, 
how to create a story and have 
others support the story, and how 
to articulate the story to gather 
support and funding. Look to the 
Resource Center for additional 
articles and resources on the value 
of a solid compelling story. 


Responsible Sustainability 

The sustainability indicators 
developed by Resource Center staff 
for this workshop give Byways a 
clear picture of where they are 
today and where they need to go 
for the future. It also helps our 
staff as we respond to individual 
Byway requests and as we plan 
larger projects such as national 
conferences, future training 
programs or specific manuals 
or publications. 

We learned that we have a 
responsibility to you, the Byways. 
That responsibility is to be 
objective observers of Byway 
organizations who are appropriate 
to their goals, good stewards 
of the essence and resources, 
and effective managers of their 
financial resources to work into 
the future. 


Action! 

Several Byway leaders and state 
scenic byway coordinators have 
begun implementing and using 
their new skills. 

• Minnesota’s state coordinator 
is organizing a session where 
Power Workshop participants 
will have an opportunity to pass 
on the knowledge they gained at 
the Power Workshops and teach 
the skills they learned to other 
byways at their annual state 
conference. 

• In Colorado, the state 
coordinator sent a survey 
requesting feedback on the 
workshops and asked byways 
what new knowledge they were 
planning on implementing or 
using on their byway. 

• The Great River Road in 
Wisconsin has organized a 
workshop to revisit the group’s 
vision and clarify the view 
members have for their future 
before taking on any more 
work plans. 

• Alaska’s Glenn Highway will 
engage in a full day session this 
October to take a step back 
from the interpretive plan to 
first recognize the essence of the 
Byway and the actual resources 
that contribute to the essence, 
and then move forward to 
interpret those elements. 

Keep other Byways informed 
of your progress by signing 
on to the Discussion Forum 
on the community Web site: 
(http://www.bywaysonline.org/ 
share/forums/index.html). 
It’s an easy and fast way to 
connect with other Byways, 
post questions and share your 
success stories. 


What’s Next? 

Those of you who attended a 
Power Workshop will receive an 
e-mail evaluation in November. 
We are deliberately giving attendees 
several months to absorb information 
and talk about their observations 
and new knowledge with their 
Byway peers and work together to 
begin developing strategies for 
implementation. Results from the 
evaluation will help us determine 
how successful we were in teaching 
skills and sharing knowledge. 

The last issue of Vistas addressed 
resource stewardship and how to 
guard the essence of your Byway. 
Look to Vistas and the community 
Web site for future products 
that address organizational and 
financial topics. In addition, the 
Web site (www.bywaysonline.org) 
has all of our previous publications, 
including Making the Grassroots 
Grow: Building and Maintaining 
Effective Byway Organizations, 
available for downloading. 

Funding for the Web site came from 
a National Scenic Byways grant 
matched by the Indiana Division 
of Tourism. The project is intended 
to help the Indiana National 
Road Association (INRA) develop 
a stronger marketing program 
for the Byway. After hiring the 
Indianapolis-based firm of Beltrame 
Leffler Advertising, INRA 
embarked upon the creation of a 
new identity for the organization, 
beginning with a logo that 
incorporates the Byway’s sign 
and intrinsic qualities. A new 
membership brochure reflecting a 
train ticket pamphlet and a driving 
tour brochure designed to be the 
traveler’s window to the Byway 
were also developed. 

Picking up on themes of the 
membership and driving tour 
brochures, the Web site expanded 
upon those tools to offer a wide 
variety of information to the 
public. Primary sites to be 
showcased in both the driving 
tour brochure and Web site were 
chosen based upon INRA’s 
Interpretive Master Plan. 
Additional destinations were 
included on the Web site to 
make it more encompassing 
and functional than the 
brochure. Other features 
included on the site are 
the interactive 
“National Road Diary” for travelers 
to share their reflections with other 
visitors. Likewise, the “What’s 
New” section is the 21st-century’s 
version of the community bulletin 
once posted around the pike towns. 

INRA designed the Web site as 
a means to promote the Byway, 
but also a way to advocate for its 
protection. Under Historic 
Landmarks Foundation of Indiana’s 
supportive wing, INRA was 
created in 1994 to preserve, 
protect and promote the Historic 
National Road. The mission 
is served here as INRA’s 
preservation efforts, success 
stories and advocacy news 
are featured on the site.

