NREC receives $7,500 grant from the Plum Creek Foundation for restoration of the first manned fire tower in the US
The construction of a Visitors' Center for the Moosehead Lake Region was one of the primary goals of NREC. While the original plans called for a large building with full-time staff and events, the reality of living "at the end of the road" for this small non-profit made it unfeasible, at least for the foreseeable future. We realized we had to downsize if we were to get off the ground. In 2009, NREC received a USDA grant for $253,000 dollars for the construction of a Visitors' Center. We worked with the Town of Greenville and the Maine Department of Transportation to construct a facility that would house the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce and several other office spaces that we could rent to support the building. The facility will also house orientation and interpretation services, educational exhibits, both on-site and off-site programs, interpretive trails, and events that explain and celebrate the unique natural and cultural heritage of the region.