News Updates Fall News 

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Rep. Van Hilleary gets funding for Shiloh repairs

MORRISTOWN – Fourth District Rep. Van Hilleary (R-Tullahoma) helped get the final congressional budget bill through the House last week that will finally release the funding to fully repair Shiloh National Military Park’s battlefield causeway and a 1,500-year-old Mississippian Mound that was being destroyed by the Tennessee River. President Clinton is expected to sign the budget into law, which would pay to put both the causeway and the Mississippian mound back to its original condition.

Rep. Van Hilleary has been the leading house member from Tennessee fighting to ensure that funding was obtained for the Tennessee National Park and working with a coalition of both preservationists and Native American groups to see that the National Park Service repaired the damage done to the park. “Congressman Hilleary has done a great piece of work here in making sure that America keeps its promise to preserve a national landmark that is treasured by both Native Americans and historical preservationists,” said Native American activist John Youngdeer. “I have been involved in a lot of issues where politicians pay Native Americans a lot of lip service and do nothing to help us.

Congressman Hilleary stayed in there and kept slugging working with the Chickasaw, Cherokee and
other tribal officials and historical preservationists. That says a lot for him. Shiloh is a national park located away from big media markets and major cities and an easy place for Washington bureaucrats to overlook. My biggest fear was that moneys would be allocated and then reassigned to other NPS projects. Without Congressman Hilleary’s constant attention to the problem, I don’t think we would have ever been this successful. It is a great thing for the Park and I have to thank Park Superintendent Woody Harrell for his service in listening to us and helping to see that our voices were heard.”

Once the money is released, the Army Corps of Engineers is expected to begin making the repairs. At present, only those able to hike the terrain can get to the Native American site, which also served as a staging area and combat site in the Battle of Shiloh.

“The historical significance of Shiloh in the War Between the States can be found in every history textbook in America,” said one preservationist. “This marked a deciding moment in American history that everyone should see at least once. I can’t tell you how many times someone has come to this battlefield and found a family member’s name on a grave site or in the record books. Future presidents, famous explorers, authors, artists and others who would go on to become major American influences fought and suffered on these fields and the nation made a promise to hold it in trust and protect it. Congressman Hilleary really deserves a lot of credit for making sure that promise was kept.”

Officials with Shiloh National Park are also working to expand the influence of the Park with an interpretive historical trail that will take visitors to nearby Corinth, Mississippi and tell the complete story of the Battle of Shiloh and its impact on the Civil War. Tennessee tourism officials say the Park is beginning to draw more visitors to the region as families are choosing weekend jaunts to historic sites in the state – giving rise to a growing heritage tourism market in the state.

CSS Hunley recovered and being restored

The CSS Hunley submarine surfaced for the first time in more than 135 years this past August to cheers from those who had boated to the site to watch the historic event. When the platform broke the surface of the Atlantic Ocean carrying the submarine, it resembled more of a marlin in size than a submersible water craft. The minute the craft broke the surface of the water, Confederate reenactors fired a cannon salute from a nearby island to commemorate the event.

The Confederate submarine was the first in history to sink an enemy ship. The Union ship Housitanic was docked in the Charleston, S.C. Harbor when the Hunley pushed a spear-like torpedo into its side, which sent the Housitanic to the bottom of the harbor in 1864. Scholars had long thought that the submarine was crushed under the weight of the ship until it was discovered 20 miles off of the coast of Charleston in 1995. It was located four miles from Sullivan’s Island in about 30 feet of water. A movement began immediately to try and recover the ship, which was competing at the time for attention with the discovery of the CSS Alabama, which had also been discovered that year off of the coast of Cherbourg, France. Under the leadership of the University of South Carolina professors and legislators, the state started the archaeological process of trying to raise the Hunley. A fight of sorts broke out in the raising process when a ship could not be found with the proper equipment to raise the delicate craft. Under U.S. salvage law, no foreign ships can be used to salvage in American waters if another craft is available. The Hunley team, however, kept up the pressure until a ship was found and threatened to reflag it to meet the protectionist law. The submarine’s namesake was Sumner County, TN native Horace L. Hunley, who was killed in one of the testing runs on the submarine in Charleston Harbor. The Tennessean’s efforts in design and operation of the vessel held the project together throughout the war effort as Confederate leaders tried to kill the project because of the dangerous results in trial runs, which drowned many crew members.

Fellow Tennessee native and Confederate leader Matthew Maury also helped save the project throughout the war. Hunley moved the project from southern port to southern port staying ahead of the Union Navy while work continued on the submarine. There is no word yet on the nature of the remains believed to be inside of the ship, but representatives of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, who just wrapped up their national convention in Charleston, say there will be a full military burial with Confederate honors for any crewmembers still inside the submarine. The first crew’s graves was recently discovered under a football field during renovations and were exhumed and laid to rest with full Confederate military honors. The vessel was transported to conservatory where immediate study will begin to answer some long-sought questions about the submarine’s final hours. A priest was also standing by at the conservatory to administer rites in honor of the dead believed to still be inside. Scientists say it will take about seven years to fully study and restore the submarine before it will be transported to a nearby museum. The team is currently working out a way where the public can view the proceedings and see how science will attempt to preserve the vessel. Public viewing of the scientists at work is expected to begin soon.

