PRESS RELEASE                                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

                                                                                    CONTACT:

                                                                                    Randy M. Harrell/Tammy Kinser

                                                                                    423-638-4111

Tourism and Economic Development working hand in hand on the new Civil War Trail in Tennessee

            The Greene County Partnership’s Tourism and Economic Development departments have developed a “Civil War Trails Committee” to assist in identifying qualified sites located in Greeneville and Greene County for consideration as prospective sites for the new trail through Tennessee.

            Civil War Trails is a multi-state program that identifies, interprets, and creates driving tours of both the great campaigns and the lesser known Civil War sites. Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina have programs in place, and further development of the Civil War Trails is now being funded in West Virginia and Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Transportation awarded the Department of Tourist Development a federal enhancement grant in the amount of $537,420 which is an 80/20 funding match, with each community being asked to pay $1,100 per sign as the 20% match.

            The only other cost to each site is a $200 annual maintenance membership fee, which is payable to the Civil War Trails, Inc., for upkeep of the historical marker and trailblazer signs.      

            The committee has held two meetings to discuss the parameters of the program, select qualified sites and prioritize sites. Committee members are local historian Donahue Bible, Battle of Blue Springs representative Bill Ringel, Wilhelmina Williams representing the Nathanael Greene Museum and the Dickson Williams Mansion, Greeneville Alderman Sarah Webster, Chief of Operations for the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Jim Small, local historian Dr. Robert Orr, Andrew Johnson National Historic Site Superintendent Lizzie Watts, Partnership President Randy Harrell and Partnership Tourism Director Tammy Kinser. 

            The sites selected by the committee are the Bridge Burners Monument/Harmon Cemetery on Pottertown Road, Greene County Courthouse Secession site, Battle of Blue Springs site, Dickson-Williams Mansion, General John Hunt Morgan site, Tusculum College, the Greeneville Depot, site of the hangings of Lick Creek bridge burners Hinshaw and Fry, Bulls Gap Battlefield and Fort, and Wesley Cemetery.

Dr. Bob Orr, was selected by the committee to serve as governmental liaison.

            For more information on the Civil War Trail, visit www.civilwartrails.org or contact Tammy Kinser or Randy Harrell at the Partnership, 423-638-4111, or email to tkinser@greenecop.com.