Maritime Washington National Heritage Area
Officially designated by Congress in 2019 as a nationally significant cultural landscape, the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area (MW-NHA) encompasses 3,000 miles of Washington State’s saltwater shoreline, from Grays Harbor County to the Canadian border—including 18 federally recognized tribes, 13 counties, 32 incorporated cities, and 30 port districts, as well as innumerable harbors, inlets, peninsulas, island coasts, and parks.
Managed by the nonprofit Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, the MW-NHA works to build partnerships and increase collaboration in order to support heritage tourism, strengthen maritime organizations, and provide a platform for the diverse water-based stories and culture along our coast.
Honoring Our Indigenous Peoples
We acknowledge that the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area spans the usual and accustomed lands of many tribes who play a major role in the history of our state. We honor and pay our respect to our indigenous neighbors who protect and preserve these lands and waterways, as they have since time immemorial.
Learn More
National Heritage Areas (NHAs) are designated by Congress as places where natural, cultural, and historic resources combine to form a cohesive, nationally important landscape. The MW-NHA celebrates the water-based stories and cultures of our state’s saltwater shores—boosting tourism, strengthening maritime organizations, and finding new ways to collaborate and share resources. Check out the links below for more information on the establishment of the MW-NHA.
Get Involved
Over the next year, we’ll be working with coastal communities to chart a course for the MW-NHA. Throughout the first half of 2021, there will be lots of opportunities for you to share your views and ideas through virtual workshops, surveys, social media, focus groups, and more. These collaborative efforts will culminate in a MW-NHA management plan, which will serve as a framework for how we’ll work together. Check out our News and Events pages for information on how you can jump aboard.
Stay in the Loop
If you’d like to stay up-to-date about Maritime Washington National Heritage Area developments, join our email list or follow the MW-NHA on social media via the links below!
Questions? Contact Washington Trust Project Manager (and MW-NHA Captain) Alex Gradwohl at agradwohl@nullpreservewa.org.