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JACKSON - Train-lovers from across the nation descended on Jackson, TN this past weekend as The Casey Jones Home and Railroad Museum commemorated the 100th anniversary of the April 30, 1900 train wreck that took the life of Illinois Central Railroad Engineer Casey Jones and launched the Jackson conductor into American folklore. The event was host by T. Clark Shaw and The Old Country Store. The museum was first dedicated in 1956 and operated by the city. For more than 20 years, the city managed the home, but lost money every year and were eventually considering closing it down. To keep that from happening, they entered into a unique lease management arrangement in 1977 with The Old Country Store. That same year the home was named one of Sears Roebuck & Company's 16 Great American historic homes. In 1980, the site was renovated and the famous Engine 382 was relocated to the site and restored.
Union CountyCountry Music legend Roy Acuff, who was a big fan of Casey Jones, participated in the ceremony - riding Engine 382 on its last ride to the museum. Since then, the site has grown into the landmark Casey Jones Village featuring numerous gift shops and this year opened the largest railroad gift shop in the region. Under the direction of T. Clark Shaw, it has developed into one of the largest tourist attractions in West Tennessee. "I'm a big train fan," said New Mexico resident David Miller, "and this is the one site I have always wanted to see. Like everybody, I heard the story of Casey Jones when I was in grade school and put him up there with Johnny Appleseed, Paul Bunyan and other American legends. Growing up I can remember watching the movies and television shows about him that were more legend than fact. This has really personalized him for me. " The official celebration started with a prayer delivered by Father William Parham of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Jackson. Jones was a parishioner at St. Mary's and was married in the church to Janie Brady. She became something of a celebrity herself and was featured on the popular 1950s television game show "I've Got a Secret". On hand for the special ceremony, was Jackson Mayor Charles Farmer, Congressman Ed Bryant, State Senator Bobby Carter and State Representative Steve McDaniel. Senator Thompson aide John Newman also attended to present the museum with a Congressional Proclamation honoring Casey Jones and The U.S. Postal Service spent the afternoon canceling stamps for collectors at a special booth. T. Clark Shaw, who hosted the official ceremony, said he was pleased with the huge turnout and that it was a great kick-off for the celebration. "There are many things we have planned for the upcoming year, " said Shaw. "A Casey Jones reunion is going to be held in June and we are working to arrange a commemorative train ride that will trace the exact route Casey Jones took the night of the famous accident. We are also planning events honoring fireman Sim Webb and the original Ballad of Casey Jones songwriter Wallace Saunders. The attendance today shows the Casey Jones' legend is still alive and well in America and, as you can see we have people here from all over the nation. " Casey Jones Village is continuing to grow. The facility only recently opened a amphitheater and staff members are working on developing an outdoor drama on the legendary engineer. "What Clark Shaw has done with this place is unbelievable," said Sen. Thompson aide John Newman. "This is a perfect example of how business and government should work together. The Casey Jones Home and Museum struggled for years and its future was questionable. Clark has turned all of that around and helped make it a first-class operation. He has seen that the Home and Museum maintains its historical integrity and, in a lot of cases, done things to enhance it that would have been impossible for any city to do. It is now one of the largest tourist attractions in Tennessee and, without this unique leasing arrangement between The Old Country Store and the city of Jackson, it wouldn't have happened." SCV Reunion held in Jackson JACKSON - Members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans from across Tennessee descended on Jackson last week to attend the annual S.C.V. Reunion. The yearly three-day-event is the time when the organization conducts business, elects officers and gives progress reports on various historical preservation projects the group is undertaking in Tennessee. The 2000 S.C.V. Reunion was hosted by Jackson's John Ingram Camp. Guests in attendance at the event included state legislators, representatives from Sen. Thompson's office, SCV National Commander Patrick J. Griffin III of Maryland, and Tennessee United Daughters of the Confederacy President Carolyn Kent. The featured guest speaker this year was Shiloh National Battlefield Park Superintendent Woody Harrell, who gave a progress report on the repairs underway to fix Shiloh's Mississippian Indian mounds and battlefield causeway. The highlight of the awards banquet was Superintendent Harrell's presentation of a Confederate flag that has been flown over all the major Civil War battlefields. The flag, which is hoped to be a major fund-raiser for the organization's historic preservation efforts, was flown over the battlefields in Tennessee, Virginia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Letters from Park Superintendents were included with the flag to certify its being flown over the battlefields. "We've had collectors and museum officials expressing interest in the flag," said John Ingram Camp spokesman Jerry Lessenberry. "This is the only certified Confederate flag that has flown over every major battlefield in the War Between the States so it has a very unique place in history. Superintendent Woody Harrell and his son took this on as a personal project and did a fantastic job. We never expected the flag would fly over that many battlefields. We had originally discussed just flying it over Tennessee's, but, after that was done, we decided to try and get it over as many battlefields as we could where Tennesseans fought and died. As the photographs and letters show, is truly a priceless artifact. The John Ingram Camp is hoping it will help the S.C.V. raise funds to continue our preservation efforts across the state. " The