The efforts to create the new 
marketing tools were long in 
coming, and will be improved upon 
with time. This project began from 
scratch with a committee working 
with the consultant. The full board, 
consisting of 20 individuals from 
the eight counties the road passes 
through in Indiana, was responsible 
for reviewing the information prior 
to release. The board members’ 
input was vital as they represent 
each of the localities showcased 
in the materials. In the end, the 
pieces are intended to complement 
one another, allowing travelers 
to learn more about the Byway, 
current preservation endeavors 
and how to become involved. 

Although our modern conveniences 
assist us with our journeys, the true 
experiences are those that happen 
unplanned. Stumbling upon a 
ruin of the past, sharing a pleasant 
conversation with a storeowner 
who saw the corduroy road 
removed, or enjoying apple pie 
in an authentic 1940s diner— 
these are the experiences that 
create memories. Through this 
new Web site, the National 
Road’s tradition of increased 
communication continues, 
serving new travelers along this 
road that built the nation.


BOX:
THE RESULTS: A Look at the Numbers

184 Total Number of 
workshop participants

62 Nationally designated
Byways sent a representative

1 Foreign Country (Canada)
set two attendees

5 Locations (Charlotte, NC;
Columbus, OH; Colorado Springs, CO;
Duluth, MN; Boise, ID

6 Trainers: Chel Ethun, ABRC;
Susan Koschak, ABRC;
Curt Pianalto, ABRC;
Don Charpio, Bureau of
Land Management; John
Whiteman, Whiteman
and Tainter; Judy Walden,
Walden Mills Group

17 State Coordinators attended 

20 Colorado and Idaho tied 
with having the most 
attendees per state 

6 Northwest Passage National 
Scenic Byway (Idaho) sent 
the most people per Byway 

3 Topics: Funding, Resources 
and Organization 

15 State byways (from nine 
states) sent a representative 

20 How many years into the 
future your Byway organiza-
tion’s vision should stretch 

2900 Cups of coffee 
consumed during 
the five workshops


CHART:
Here are the Health Assessment 
Sustainability Indicators for the three 
topics. Answer the questions by 
charting your answers on the scales. 

For example: Ask yourself if your Byway has a systematic approach
to developing volunteers and funding contacts. If you answered,
“Volunteers, what volunteers?” you would be around #1. If you 
said, “We just celebrated our latest success with an awards dinner 
honoring our Byway volunteers,” the scale would be filled to #5. 

Indicate a rank from 1 through 5--1 being the lowest, 
5 being the highest:

Funding Fitness: Flexing Your Financial Muscles 
1. Strength of Fundraising 
A systematic approach to 
developing volunteers and 
funding contacts 

2. Funding Flexibility 
and Agility 
The diversity of funding sources 
and the degree to which an 
organization has a plan for 
adjusting if sources of funding 
are eliminated

3. Fiscal Vigor 
The extent to which an 
organization has funding 
levels and resources to stay in 
business and protect Byway 
resources over a long period 
of time 

4. Financial Endurance 
The active parts of planning 
and managing the fiscal affairs 
of a Byway organization 
 

The Byway Relay: Building Your Organization’s Endurance 
1. Mission and Plan 
Our organization has a 
mission, vision and a plan 
to make it all happen 

2. Structure 
The Byway group has an 
agreed upon and functioning 
organizational structure with 
clear decision-making and 
conflict-resolution methods

3. Recruitment, Retention 
and Succession 
The group has a defined 
member recruitment program 
and methods for retaining 
members plus a strategy for 
preparing leaders and handling
unexpected membership changes 

4. Management 
The group has a good process 
for prioritizing work, delegating 
responsibility and managing 
to completion 

 
Assessing Your Resources: Creating a Workable Endurance Plan 
1. Resource Inventory 
A comprehensive written 
inventory of Byway resources 

2. Intrinsic Qualities 
The Byway’s assets categorized 
as scenic, historic, natural, 
cultural, archaeological and 
recreational 

3. Stakeholders 
Everyone in the community 
who has an interest in how the 
assets of the Byway are utilized 

4. Resource Management 
Strategy 
A long-term plan outlining 
how the Byway will be 
managed as a sustainable 
system—-one that continues 
indefinitely



Rogue-Umpqua Scenic Byway 
Celebrates Community Style 

By Christina Lilienthal, RUNSB - Scenic Byway Coordinator 

Southern Oregon citizens 
celebrated community life along 
the Byway with art, food and 
music on June 4 and 5 as they 
pulled out all the stops to dedicate 
and celebrate the Rogue-Umpqua 
National Scenic Byway. 

