The Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association’s mission is to protect, interpret and make accessible Tennessee’s surviving Civil War battlefields and contributing landscapes. Preservation does not happen by working alone – it is the power of our members, partners and communities who continue to rally around endangered battlefield sites with a united purpose to safeguard these special places for future generations. Working together we can build a culture of preservation in Tennessee.
As we traveled the state this year and visited with our members, we spent time talking about TCWPA’s primary purpose, which is not to actually purchase land, but rather to partner with other groups, such as American Battlefield Trust (ABT) on a national level and local preservation groups to facilitate the purchase of land. TCWPA has identified through our interactive map over a 125 battlefield sites in Tennessee, and the next steps in our Statewide Preservation Plan will include interpretive signage at high opportunity sites which have been identified by a newly formed Interpretation Committee headed by TCWPA Board member, Mike Countess. In addition, TCWPA continues to provide preservation grants to battlefield preservation projects across Tennessee.
Since TCWPA’s creation in 1994, the Board has approved over $123,000 in preservation grants for over 60 projects. Just one project, of many possible examples across the state is Browns Ferry in Chattanooga where TCWPA worked closely with ABT to preserve roughly 15 acres on the Tennessee River where the October 1863 amphibious assault to open the “cracker line” took place. TCWPA’s role involved both identifying the available acreage and making initial contact with local landowners to introduce ABT to them for eventual purchase. TCWPA also worked together with ABT to preserve acreage around the circa 1803 Browns Tavern, a witness structure associated with the October 1863 battles of Browns Ferry and Wauhatchie. It should be noted that both Browns Tavern and Ferry, in addition to their Civil War history, are steeped in early Tennessee and Cherokee history as well, being important sites in the development of the Federal Road system through Cherokee territory in the very early 19 th century and the “Trail of Tears” in the 1830’s. TCWPA acted as day-to-day steward of these sites for ABT for several years until the recent property transferhelped arranged the removal of modern structures from the Browns Ferry site, and helped facilitate the transfer of both properties to National Park Partners (formerly the Friends of Chickamauga-Chattanooga NMP).
An additional thirty acres of the Browns Ferry battlefield has recently been purchased within the last couple of months and another forty acres has just begun negotiations. So how did this happen? Because of the trust and confidence built between local landowners and the coalition of national (ABT), state (TCWPA), and local (National Park Partners). By working together, we have built a culture of preservation to protect our battlefields and then bring these stories to life through interpretation of the site. At the request of the ABT, TCWPA recently hosted a preservation breakfast for the Tennessee legislature to keep funding of battlefield preservation in the forefront. These networking opportunities are just another way TCWPA works to build a culture of preservation in Tennessee.
It is important to note, TCWPA is a group of unpaid volunteers who serve as Board and Advisory Board members with some retired and some still working. Our Board members have demands on their time outside of TCWPA’s body of work. TCWPA has contributed in many ways to the preservation of hundreds of acres of battlefield land in Tennessee. Make no mistake, the generous members of TCWPA, together with our many preservation partners, all play a key role in our efforts to preserve and interpret Tennessee’s Civil War battlefield and lesser-known sites.
Finally, let me thank you personally for your support and partnership with the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association. We are grateful to both our long-standing members, new members, state and national partners as it takes all of us to preserve these special places which are forever preserved by our work and your generosity.
In the interest of preservation,
Anthony Hodges
President, Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association