Tennessee Star Journal's Ed Hooper was among those honored at the annual Reunion. He received the Tennessee Division's Sons of Confederate Veteran's Edward Carmack Journalism award for his "Looking Back" column's work on Southern history. Others receiving awards were Rev. John Sims of Chattanooga, John T. Wilkinson III of Memphis, Jerry Lessenberry of Jackson, Allen Sullivant of Brentwood, and the Covington and Cookeville S.C.V. Camps. A special award was also given to Tennessee Division President Russell Bailey. Hooper also received an award on behalf of the John Ingram Camp for their work in preservation projects across Tennessee. The camp has been a leader in the fight to repair Shiloh National Battlefield Park. The Tennessee Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans was founded in 1892 and is one of the oldest historical organizations in the state. Its membership is open to male descendants of Confederate soldiers age 12 years or older. The goals of the organization include the compilation and publication of Southern history, the preservation of Confederate Soldier's graves, memorials, relics, and the erection of monuments and markers. S.C.V. President Russell Bailey was elected to his fourth term as head of the organization in Tennessee. Under his leadership, the organization has grown to 54 camps in Tennessee and membership grown by more than 40 percent. Bailey says the recent battles in South Carolina and other states over the Confederate flag has really helped the organization instead of hurting it. "We have worked hard to make the Tennessee Division one of the best in America," said Bailey. "The organization's membership has grown substantially in the last few years as the new attention on the Confederate flag has made people look into their family roots and learn the truth about the War Between the States - rather than believe the half-truths and outright falsehoods being portrayed in the media. The important thing to remember about the S.C.V is the fact that Tennessee camps are sometimes the sole support for many local historic sites that wouldn't be preserved otherwise, which, in addition to saving them from destruction, is providing popular destinations for the state's growing heritage tourism industry." Rep. Zach Wamp & U.S. Army aid Medal of Honor Museum CHATTANOOGA - Congressman Zach Wamp (R-Chattanooga) announced yesterday that the U.S. Army Reserve is donating a site at the Army Reserve Local Training Area on Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga as the new location for the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History. Wamp had the language permitting the land transfer inserted into the Defense Spending Authorization Bill passed by the House Armed Services Committee last week. The Army has agreed to donate the 15-acre site on the training area property, which sits 1.9 miles west of Interstate 75. "For years, I have worked with the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History," said Wamp, "and believe that its mission of honoring the men and women who have served nobly in our Armed Forces has the potential to create a world-class draw for tourism and economic development while honoring our military heroes. This new site will help make the museum even more of a regional and national attraction because it is near Interstate 75 - putting it in easy reach of visitors from all over our area and the rest of the country. " Members of the Board of Trustees, Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss, and numerous county and city officials were on hand for the event, which Rep. Wamp called a 'historic occasion' for America and Chattanooga. The museum is currently located on Georgia Avenue in the city and has been working to relocate to a bigger facility. Plans were underway at one time to renovate the Saint Elmo school, but the museum board decided to scrap the project because the expense of remodeling the historic structure was too much and didn't offer the space needed to accommodate the museum's growing collection of artifacts and archive materials. Museum officials were excited about the news and say the property will allow them to construct a first-rate facility that can handle the growing number of tourists that visit the museum each year. "We appreciate everything Congressman Wamp has done to make this happen," said Museum Chairman Joe Young. "I know we could not have accomplished this without his help. This new site gives us the opportunity to construct a quality single level museum that will be accessible to everyone. Our museum's displays cover war eras from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm, but our primary focus is the 'Hall of Valor', where we honor recipients of the Medal of Honor. I also want to especially thank museum vice chairman retired U.S. Army Major General Marvin Back, who has brought great leadership to the museum board and worked tirelessly to help obtain this property." Museum officials will now begin the process of raising funds for the museum and hope to break ground on the new facility next year and have the new museum open by 2004. Plans call for a one-level 20,00 square foot facility to be constructed on the new site and include ample grounds for the museums collections of military vehicles, tanks, and artillery pieces. "There is still a lot of work to do," said trustee Ann Moyers, "but this is a excellent opportunity for us to build a museum that can continue to grow in the future and offer America and Tennessee one of its best military museums. Although we are underway raising fund for it, our focus still remains on maintaining the current location of the museum and ensuring our work continues with the Armed Forces, schools, and cities in preserving the history of the Medal of Honor and the lives of those who received it." In addition to functioning as a museum, the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History operates a number of educational programs and assists the armed forces in constructing Medal of Honor displays on base throughout the world and has recently finished a "Hall of Honor" project for Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The museum also conducts educational tour groups at the museum and has assisted numerous schools, including Sevier County, in developing programs to honor Medal of Honor recipients.

