Tennessee Civil War Trails Program Unveils Its First Historic Marker

FRANKLIN, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development is pleased to announce that the Franklin Gateway Marker will be first in the ground for Tennessee’s Civil War Trails program.

The ceremony to unveil and install the marker will be held at 9 a.m. on Sept. 17 in front of the Williamson County Historic Courthouse on the square and is open to the public. The gateway marker acts as a map to other Civil War sites in the Franklin/Williamson County area, which highlight Hood’s 1864 Campaign.

Tourism Commissioner Susan Whitaker will be joined by Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Gerald Nicely for the program and unveiling. The agenda also includes Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson, Franklin City Mayor John Schroer, Mitch Bowman, executive director, Civil War Trails, Inc. and Dr. Van West, director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area. A reception hosted by the Williamson County Convention and Visitors Bureau will follow the unveiling.

The 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. Tennessee joins Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, and West Virginia in this important initiative, which has been identified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation.
Subsequent markers will be installed throughout the week in Franklin/Williamson County (13), Maury County (2), Giles County (1), and Sullivan County (3). Additional markers will be installed in West Tennessee in late October.

For more information, contact Civil War Heritage Coordinator, Noell Rembert at (615) 532-8077 or by e-mail at Noell.Rembert@state.tn.us, or Lee Curtis, director of program development at (615) 741-9045 or by e-mail at Lee.Curtis@state.tn.us.

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The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development was awarded a federal enhancement grant which is an 80/20 match through the Tennessee Department of Transportation to be a part of this very successful and nationally recognized program.