Over 500 people staged and 
attended activities located in 
communities all along the scenic 
Byway. Others fished or boated on 
the adjacent lakes and rivers, or 
motored along the Byway. 
Activities ranged from ribbon-
cuttings, art shows and period 
music, to a classic car cruise-in, 
model aircraft demonstrations, 
living history performances, 
and cannon shoot to a Glide 
Community Hall art mural 
unveiling and waterfall hike. 
A plaque was dedicated at the 
historic Mott Bridge to honor the 
Civilian Conservation Corps 
contributions to public lands 
access in the 1930s. Other historical 
exhibits and displays at Glide, 
Diamond Lake and Union Creek 
highlighted the early development 
and use of the route for travel, 
recreation and forest resource 
management. 

The National Scenic Byway 
designation plaques were presented 
to the fourteen partners by Senior 
Transportation Planner Valerie 
Rodman of the Federal Highway 
Administration in Vancouver, 
Washington, and Forest 
Supervisors Jim Caplan, Umpqua 
National Forest, and Scott Conroy 
of the Rogue River-Siskiyou 
National Forest. 

Jim Caplan said, “This was a 
wonderful shared experience 
that expressed everyone’s 
passion for the Rogue-Umpqua 
Scenic Byway.” 

A special song was written and 
composed by Dr. Jason Heald of 
Umpqua Community College 
titled The Road to Paradise and 
performed live by the ten-piece 
Umpqua Singers at the Byway 
dedication ceremonies in Gold 
Hill and Roseburg, and the 
“Car Talk” art show reception 
in Roseburg. 

The 172-mile Rogue-Umpqua 
National Scenic Byway is 
embraced by two National Wild & 
Scenic Rivers, the North Umpqua 
and Upper Rogue, and is known 
for its “World-Class Recreation,” 
including white-water rafting, 
36 miles of exclusive salmon and 
steelhead fly-fishing, and easy 
access to the Union Creek 
National Historic District with 
all-season mountain resorts, 
back-country trails, forest 
campgrounds and three 
Wilderness areas. 

Partners have been working 
together to develop this scenic 
Byway into a “destination unto 
itself” since 1990 and the byway 
was honored with a national 
“Best Practices Award” in the Built 
Byway Environment category in 
2003. About two-thirds of the 
route passes through public lands, 
including the Umpqua and Rogue 
River-Siskiyou National Forests, 
the Medford and Roseburg 
Districts of the Bureau of Land 
Management, parks in Douglas and 
Jackson Counties and city parks of 
Shady Cove and Gold Hill. In 
addition, partners include the 
Upper Rogue Regional Tourism 
Alliance, the Southern Oregon 
Visitors Association, the Roseburg 
Visitors and Convention Bureau, 
the City of Roseburg, the Cow 
Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of 
Indians, and Oregon Department 
of Transportation.

PHOTO: Community-style activities for the two-day 
scenic Byway celebration included a cannon shoot 
with the Maurer family on the North Umpqua. 
(Photo by Dudley Watson) 

PHOTO: An artisans’ fair in Shady Cove provided 
extra diversity to visitor experiences during 
the two-day scenic Byway celebration and double 
dedication. (Photo by Christina Lilienthal) 



Driving the Byways: Great River 
Road Scenic Byway in Illinois 

Byway Length: 550 miles 

Driving Time: 2+ days 

Designations: 
The National Scenic Byway and Illinois 
State Scenic Byway (2000) 

The Great River Road meanders 
along the Mississippi River in 
ten states from Minnesota to 
Louisiana. Each state river road 
is comparable because it parallels 
a scenic river of economic 
importance that has shaped lands 
and people over time. In turn, 
each state river road has its own 
river of stories of settlement, 
natural history and historic 
cultures. 

The Great River Road Scenic 
Byway in Illinois is located in the 
heart of America. It represents four 
centuries of history and heritage—-
a compilation of stories that paints 
the picture of America’s evolution. 
Its 550-mile route on Illinois’ 
western border offers breathtaking 
views and landscapes that inspire 
and soothe the soul. The Byway’s 
banks and bluffs are home to many 
species of wildlife and attract 
thousands of migratory birds that 
come for seasonal visits. Originally 
discovered by Native American 
Indians, the rich fertile soil and 
waterways are ideal partners for 
agriculture and farming. Go on a 
journey that allows you to explore, 
play, shop or simply unwind. 