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Library of Congress

WASHINGTON - While it is a government body that is much aligned and cursed one time or another by nearly every American voter, there is one thing even the most die-hard critic of the U.S. Congress points at with pride - the Library of Congress. The grandfather of American libraries is celebrating its 200th anniversary this week and officials are hopeful the renewed focus will lead people to remember to support their local libraries. While there is no such thing in America as a "national library", the institution's supportive programs is the one reason local libraries rival those in any other nation. The Library of Congress was founded on April 24, 1800, when then-President John Adams signed a bill authorizing $5,000 for the creation of a small library to aid the U.S. House of Representatives. Within a year of signing the bill, the seedling collection of 152 works in 740 volumes and three maps arrived from a London bookseller. By 1812, the collection had grown to more than 3,000 books and 53 maps, charts and plans. The library would become a target the next year, when a group of American soldiers captured the Canadian Parliament and its attached library and burned it to the ground. After the British marched on Washington. D.C. and captured the Capitol, they returned the favor and torched the Library of Congress - destroying the collection. With much of the nation's capitol lying in ruins, Congress could have walked away from the project, but a prominent American offered to help reestablish the institution and forever change the way the library would operate. Former President Thomas Jefferson, who had bought a vast collection of books and wine in Europe for Monticello, was finding himself falling on hard financial times and offered to sell his book collection to reseed the library. The grand gesture wasn't exactly met with open arms. His political enemies and other government officials were offended by many of the books in his collection. In other national libraries, the collections were mainly designed for native attorneys and legislators. Jefferson's collection, however, admitted every topic, field of knowledge, and branch of literature known to have existed. Many books were in foreign languages and, for his opponents, were not considered "proper" for the Library of Congress. After some backroom deals and political arm-twisting, America purchased the books. From Jefferson's personal collection of 6,487 books, sprang a library the world has not seen since Roman soldiers burned Ptolemy's Library of Alexandria in 47 B.C. Today more than 530 miles of bookshelves hold more than 18 million books, 12 million photographs, 5 million maps, and many more millions of prints, microfilms, manuscripts, tapes, and videos in more than 450 languages, including the original Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution. The library collection expands by 10,000 items every 24 hours and it rejects that same amount every day, when they judge items submitted as inappropriate and not keeping with the institutions standards. With library substations in cities like Rio De Janiero, Bangkok, and Europe, the Library of Congress literally scans the earth looking for material. In addition, it is the one place where communication tools and devices from every era are forever maintained. "The Library of Congress' method of collecting and furnishing material is completely different from a museum," said one Congressional staffer, "they don't have one book on a subject, for example, they have 1,000 and on every conceivable aspect of that particular subject. The books and material are not for display, but for referencing and accessing knowledge. Not everything is in computer databases and some of the knowledge is in formats where you need antiquated communication tools to access it and people who know how to use them. This is a research library that literally shelters the world's knowledge and is our proverbial 'ace-in-the-hole' as a nation. It's best kept secret, however, is the fact that any American can walk into its reading rooms and use it. " In order to catalog everything in its vast collection, the LOC had to pioneer their own referencing system. When Melvill Dewey lobbied them in 1896 to implement his Dewey Decimal system, LOC officials quickly pointed out the system, which was good for public book libraries, would not work on a serious research library. The classification system they devised is simple and completely unique to the institution. Because of the efforts of past and present officials at the Library of Congress, libraries are enjoying new life in America today. In Nashville, Memphis, and Pigeon Forge, new libraries are under construction and are not the darkened facilities we have come to associate with libraries. They now include such amenities as computer terminals, coffee bars, and movie rentals. These and other libraries being built across the nation will soon number more than 122,000 and budgets for local libraries have grown by more than a third in the last five years. The cost is nominal in that most are built from local taxes and fund-raisers and do not receive federal funding. "A library is the best single investment a community can make," said political science professor David Moyers, "and they should be regarded as community centers where people not only borrow books, but access a computer, find videos and be able to discover what is going on in the community. Less than one percent of government budgeting helps public libraries and I dare anyone to find another government organization that efficient. The modern library is truly an American invention. It was started by Benjamin Franklin, aided by John Adams, and revolutionized by Thomas Jefferson. From those three influences sprang an American library that rivals the Seven Wonders of the World in its scope of existence. Anyone who travels to D.C. needs to stop in at least once to see it." As it enters a new century, the Library of Congress is expanding its reach into the computer age and is hopeful they will continue their success in the digital evolution. they hope the year long celebration, which will kick off April 24, will refocus attention on America's greatest community resource. If you or your family would like to visit the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., a little known secret is to contact your congressman and talk to one of the staff members who will help arrange a tour. For more information, you can visit the Library of Congress' Home page at www.loc.gov. The entire catalog detailing their collections are available through a variety of sources and on-line at www.catalog.loc.gov.

