Governor Bredesen Announces Enhancement Grant for Civil War Trails
Nashville, Tenn. — Governor Phil Bredesen announced today that the state will provide an enhancement grant in the amount of $537,240 to assist with the Tennessee Civil War Trails program, operated by the Tennessee Department of Tourism.
“This exciting program will create a uniform and well-designated path for travelers to follow as they explore sites and transportation corridors associated with the American Civil War in Tennessee,” said Governor Bredesen. “It also encourages partnerships between state agencies and local communities. I’m proud the State of Tennessee can make investments like this to enhance local communities for the benefit of citizens and visitors alike.”
Susan Whitaker, Commissioner of the Department of Tourist Development said, “On behalf of the many state agencies, legislators and local community leaders who partnered to develop the Civil War Trails initiative, I would like to thank Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Gerald Nicely of TDOT for this enhancement grant. 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.”
“The history of our nation and of our state should be clearly marked for all to see and all to learn from,” stated Senator Doug Henry. “I’m happy to have been able to help make this program happen.”
“The project will enable the state to identify all of these important historical sites and create a network of historical and directional signs. This is a very important, team oriented project that I’m proud to be a part of,” reported Representative Steve McDaniel.
The grant is made possible through a federally funded program administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.
“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. Van West, director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area at Middle Tennessee State University. “I am pleased to see Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Nicely funding this effort.”
“Including this year’s enhancement grants, TDOT has helped fund approximately $189 million worth of transportation related projects such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping and other non-traditional transportation projects,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “These grants were made possible in the 1990s when Congress established a grant system funding activities designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic and environmental aspects of the nation’s transportation system.”
Fred Prouty, Director of Programs for the Tennessee Wars Commission added, “I have long advocated the creation of a statewide Civil War trail signage system as a means to promote and educate the general public about the benefits of preserving our endangered historic Civil War sites. It is my hope that the end result of this effort will be to encourage the long-range preservation of many of our endangered historic resources connected with the War Between the States.”
The Tennessee Civil War Trails program will be both a freestanding, statewide program and a part of the existing 700-site, three-state Civil War Trails program which has been developed through similar grant funding. The project will encourage and reward local governments and private sector participants that establish, promote and maintain the program in their areas.
Pictured Left to Right:
Front row: Richard Tune, Interim Director of the Tennessee Historical Commissioner, Commissioner Gerald Nicely, TDOT, Representative Steve McDaniel, Commissioner Susan Whitaker, Department of Tourist Development, Walter Durham, Tennessee State Historian
Back row: Dr. Carroll Van West, Executive Director of the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation and Director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, Woody Harrell, Superintendent Shiloh National Military Park, Fred Prouty, Tennessee Wars Director with the Tennessee Historical Commission, Mary Ann Peckman, Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association