Members of Federal Heritage Area Commission saw firsthand what might be in store for some of Lawrence and Douglas County’s historical sites.

The dozen members of the commission climbed aboard a tour bus Saturday morning and visited a selection of sites chosen for inclusion in the upcoming Heritage Area proposal. The group learned about Black Jack Battlefield and many other sites of historical significance in the area.

Commission chairwoman Deanell Tacha, chief judge of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, said the tour gave her the perspective of a potential Douglas County visitor.

“Douglas County has such a rich history in terms of the Civil War and its settlement,” Tacha said. “It makes all kinds of sense. I just thought ‘Why didn’t we do this sooner.'”

The city and county commissions appointed the special commission in December 2001 to explore the possibility of seeking designation as a Federal Heritage Area, which they hope will boost tourism and expand historical knowledge of locations in Lawrence and Douglas County.

The commission has been working toward a proposal that it will submit for the commissions’ consideration around the beginning of July.

David Dunfield, city commissioner and heritage commission member, said Douglas County had a history that needed to be told.

“It is important to us to know why we are here and what ideas and values our ancestors stood for,” he said.

If the city and county commission approve of the heritage commission’s recommendations, the commissions will begin to work on a feasibility study to further explore the opportunities. Tacha said she hoped they received congressional approval before Lawrence’s sesquicentennial celebration in 2004.