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The highlight of the awards banquet was Superintendent Harrell's presentation of a Confederate flag that has been flown over all the major Civil War battlefields. The flag, which is hoped to be a major fund-raiser for the organization's historic preservation efforts, was flown over the battlefields in Tennessee, Virginia, and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Letters from Park Superintendents were included with the flag to certify its being flown over the battlefields. "We've had collectors and museum officials expressing interest in the flag," said John Ingram Camp spokesman Jerry Lessenberry. "This is the only certified Confederate flag that has flown over every major battlefield in the War Between the States so it has a very unique place in history.

Superintendent Woody Harrell and his son took this on as a personal project and did a fantastic job. We never expected the flag would fly over that many battlefields. We had originally discussed just flying it over Tennessee's, but, after that was done, we decided to try and get it over as many battlefields as we could where Tennesseans fought and died. As the photographs and letters show, is truly a priceless artifact. The John Ingram Camp is hoping it will help the S.C.V. raise funds to continue our preservation efforts across the state.

" The Tennessee Star Journal's Ed Hooper was among those honored at the annual Reunion. He received the Tennessee Division's Sons of Confederate Veteran's Edward Carmack Journalism award for his "Looking Back" column's work on Southern history. Others receiving awards were Rev. John Sims of Chattanooga, John T. Wilkinson III of Memphis, Jerry Lessenberry of Jackson, Allen Sullivant of Brentwood, and the Covington and Cookeville S.C.V. Camps. A special award was also given to Tennessee Division President Russell Bailey. Hooper also received an award on behalf of the John Ingram Camp for their work in preservation projects across Tennessee. The camp has been a leader in the fight to repair Shiloh National Battlefield Park. The Tennessee Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans was founded in 1892 and is one of the oldest historical organizations in the state. Its membership is open to male descendants of Confederate soldiers age 12 years or older. The goals of the organization include the compilation and publication of Southern history, the preservation of Confederate Soldier's graves, memorials, relics, and the erection of monuments and markers. S.C.V. President Russell Bailey was elected to his fourth term as head of the organization in Tennessee. Under his leadership, the organization has grown to 54 camps in Tennessee and membership grown by more than 40 percent. Bailey says the recent battles in South Carolina and other states over the Confederate flag has really helped the organization instead of hurting it. "We have worked hard to make the Tennessee Division one of the best in America," said Bailey. "The organization's membership has grown substantially in the last few years as the new attention on the Confederate flag has made people look into their family roots and learn the truth about the War Between the States - rather than believe the half-truths and outright falsehoods being portrayed in the media. The important thing to remember about the S.C.V is the fact that Tennessee camps are sometimes the sole support for many local historic sites that wouldn't be preserved otherwise, which, in addition to saving them from destruction, is providing popular destinations for the state's growing heritage tourism industry."

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Rep. Zach Wamp & U.S. Army aid

Medal of Honor Museum

CHATTANOOGA - Congressman Zach Wamp (R-Chattanooga) announced yesterday that the U.S. Army Reserve is donating a site at the Army Reserve Local Training Area on Bonny Oaks Drive in Chattanooga as the new location for the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History. Wamp had the language permitting the land transfer inserted into the Defense Spending Authorization Bill passed by the House Armed Services Committee last week. The Army has agreed to donate the 15-acre site on the training area property, which sits 1.9 miles west of Interstate 75. "For years, I have worked with the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History," said Wamp, "and believe that its mission of honoring the men and women who

have served nobly in our Armed Forces has the potential to create a world-class draw for tourism and economic development while honoring our military heroes. This new site will help make the museum even more of a regional and national attraction because it is near Interstate 75 - putting it in easy reach of visitors from all over our area and the rest of the country. " Members of the Board of Trustees, Medal of Honor recipient Desmond Doss, and numerous county and city officials were on hand for the event, which Rep. Wamp called a 'historic occasion' for America and Chattanooga. The museum is currently located on Georgia Avenue in the city and has been working to relocate to a bigger facility. Plans were underway at one time to renovate the Saint Elmo school, but the museum board decided to scrap the project because the expense of remodeling the historic structure was too much and didn't offer the space needed to accommodate the museum's growing collection of artifacts and archive materials. Museum officials were excited about the news and say the property will allow them to construct a first-rate facility that can handle the growing number of tourists that visit the museum each year. "We appreciate everything Congressman Wamp has done to make this happen," said Museum Chairman Joe Young. "I know we could not have accomplished this without his help. This new site gives us the opportunity to construct a quality single level museum that will be accessible to everyone. Our museum's displays cover war eras from the Revolutionary War to Desert Storm, but our primary focus is the 'Hall of Valor', where we honor recipients of the Medal of Honor. I also want to especially thank museum vice chairman retired U.S. Army Major General Marvin Back, who has brought great leadership to the museum board and worked tirelessly to help obtain this property." Museum officials will now begin the process of raising funds for the museum and hope to break ground on the new facility next year and have the new museum open by 2004. Plans call for a one-level 20,00 square foot facility to be constructed on the new site and include ample grounds for the museums collections of military vehicles, tanks, and artillery pieces. "There is still a lot of work to do," said trustee Ann Moyers, "but this is a excellent opportunity for us to build a museum that can continue to grow in the future and offer America and Tennessee one of its best military museums. Although we are underway raising fund for it, our focus still remains on maintaining the current location of the museum and ensuring our work continues with the Armed Forces, schools, and cities in preserving the history of the Medal of Honor and the lives of those who received it." In addition to functioning as a museum, the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History operates a number of educational programs and assists the armed forces in constructing Medal of Honor displays on base throughout the world and has recently finished a "Hall of Honor" project for Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The museum also conducts educational tour groups at the museum and has assisted numerous schools, including Sevier County, in developing programs to honor Medal of Honor recipients.