Unique Features: 

If you had to pick one area in the 
Midwest that reflects the evolution 
of our nation, the Great River Road 
Scenic Byway in Illinois would be a 
good choice. While the Byway’s 
unique physical features of majestic 
bluffs, hardwood forests and hilltop 
prairies dominate the landscape, the 
Byway’s premiere heritage attractions 
are also must-sees. 

•The Cahokia Mounds State 
Historic Site in Collinsville, a 
World Heritage Site, contains 
the remains of an ancient city 
founded by a Mississippian 
culture that flourished from 700 
to 1400 A.D., and then vanished. 

• Quincy is a popular stop to view 
historic structures in two distinct 
historic districts, which include 
19th- and 20th-century hillside 
mansions and 20th-century 
commercial and residential 
structures. 

• Fort de Chartres State Historic 
Site in Prairie Du Rocher is a 
stone fort built in 1753, complete 
with bastions and gatehouse, 
musket ports and king’s storehouse. 
The site depicts 18th-century life 
in Illinois under the French regime. 


Organization: 

The Byway’s organizational 
structure is tourism-based, 
coordinated through the Western 
Illinois Tourism Development 
Office (WITDO) in Macomb, 
Illinois. The Byway is organized 
under three geographic sections: 
northern, central and southern. 
The Byway has formed a citizen’s 
committee drawn from local 
officials, residents or business 
interests from each Byway 
community. The nine Convention 
& Visitors Bureaus located along 
the Byway provide excellent 
support in the areas of marketing 
and information on community 
development strategies. 

The Byway was selected as an 
Illinois Heritage Project in 1998 
and the heritage program provides 
organizational linkages to heritage 
tourism. WITDO maintains a close 
working relationship with the 
Illinois Departments of Commerce 
and Economic Opportunity, 
Transportation, and Natural 
Resources as well as the Illinois 
Historic Preservation Agency. 

The leadership of the Byway, along 
with representatives of IDOT, has 
had a longstanding affiliation with 
the Mississippi River Parkway 
Commission (MRPC), which was 
formed in 1938 to oversee the 
management, preservation and 
development of the entire Great 
River Road. The Byway plans to 
continue its coordination efforts in 
marketing and preservation with 
the larger national organization. 

The MRPC recently issued the 
Great River Road Interpretive 
Plan and Tool Kit to all Great 
River Road States. It is a valuable 
planning tool. 


Developing & Marketing the Byway: 

The last two years have been busy! 
Early in 2003, the Byway published 
its marketing and interpretive 
plan, which identified eight 
interpretive themes based on the 
national Great River Road topics. 
The Byway’s key interpretive sites 
were presented in four segments: 
Heritage, Nature, Sightseeing and 
Agriculture. Recommendations 
for interpretation along with 
opportunities for partnerships were 
part of the plan. The marketing 
element presented travel trends, 
advertising strategies and a 
media plan. 

That same year, the Byway 
created its own Web site: 
www.greatriverroad-illinois.org. 
In 2004, the attractive visitors 
guide was distributed, again 
highlighting visitor activities in 
the four categories of heritage, 
nature and wildlife, agriculture, 
and sightseeing. You can request a 
visitor guide on the Web site. 

The Byway received partial 
funding for implementation of its 
interpretive plan and is working 
on two small kiosks in the central 
portion of the Byway. The Byway 
will continue to seek funding for 
the remainder of the kiosks. In 
coordination with the Office of 
Governor Blagojevich, the Byway 
is organizing a state bike excursion 
for fall 2005 from Rockford to 
Quad Cities south to Quincy, 
continuing south through Pike and 
Calhoun Counties, crossing the 
river to travel the Vadalabene Bike 
Trail and ending in Alton. 

The much-heralded Grand 
Excursion was held in June 2004. 
The largest riverboat and steamboat 
flotilla in over a century followed 
the 1854 Grand Excursion’s route 
up the Mississippi River and 
along the Great River Road 
communities, from the Quad 
Cities of Illinois and Iowa through 
Wisconsin to Minnesota. 

The Byway continues to work with 
the other four byways in Illinois in 
cross-marketing ventures. The 
Great River Road in Illinois hosted 
a byways and heritage tourism 
meeting at this year’s Illinois 
Governor’s Conference in Chicago. 

The GRR-I will again participate 
at the Illinois Byways tent and 
open-air site at the Illinois State 
Fair in August. Besides the usual 
brochure bonanza, several byway 
storytellers/interpreters will 
perform on a nearby stage. 
Each byway is offering a gift 
basket for a special drawing. 


