Bill seeks a new special designation for Great Dismal Swamp
Updated: Dec. 26, 2020 at 5:21 AM EST
NORFOLK, Va. - A Virginia congressman has introduced a bill that would designate the Great Dismal Swamp a National Heritage Area, which could bring federal funding for historic preservation.
The Virginian-Pilot reports U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin has filed the measure, which is backed by a collaborative that includes local Native American tribes, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association for the Study of African American Life & History.
The swamp in Virginia and North Carolina is already recognized as a National Wildlife Refuge.
It served for centuries as a safe-haven for thousands of Native Americans and Black people escaping slavery.
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