Two Tennessee National Parks named as ten most endangered in America

Pres. Andrew Johnson auction draws international crowd to Greeneville


GREENEVILLE - More than 200 people crowded into an office building in downtown Greeneville to bid on items that once belonged to President Andrew Johnson.

The auction, which was touted as one of East Tennessee’s premier events attracted people from across America and Europe to bid on 60 artifacts that belonged to the 17th President.

New Market, Tenn. antique dealer John Coker, who served as coordinator and auctioneer of the event, said he took bids from parties in New York and Oregon. The highest bids came from Greeneville businessman Scott Niswonger, who paid $3,700 for a ticket to the impeachment trial of Andrew Johnson. When the item was presented to auction, a spirited bidding war took place. Niswonger also made the highest bid paying $5,750. for an 1866 document where President Johnson had promoted his son from Colonel to Brigadier General. The Greeneville businessman says he plans to donate the items to the Andrew Johnson Museum and Library at Tusculum College in Greeneville.

More than 900 other items, which belonged to the Johnson family, were also presented at auction, including diplomatic artifacts from Johnson’s grandson who served as Ambassador to British Guinea under President Grover Cleveland.

Those who attended the auction said that the items represented some of the more colorful eras of American history.

"There were really too many items for one person to look at before auction," said one bidder. "What I should have done was brought three or four people. I was very glad that Greeneville was able to keep the really historic items in the city. This community has really been working hard to redevelop its downtown and historic districts into a picturesque Appalachian town. Since President Johnson was its most noted resident, no one or I could hold it against them to fight and keep the documents in the city. I would like to see more auctions like this in Tennessee. Usually you would have to travel to New York or some other big city to see such quality items for sale."

There were some items not sold at auction that can be purchased through John Coker’s New Market Internet site at www. antiquesonline.com. The web site also features an on-line catalog of numerous other antique items such as books, paintings, and jewelry, which can be purchased on line.

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First C.S.S. Hunley crew reinterred in

Magnolia Cemetery

CHARLESTON- The first crew of the C.S.S. Hunley were laid to rest in Magnolia Cemetery in Charleston, S.C., where Confederate reenactors from across the South were on hand to participate in the funeral ceremony, which included a 21-gun salute. The crew was discovered under the parking lot of the Citadel Stadium during renovations.

The C.S.S. Hunley, which was sank off the coast and thought lost forever, was discovered 20 miles off of the South Carolina coast with the remains of the final crew inside. The submarine became the first in history to sink an enemy ship in 1864 when it torpedoed the U.S.S. Housitanic in Charleston Harbor. Turner Network Television made the story of the ill-fated submarine into a feature film last year. Sumner County, Tenn. native Horace Lawson Hunley built the submarine.

Although in the midst of a controversial battle over the flying of the Confederate flag over the South Carolina state house and a tourist boycott by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, thousands of tourists were on hand to watch the historic ceremony.

Some 400 re-enactors attended the funeral and march through the city of Charleston, as the five flag-draped coffins were pulled by horse-drawn carriages. People came from as far away as Virginia and Texas to pay tribute to their ancestors.

"The spirit of the Southern people is just amazing to me," said Carol Louttit, of Rhode Island, who was making her first trip to Charleston and watched the procession at The Battery. She was dumbstruck at how exactly the re-enactors played their roles. "It’s wonderful to see them take their heritage so seriously," she added.
The bones of the five members of the sub’s first crew were recovered last summer during a dig beneath The Citadel’s football stadium. The men died during a freak accident in August 1863 when the wake of a passing ship flooded the sub’s open hatches. When the sailors were recovered 10 days later, they were taken to an area on Charleston’s outskirts and quietly buried in a mariner’s cemetery. Decades later the graves accidentally were covered over and forgotten during construction of the stadium in 1948.
Historians have identified the men as Frank Doyle, John Kelly, Michael Cane, Nicholas Davis and Absalom Williams, who joined the Confederate cause after landing as sailors in America in New Orleans. Tests indicate one of the crew was a 13-year-old boy.

For the most part the march through the city was without incident. But some Market vendors held anti-Confederate flag signs along the parade route

"I felt the ceremony was appropriate," said historian David Cutriff, "and conducted in a proper and historical manner. While some have pointed to the fact they were Irish immigrants, they were also Confederate sailors and due a military burial. These men gave succeeding crews the hope that they could accomplish the goal of sinking an enemy ship in a submarine. What they did completely revolutionized naval warfare around the world. Interring them in Magnolia Cemetery alongside the inventor of the C.S.S. Hunley completes the circle of that famous event, which is truly a rarity in the historic community. "

The coffins carrying the crew’s bones were draped by the second national flag of the Confederacy, which has the battle emblem placed in an all-white field.

