Lonaconing Silk Mill Visit

July 24, 2000. Lonaconing, MD.---Dick Moe the President of the National Trust
for Historic Preservation visited the Lonaconing Silk Mill today
and left the tour impressed and willing to assist local
preservation and tourism efforts. After a brief tour with local
elected officials, Tim McGrath of Senator Sarbanes Office, owner
Herb Crawford, community leader Mike Lewis, and others, Mr. Moe
said, "There is nothing like this in the country and the National
Trust would love to help community leaders save the Mill".

Dick Moe visited the Mill, along with Henry Jordan President of
the Glynwood Center and Harry Belin, President of the Potomac
Heritage Partnership, at the invitation of the owners, the
Georges Creek Tourism Promotion Council and the National Park
Service-National Capital Region. The tour was part of an ongoing
effort to help preserve and adaptively reuse the Silk Mill. The
National Park Service, National Capital Region's Partnerships
Program staff are providing assistance to community leaders,
elected officials and the landowners, at the request of Senator
Paul Sarbanes and the Friends of the Potomac, to look at
alternatives for preservation and future use of this portion of
Lonaconing's heritage. This assistance is a service being
provided to Lonaconing as part of the locally-led Potomac
American Heritage River Initiative which began in July 1998.

As the group toured the Mill, Mike Lewis, Herb Crawford, Dan
Whetzel (of Allegany High School) and Rebecca Trussell ( the
Curator of the Brunswick Railroad Museum) provided evocative
background information on the history of the building, its
operation, the workers and the evolution of the industry. They
also provided exciting insights into local efforts aimed at the
creation of a region-wide Mountain Maryland Heritage area. Mr.
Moe supported the local idea of linking the Mill to a larger
heritage tourism project saying, "This region has the making for
a heritage area".

The group briefly described alternatives for linking the Mill to
the Potomac River Watershed Regional Heritage Tourism effort
being led by the Potomac Heritage Partnership, as well as ideas
for education, training, research and job creation. Mr. Moe
praised Herb Crawford, one of the two owners of the Mill for
continuing his 21 year effort to preserve the building and it's
story. Moe, said to Mr. Crawford, " Your efforts are especially
noteworthy. It's been the right thing to do".

Local and elected leaders will continue to discuss the future of
the Silk Mill with the State of Maryland Historical Trust,
National Park Service, National Trust for Historic Preservation
and others.