At the same time, so many jobs and so many small businesses dependent on them have been lost. Tax bases have been eroded. Heritage Tourism can be part of the answer for future economic development. In some states this is the fast growing industry.

We are betting that visitors will pay good money to hear the story of a South they are much less familiar with—one where communities pitched in capital to start a cotton mill, places where money was scarce, labors were long —but there was still time for enjoying a new fiddle tune or brass band concert, for yelling at a ball game, for sitting on the porch or for "pounding" a neighbor in need. Remember, there would be no NASCAR today without that beaten track from moonshiner to mill hill via that fast driving bootlegger.

The Initiative is committed to building a strong Textile Heritage Tourism Network to promote museums, exhibits and historic sites which interpret this history as well as the small businesses which they encourage. Next year we want to see work begin on a "Textile Heritage Trails" guidebook for visitors to the region.