Eight members of the Sowams Project Steering Committee met on January 14, 2020 to consider ideas for the next steps leading to establishing a National Heritage Area within the eight project communities over the next eight years. The group reviewed the progress-to-date on interpretive signage, brochure and pocket tour guide distribution, cable TV programming, collaboration with the Pokanoket Tribe and the Providence Cultural Equity Initiative, and planning for an annual signature event at Burr’s Hill Park. They then reviewed plans for a series of forums that will take place in the first half of 2020 to make the case for supporting a feasibility study with the National Park Service: one focused on the economic development case, one on the historic preservation case, and one focused on the environmental management case. The group will meet next on April 14th at the Barrington Public Library. (Pictured from left are Stephen Venuti, Diane Wilkins, Keith Morton, Rev. Charles Hartman, Greg Spiess, Nancy Moore and David Norton)