The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development was awarded a Federal Enhancement Grant of $818,880 from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to be used to expand the Tennessee Civil War Trails program. Transportation Commissioner John Schroer made the presentation to Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker at the 2011 Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature Event at Tennessee Tech University.
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development was awarded a Federal Enhancement Grant of $818,880 from the Tennessee Department of Transportation to be used to expand the Tennessee Civil War Trails program. Transportation Commissioner John Schroer made the presentation to Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker at the 2011 Civil War Sesquicentennial Signature Event at Tennessee Tech University.
"On behalf of the many state agencies, legislators and local community leaders who are partners in the Civil War Trails initiative, I would like to thank Governor Haslam and Commissioner Schroer for this enhancement grant, stated Commissioner Whitaker. "It will enable
hundreds of thousands of Tennesseans and visitors from around the world to experience and appreciate Tennessee's rich Civil War heritage as well as preserve the integrity of these historic sites for future generations."
This is the third round of funding from the Tennessee Department of Transportation Federal Enhancement Program and will be dedicated toward an additional 300 markers. The total funding to date for the program is $1,899,600. Currently, there are 213 markers in the ground and the goal is to have a total of 273 newly interpreted Civil War markers installed by February 2012. Statewide, from Collierville to Sparta to Blountville this program is telling Tennessee's Civil War stories.
"This exciting trails program will allow Tennesseans to create the nation's best program for telling the whole story of the Civil War and to bring new benefits to our towns and communities through heritage tourism," said Dr. Carroll Van West, director of MTSU Center for Historic Preservation and Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and co-chair of the Tennessee Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission.
Tennessee's Civil War Trails program is part of a multi-state Civil War Trails initiative which interprets and creates driving tours of both the great campaigns and the lesser-known Civil War sites. Tennessee, ranking in the top two states for Civil War battlefield sites, joins four other states in this important project. The entire program has been identified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation.
For more information, please visit tncivilwar150.com.
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