I always welcome the opportunity to meet with historic preservationists in the area.

Before coming to Carbon County I had just an inkling of the history that this area holds, mostly because of Jim Thorpe. But the area’s historical significance goes far beyond Broadway, and it is truly a unique asset.

Historical societies in Jim Thorpe, Lansford and Palmerton have all worked hard to get their towns recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Volunteers in towns along the Lehigh River like Weissport and Walnutport preserved the locks which once carried coal to market.

Some people refer to the legacy of the industrial revolution as “scars.” Scars have a negative connotation. That may be true if you focus in on the legacy impacts such as acid mine drainage from the area’s mine tunnels.

But while a scar can be a negative thing, it can also add character to a person or a place. Like Keanu Reeves said in “The Replacements,” “Chicks dig scars.”

The thing about historic buildings and places is that they can’t be re-created. Once they’re gone, they’re gone forever. Unfortunately, a lot has been lost already.

It would have been impressive to see the Packerton Yards or the waterfront buildings which once stood in Lehighton and Jim Thorpe.

In the Panther Valley, newer mining techniques have transformed the landscape, so it is hard to see exactly what it once looked like.

I’m not against reducing blight. Unfortunately, it is just not possible to preserve every building.

The difficult thing about historic preservation is that it costs more than new construction if you focus purely on the cost per square foot of a building.

But the impact of historic preservation goes far beyond just the dollars and cents of a building

When people travel to visit historic sites, economists call it “heritage tourism.” In 2010, the estimated economic impact of heritage tourism on Pennsylvania was $1 billion, creating 37,000 jobs and $90 million in tax revenue.

Tourism is Carbon County’s number one industry, and not everyone can ski or raft the Lehigh. Heritage tourism is a great thing to offer visitors — whether it’s the No. 9 mine and museum or the Mauch Chunk Museum.

People who visit historic areas spend money on hotels and restaurants.

The state also has a historic preservation tax credit which is meant to make it more affordable to preserve historic buildings.

You can’t just take people on a tour and say, “This is what used to be here.”

I have been lucky to meet many people here who understand the value of history to the area. It’s ironic that we often don’t appreciate history as much until late in life, when we have the least time to share the knowledge. I was lucky to talk with Mike Knies before he died this year at age 97. He could recall details from his time working as a blacksmith for the Lehigh Coal and Navigation Co.

In Weatherly, the collection of Jack Koehler has provided enough material to fill an entire museum.

There are so many people still living who are just as dedicated to preserving the history of the area as they were.

We are lucky to have them. They are just as much of an asset as the historic areas they help preserve.