What the Future Holds: 

The next two years will be busy, 
too! Galena, which is a weekend 
destination unto itself, is planning 
a new visitors center. Byway 
leaders hope to support 
communities in the southern 
portion of the Byway that want to 
develop additional infrastructure 
and enhance visitor services. 
The leaders want to implement 
the first phase of the new 
interpretive plan by designing, 
constructing and erecting seven 
new interpretive kiosks at key 
interpretive sites, covering all 
three geographic segments of the 
Byway. They’re also interested 
in pursuing opportunities to 
participate in and promote nature 
tourism. The leaders plan to 
update and supplement their 
“pilot’s wheel” signing system. 


Byway Contact: 

Roger Carmack 
Western Illinois Tourism 
Development Office 
581 South Deere Road 
Macomb, Illinois 61455 
Phone: 877-477-7007 
www.greatriverroad-illinois.org 


SIDEBAR: Great River Road 
Interpretive Plan and Tool Kit 

The Mississippi River Parkway 
Commission (MRPC) has 
created an Interpretive Plan 
and Tool Kit to offer guidance 
in telling the stories along the 
Great River Road. The plan 
and tool kit is intended for 
use by the National MRPC, 
MRPC commissions in each 
state, and others involved 
with individual attractions 
and resources along the 
Great River Road. 

The project was researched 
and designed to assist each 
distinct river state, river 
community, attraction and 
interpretive center in the 
Mississippi River 10-state 
region to develop and tell its 
unique story of the Mississippi 
and her Great River Road 
using a coordinated, thematic 
approach, with graphic 
standards that will convey 
a strong and unified image 
to travelers. 

For additional information 
on the Great River Road 
Interpretive Plan and Tool Kit, 
please call the National MRPC 
Office at (763) 212-2560 or 
(888) 456-5332. 


PHOTO 1: The John Deere Pavilion in Moline,
a world-class destination, features fascinating interactive 
displays on the history of farming and food. Climbable exhibits of agricultural equipment and 
a retail store filled with collectibles and souvenirs are on the site. 

PHOTO 2: Nauvoo is often considered to be the most accurately restored and intact historic 
town in the country. Tour the Joseph Smith Historic Center and view the exterior of 
the newly reconstructed Nauvoo temple. 

PHOTO3: An unusual find along the Byway is the 90-foot-tall Dutch Windmill, which was built in the 
Netherlands and transported to Fulton. The site interprets the milling of agricultural products 
into flour and offers a unique sightseeing experience atop the levee.

PHOTO 4: Galena is a small picturesque city tucked away in the hilly corner of northwestern Illinois. A 
stroll down Main Street unveils 19th-century fine old mansions, historic homes, antique stores, 
shops and restaurants. 



2004 calendar
Send calendar entries by the 5th of each month to center@byways.org  

SEPTEMBER 
September 17-21, 2004 
AASHTO Annual Meeting 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 
For more information, please visit: 
http://assetmanagement.transportation.org/ 
tam/aashto.nsf/docs/F1835419B9CA539685 
256D3400642210?opendocument&Current 
Category=Event%20Calendar 

September 20-21, 2004 
Step Up to the Future, 
National Edge City Conference 
Schaumburg, Illinois 
For more information, please visit 
http://www.ci.schaumburg.il.us/edgecity/ 
index.html. 


September 28 - October 3, 2004 
Restore America: Communities 
at a Crossroads - National Preservation 
Conference 2004 
Louisville, Kentucky 
For more information, please visit: 
http://www.nthpconference.org/GeneralInfo/ 


OCTOBER 
October 3-6, 2004 
NAHBA 7th Annual Conference 
On the Control of Outdoor Advertising 

National Alliance of Highway 
Beautification Agencies 
Salt Lake City, Utah 
For more information, please contact: 
Barbara Wessinger at 
Wessingebm@dot.state.sc.us. 
October 6, 2004 
Byway Leader Tele-Workshop 
America’s Byways Resource Center 

Noon Central Time 
For more information, please e-mail 
Jeanine Buck at jbuck@byways.org. 

October 29-31, 2004 
Land Trust Alliance Rally 
Providence, Rhode Island 
For more information, please visit: 
http://www.lta.org/training/rally.htm 


NOVEMBER 
November 7-10, 2004 
URISA 2004 
Urban & Regional Information 
Systems Association 

Reno, Nevada 
For more information, please visit: 
www.urisa.org 

November 16-20, 2004 
An Interpreter’s Voyage 
NAI National Interpreter’s Workshop 
Grand Rapids, Michigan 
For more information, please visit: 
http://www.interpnet.com/niw2004/