Hello, This posting is off-topic to some extent, but not in all ways. For those of you who do not know me my name is Marla. I am currently employed by the state of Ohio as an Interpreter at a historical site. Our site has a house and outbuildings, circa 1815, as well as a museum and working canal boat. We offer, throughout our seven month season, tours to literally thousands of school children and adults. At Johnston Farm you can experience what life was like in the early 1800's in Ohio, find out about the clash of cultures - Native and European - that formed our nation and the ways that clash was resolved, as well as ride a canal boat pulled by mules just as it would have been in 1825 or so. Why am I mentioning all of this? Because in Ohio - as well as other states facing a budget crisis - all of these things are in jeopardy. Our budget has been cut by a third and many of the wonderful events we had planned for the coming summer have been axed. As of now, our site is safe! from closing, but there are many other wonderful sites in the state of Ohio that may have to close their doors, perhaps never to reopen. I decided to write this letter and send it out to as many geneology and other lists with an interest in history as I could for several reasons. One is to move you to action. The other is to simply make you more aware of the living history programs in your own area. Whether you are in Ohio or Kentucky or some other state, their are living history sites at stake. If we do not support them, some will vanish. Can you imagine our country without a Williamsburg or Mount Vernon? I do not know that these major sites are in any jeopardy - though all historic sites struggle constantly to find enough money to keep operating - but the 'Mount Vernon' or 'Williamsburg' of your own smaller area may be in jeopardy. I am writing to ask you to check it out. Find out if they are in danger and write your legislators if they are, and tell them how important you think these sites are. And then get out and visit them! Unfortunately in this country most often money is the bottom line. It! is true with our history. It is being held hostage to a bottom line of attendance and profit. If your site numbers are down and the site does not turn a profit, then you may not survive - no matter how important the history you represent. I was talking about this with a friend of mine a few days ago. I said to her, "I never paid attention to any of this legislative stuff before." She answered me, "That's because it didn't effect you directly." I thought about that. It DID effect me directly before, I just never felt the need to do anything about it. I assumed the state would be wise enough to protect our heritage without my input. I was wrong. Because of this, I wanted to make those of you who care about the historic sites in your own town and state aware and to spur you to action. Please take a minute to email or write your congressmen and senators. Please visit your local historic sites. When you think about it, most of us will pay at least $8 each to go to a popular movie, and another $5 - 20 for popcorn and drinks while there. Compared to that, paying $6 dollars to take a day and visit a historic site is nothing. And if you cannot visit, please consider a single donation to a local site in you! r area. They would be grateful and have a great use for it. I know. For those of you on genealogy lists, you know how important history is since you 'live' in it everyday. And for those of you on the other lists I am sending this too, most likely your love of history began with your favorite TV show, say 'Bonanza' or 'Daniel Boone'. "Did those people really live like that?", we asked ourselves when we were very little. "I wish I had lived then." Through your living history sites, you still can. Let us hope our children and theirs have the same opportunity. Blessings, and thanks for listening, Marla Fair Interpreter Johnston Farm, Piqua Historical Area, Piqua Ohio http://www.ohiohistory.org/places/piqua/