Several modern-day submarine veterans also attended the funeral. Hans Vlam, who served aboard the USS Guardfish from 1964-78, said he felt a kinship with the Hunley men.

"They got down the hatch, then closed the hatch," he said. "They didn’t know what was going to happen."
As the re-enactors entered the cemetery, they turned swords and rifles in a reverse carry, as a show of respect. A young woman also played "Dixie" on the violin.

One speaker said it was important to keep pursuing the past, no matter what meaning it has today.
"We stand here in the realization that our history could be lost forever," said Dr. Jonathan Leader, deputy state archaeologist, who called for preservation of history "in all its forms."
The participants drew the attention of state Sen. Robert Ford, D-Charleston, one of the few African-Americans who attended the service.

"I’m a history buff so it’s very educational," he said. "All this is very, very enlightening."

Archaeologists are still studying the submarine and are working to recover it so scientists and historians can study the craft and preserve it for museum display. The crew inside the submarine will also be laid to rest with full honors once they are recovered form the craft.

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Bill would stop Governor from

closing Tennessee State Parks

VONORE - A bill that would stop the closure of any state parks without the approval of legislators was approved 7-2 by the Senate Environment, Conservation and Tourism Committee. Committee Chairman Ron Ramsey, R-Blountville, and Sen. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge both voted against the measure.

The legislation is meant to stop plans by Gov. Don Sundquist and TDOEC Commission Milton Hamilton, Jr. to close eight of Tennessee’s 54 state parks and natural areas, including Fort Loudoun in Monroe County and Fort Pillow in West Tennessee. State officials have said they are trying to improve government efficiency and save money because of the budget crisis, but numerous state representatives say closing the parks would hurt Tennessee tourism. No word was made of Knox County’s decision to take over House Mountain State Park or if passage of the bill would change the County Commission’s mind.

Members of the Finance Committee will now consider the bill. Some lawmakers say keeping the eight parks open will increase state expenditures by $880,000 and only contribute $600,000 to state revenues. A similar version of the bill has been sent to the House Finance Committee. It sets up a list of criteria the commissioner of the state Environment and Conservation Department must meet before closing a park.

"There are a thousand things in the state budget that deserve to be cut," said Tennessee Conservative Union Chairman Lloyd Daugherty, " but not historic parks that are supposedly held in trust by the people - not the governor, the Environment and Conservation Commissioner, or any other individual. It is definitely something that belongs to the legislature as they can better speak for the people. This was simply a move by the Governor to help push his state income tax proposal. The fact that Oak Ridge Senator Randy McNally voted for it is no surprise considering his vote for the income tax. I guess he wants Tennesseans to ‘feel the pain.’"

Many historical officials are pleased the bill cleared the Senate committee and hopeful that the parks will remain open.

"The state historic parks are becoming a big draw for the state’s growing heritage tourism market," said one official. "Closing them down just as this new tourist market starts taking root in Tennessee doesn’t make any sense."

Another bill is also working its way through the House that would divert funds the state uses to purchase new lands to an account that would be used to support the state’s present parks and natural areas.

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 Agreement near, Concerning theNative American graves in Townsend

NASHVILLE - The state Department of Transportation appears to have retreated somewhat in a dispute with Native American groups over a highway project near Townsend. The meeting held in Nashville was chaired by Tennessee Historical Commissioner Joe Garrison and was closed to the media.

The D.O.T. and University of Tennessee archaeologists have been excavating remains of what is believed to be Native Americans - creating an uproar among Native American activists, who want the remains to stay where they are without being disturbed.

At a recent Nashville mediation meeting involving the Federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, state officials agreed to consider alternatives to re-location of the Indian remains found in the path of the Blount County project.

"We not operating anymore from the standpoint that the burials have to be moved," said director of the Tennessee Commission on Indian Affairs Toye Heape, " I think that’s the most significant thing that happened here."

Tennessee Department of Transportation officials had contended there were no reasonable alternatives to re-locating the remains. At least six burials have been found and there are indications of more in the area.

"One option given considerable discussion," said Heape, "would be to cover the burial sites discovered with fill dirt and then build what would amount to a low-height bridge over the area.

Other alternatives range from diverting the planned path of the road to dropping the project altogether - an option advocated in later interviews by David Little Dog Morris of Pigeon Forge.

There was also agreement, participants said, that an array of documents dealing with the widening of U.S. Highway 321 will be made available to Indian organizations.

Carl Two Feathers Whitaker of the North American Indian Movement said that Indian groups would also, for the first time, be given an opportunity to inspect and review the University of Tennessee archeological study of Indian homes and burials in the area.

After the documents have been reviewed and the archeological tour taken, another meeting will be held to see if further progress can be made toward an agreement. No date was set for the next session.

