Tennessee Lauded for Civil War Preservation

NASHVILLE, TN — Tennessee is leading the nation in the preservation of Civil War sites, the leader of a national non-profit said during an event at the state capitol Tuesday. In fact, Tennessee is the only state that has a dedicated funding mechanism to preserve battlefields from the war, as well as other important properties from the period, such as key Underground Railroad locations.

John Lighthizer, president of the Civil War Trust, praised the state for its four-year-old Civil War Sites Preservation Fund. The fund is guaranteed $250,000 annually in the state budget, plus a percentage of the real estate transfer tax. Nonprofits are eligible for matching funds from the state to preserve and protect the 38 most significant sites, plus grants are available for acquisition of Underground Railroad sites. To date, $607,000 has been spent preserving 98 acres of battlefield sites, according to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation.

"I can't compliment you enough," Lighthizer said, according to WPLN. "It says to the citizens of Tennessee — in fact to the country — that this state is serious about preserving its history."

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The fund was established because real estate development began to creep closer and closer to Civil War battlefields. Tennessee has the second most battlefields in the country — behind only Virginia — and many of the most crucial battles were fought in what are now major cities — Nashville, Chattanooga and Murfreesboro, for example — or in fast-growing suburbs, like Franklin.

Lighthizer said that preserving the sites is an important part of the civic catechesis.

“A lot of what we do is build parks and tell stories,” Lighthizer said, according to The Tennessean. “But a lot of what we do is also about citizenship building. It’s mainly because people need to know their history and their heritage. People can’t become good citizens unless they know who in the heck they are and where they come from.”

To find Civil War sites in Tennessee, visit the state's Civil War tourism guide.

Image via United States Library of Congress