From Corbit's Charge to the Union Mills Homestead, Carroll County is home to a number of pieces of Civil War history. Starting this summer, organizers of the Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area want to make sure the country knows it.

The Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area is an organization that promotes historical locations throughout Carroll, Frederick and Washington counties, from battlefields to museums, all covering different aspects of the war. Last year, the organization celebrated the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War with events throughout the state.

In December, the group announced their new Preservation Education Initiative, scheduled to begin in the second half of 2016. The initiative will involve the creation of an online educational website, where teachers and students can access information about the Civil War and plan visits to the Heritage Area. On Wednesday, Jan. 20, the organization will host a public meeting at the Frederick Visitors Center, asking for public input on the initiative.

Kristen McMasters, grants manager with National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program will discuss the mission of and challenges with preserving the country's battlefields prior to public comment.

The initiative is going to focus on encouraging schools from across the United States to visit the area as part of multi-day field trips, treating these three counties as a base to visit the Gettysburg battlefields or Washington, D.C., according to Elizabeth Shatto, executive director of the Heritage Area.

"We're so fortunate to live in a place that still, to a great extent, exudes the same atmosphere and looks very much like it did in the 19th century," Shatto said. "A lot of students from across the country don't always get that in the places they call home. When they're here, they're experiencing the authenticity of place. They can walk in the footsteps of history."

The organization is developing field-trip schedules based on current national education standards to justify the educational time spent on a trip to the heritage area. Currently, the region is used for single-day field trips, Shatto said, but they want to reach out across the country for schools looking for year-end trips, like those often found in eighth- and 12th-grade classrooms. These trips would combine educational visits with hitting some of the area's tourist or entertainment venues.

"You can go to our historic sites, like Union Mills or the Farm Museum, but over and above that, they can see a minor league baseball game, take a hike or paddle on the Monocacy River," Shatto said. "You can still take advantage of our proximity to the nation's capital, but you can see the region as well."

During the meeting, Shatto said, they are hoping to hear from businesses and residents with ideas of places to highlight.

To further entice national groups to come to the area, the group is working with teachers on creating lesson plan content, sample itineraries and planning guides to set-up student group tours which will all be located at the newly created online portal.

Bonnie Staub, Carroll County Office of Tourism manager, said she thought the initiative was a great idea. Staub said she offered ideas for local restaurant visits and activities that could be done at the Carroll County Farm Museum.

"I think we have a lot to offer in Carroll County that people outside the area, or even people in the area, don't realize," Staub said. "I think it's a great educational opportunity that I think will help put Carroll County out there in the world."

For those who can't make the trip to the heritage area, the website will also feature pieces developed in the past to raise awareness of the Heritage Area and educate students about the Civil War, including the Emmy award-winning documentary "Maryland's Heart of the Civil War," created for Maryland Public Television in 2012.

The site will also feature a digital flip book of film clips that were cut from the documentary for time, including voiceover narratives of primary sources, and a link to the website Crossroads of War with videos, maps and images of the Civil War, allowing digital tours of many Maryland Civil War locations.

In addition to input at the meeting, the organizers are looking for insight from teachers on planning field trips in the area. Teachers may answer their questions at www.surveymonkey.com/r/QPW3PRP. Prior to the launch of the initiative, organizers will post curriculum materials, invite teachers to test content and host a second public meeting closer to the summer start date. For more information, email info@heartofthecivilwar.org.

Shatto said she hopes with this initiative to develop a passion for history among young students, moving them to become engaged citizens.

"The folks in eighth grade this year may be coming here from some far-flung place in the nation," Shatto said. "In four years, they'll be casting votes on the preservation of these cherished places to make sure they're here for the next generation."

Jacob.deNobel@carrollcountytimes.com

410-857-7890

Twitter.com/Jacob_deNobel

If you go:

What: Preservation Education Initiative Public Meeting

When: 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20

Where: 151 S. East St., Frederick

For more information: Email info@heartofthecivilwar.org.