About Ivcha

IVCHA MISSION

 

The Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association will preserve the past for the future of Greene, Jersey and Calhoun Counties all in the Lower Illinois River Valley.

 

We will save historic properties and sites, whether we hold the property ourselves, or it is owned by others. 

 

We will be available to help others who have historic property, find grants and technical assistance for  preservation and restoration.

 

We will educate the public at large  about our local  history (pre-historic, rural, and settlement), historical figures, and our natural resources by means of brochures, marketing techniques, newsletters, workshops,  and festivals.

 

We will fundraise, sell services, lease operations to local individuals and groups, and procure grants and loans to raise monies to fund our operations and programs.

 

We will work in committees, with both public and private organizations. We will use the skills of a wide range of professionals, community leaders and volunteers to build the protection of historic and natural resources into the planning of our tri county area’s future.

Who is IVCHA?

The Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association (IVCHA) is a three county historic preservation economic development group. Formed in 1992 IVCHA represents Greene, Jersey, and Calhoun Counties all in the lower Illinois River Valley. IVCHA is a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization.

 

IVCHA has no paid staff but is made of members all across the country. We always welcome new volunteers and members. Become a part of history today!

What is Cultural Heritage?

Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that are inherited from past generations, maintained in the present and bestowed for the benefit of future generations. Often though, what is considered cultural heritage by one generation may be rejected by the next generation, only to be revived by a succeeding generation.

Physical or "tangible cultural heritage" includes buildings and historic places, monuments, artifacts, etc., that are considered worthy of preservation for the future. These include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture, science or technology of a specific culture. "Natural heritage" is also an important part of a culture, encompassing the countryside and natural environment, including flora and fauna. These kind of heritage sites often serve as an important component in a country's tourist industry, attracting many visitors from abroad as well as locally.

The IVCHA Plan

 

Many times we fail to appreciate the power of planning. In 2008 for the first time IVCHA put forth a plan to win. The plan centers on three key areas:  Protect Preserve Promote We will PROTECT the fragile sites that are nearly gone,  PRESERVE our selected sites, and to PROMOTE our developed sites. So next year we can PROMOTE our PRESERVED sites, PRESERVE our PROTECTED sites and select new sites to PROTECT.

Heritage Tourism is

Economic Development

 

Faced with the declining manufacturing and agricultural jobs, many rural communities are seeking new ways to sustain economic growth and increase employment. Often community leaders fail to recognize one industry that in recant years has been creating new jobs, income, and tax revenues—Heritage
Tourism.

ECONOMIC IMPACT:
Heritage tourism can make a significant contribution to the local economy. Tourists purchase goods and services locally and pay taxes at the same rate as local residents, although they do NOT consume or use many local services.

As a bonus, it has been proven that the community that is attractive to visitors is also attractive to industry. Superior living conditions, good recreational facilities, a lively historic district, with civic spirit abounding, is the same atmosphere sought by industries to build new plants.

BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY:
Tourism employs people who need jobs most, such as women, minorities, and youth. Tourism often employs people who do not want technical jobs and/or those who do want to work only part-time or seasonally.  Tourism jobs are recession fighters even in national recessions, tourism continues to produce new jobs.

 

 

Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association