Profiles of Best Practices (For an Adobe Acrobat version of this profile, click here!) Wisconsin 's Northwest Heritage Passage Community, County Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk, Sawyer and Washburn counties Area of Project Impact Six counties located on or near State Highway 63; efforts are being made to include six additional counties. Population Affected 151,536 |
Situation
The counties involved in " Wisconsin 's Northwest Heritage Passage" faced three interrelated economic problems. Many of the counties' small downtown areas were losing their uniqueness and economic viability. Local artisans and small producers were simultaneously experiencing difficulties effectively improving, developing and marketing their handmade and homegrown products.
Economic Development Strategies
The counties sought to capitalize on opportunities presented by U.S. Highway 63 as a transportation corridor in order to grow and expand existing area businesses. One of the goals of " Wisconsin 's Northwest Heritage Passage" is to increase the economic viability of existing local agricultural and artisan producers of homegrown and handmade products within the twelve county project areas. The other goal is to preserve the unique heritage, handicraft and culture of Northwestern Wisconsin by increasing public awareness and appreciation of locally produced homegrown and handmade products in order to create an expanded market for these products.
Implementation
The Spooner Area Chamber of Commerce formed a non-profit organization, Wisconsin 's Northwest Heritage Passage, with a board of directors representing producers and retailers of regional homegrown and handmade products across the region dedicated to the "Passage" project. County contacts in each of the participating counties were then identified to act as promoters, fundraisers, etc. Through the non-profit and contacts from a number of organizations across the six-county area, an inventory of producers of homegrown and handmade products in the twelve-county region was created, which identified the producer and their product as well as producer contact information.
Renamed "Wisconsin's Northwest Heritage Passage," the counties created linkages to Highway 63 in order to offer side trips designed to take visitors through small towns and scenic byways to historic points of interest, artisan's studios, craft shops, farmer's markets and farms offering direct sales of produce. Organizations worked to publish 34,000 introductory maps of the "Passage" featuring growers and artisans in the six counties of: Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Polk, Sawyer and Washburn. This map was funded by organizations in each of the counties involved, along with grant funds provided through the Wisconsin Department of Tourism Joint Effort Marketing Program. In addition, publicity for the "Passage" was also sought and articles for the project were featured in Minnesota and Wisconsin magazines and newspapers such as Simple Pleasures , Craft Connection 2000 , Duluth News Tribune , Rice Lake Vacation Times , The Country Today , Washburn County Register , and Spooner Advocate .
Partners and Leadership
The Spooner Area Chamber of Commerce spearheaded the creation of the Wisconsin 's Northwest Heritage Passage non-profit. However, the initiative was developed and funded by Barron, Burnett, Douglas, Polk, Sawyer and Washburn counties; Spooner Area Chamber of Commerce; Polk County Visitors Center; Northern States Power; Schoolhouse Productions; Spooner Advocate; Wisconsin Department of Tourism; University of Wisconsin-Extension; and numerous individual contributors.
Outcomes
Indicators of positive impact of the effort include commentary from small businesses in response to the "Passage" map linkages: "Definite impact. We've had our best summer in four years;" "It has dramatically increased awareness of our immediate community and other handmade, homegrown businesses;" "Yes, brought people here from out of the immediate area;" "We had customers come in stating they found us on the map. Great way to promote on a large scale with a small budget;" "I believe your map is responsible for my success this summer!" In addition, the "Passage" received a Wisconsin Rural Partners, Inc. award as one of the Top Ten Development Initiatives of 2001.
Contact
Alene Peterson
Northwind Book and Fiber
205 Walnut Street
Spooner, WI 54801
715-635-6811