When the Federal Highway Administration, which is largely funding the $13 million project, finds human remains in its path, law requires they must be dealt with according to the National Historic Preservation Act.

Many people have questioned the motives and intentions of the NAIM organization and say the activists have been given too much authority in the media.

"We could have just paved over the area without taking the time to worry with it," said one Townsend resident. "In theory, I support the Indian Repatriation Act, but NAIM takes it too far. In these cases, we should contact official tribal representatives in Cherokee and have them involved in these decisions. Half of the people over there claiming to be Native Americans are no more Indian than I am. The comments made to me by them regarding the tribal governments of the Cherokee and other recognized tribes shows me they have no respect for anyone’s opinion, but their own. I don’t understand how these people can claim to speak for all Native Americans. It is hard to believe Native Americans tooling around in Mercedes and Lexus automobiles can actually sell the idea they are victims of American society."

The compromises being reached are hoped will settle the issue and allow the road building to go forward. Native American activists say they will continuing monitoring the issue and protest any removal of remains from the Townsend site. A new meeting will be scheduled with state officials after all of the documents and papers related to the archaeological work have been reviewed.

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Knoxville museums featured in Southern Living

KNOXVILLE - The March edition of Southern Living magazine is featuring some of the city’s downtown museums and touting them as some of the best in the South.

Southern Living writer Mark Stith featured the East Tennessee Historical Society Museum, the Frank H. McClung Museum on the University of Tennessee campus and the Knoxville Museum of Art.

"You can learn a lot about life in the Tennessee Valley," said Stith, "the family conflicts of the Civil War and a timeline of significant historical events."

The article went on to state the McClung Museum has a quality mix of exhibits from ancient Egypt to stained glass and also noted the Knoxville Museum of Art has an excellent collection of fine art from many Tennesseans.

The McClung Museum, under the direction of Dr. Jeff Chapman, has been featured in numerous regional and national publications and is regarded as one of the South’s most respected institutions. The University professor has implemented a variety of programs over the years to make the campus facility more user friendly to residents of the city and has attracted some of the nations best archaeological and scientific minds as lecturers ñ most of which are held free of charge and open to anyone.

Knoxville Mayor Victor Ashe said he was pleased the city has finally got some long overdue recognition for its cultural development downtown.

"I too think these museums make a tremendous contribution to the quality of life in downtown and the entire city," said Ashe. "They can be part of an exciting vacation trip to Knoxville that would also include some of the newer attractions such as the Gateway Regional Visitors Center and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame."

The March edition of Southern Living is on news stands everywhere.

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National Medal of Honor Museum offered Smithsonian affiliation

CHATTANOOGA - Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lawrence Small took time last week to visit the National Medal of Honor Museum of Military History. The new head of the Institution stopped by to both view the facility and offer the museum official affiliation with the Smithsonian. The affiliation would mean establishing an exchange network between the two museums and building a working relationship on military exhibits. There are currently 52 U.S. museums affiliated with the organization. "By affiliating with the Smithsonian," said Secretary Small, "we can better utilize the artifacts in our collection and let Americans get an opportunity to view them. Otherwise these items will stay locked away in our warehouses where no one can view them. Secondly it allows the Smithsonian to do the same with affiliates who may have something in their collection that will round out an exhibit at the Smithsonian." The offer of Smithsonian affiliation comes at a time when the museum is in the midst of organizing a capitol fundraising project to help build a new facility on 15 acres of land being donated to the museum by the U.S. Army. Although the museum is recognized as an international resource on the Medal of Honor, its military history collection is regarded as one of the best in the nation and a bigger facility is needed to better showcase its collection and continue its educational programs. Board members of the Chattanooga museum met for over an hour with the Secretary showing him the facility's numerous exhibits and talking with him about the benefits of Smithsonian affiliation. Staffers from Rep. Zach Wamp's office and Chattanooga WWII Medal of Honor recipient Charlie Coolidge were also present during the Secretary's visit. "This is something that we are excited about discussing with the board of trustees," said museum curator Dan Smith, who guided Secretary Small through the museum, "the possibilities are there to form a sound working relationship with the world's leading museum and I think it reflects well on the hard work the museum's volunteers have done through the years to make this a first-rate facility." Since taking over at the Smithsonian, Secretary Small has been continuing the work of the American institution and helping make the facility more user-friendly to the nation's museum network. The Institution is regarded as having the most comprehensive historical collections in the world. Although vast in size in the nation's capitol, the museum currently only has around two percent of its collection displayed and working to develop ways so more of the collections can be shown to the American public. The Institution is currently building a new aerospace museum and developing a special national history facility in order to showcase more of the Smithsonian's American collection. Lack of usable floor space is something the Medal of Honor museum trustees understand well as the facility only has 30 percent of its own collection currently on display. Plans now being considered for the new museum building will increase their floor space by more than three times its current size and offer them the opportunity to display military vehicles and other artifacts that are currently in storage. "This is something I feel will greatly help the museum and its visitors," said one board member. "We have always strived to develop a museum that Chattanooga, Tennessee, and America can take pride in. Our primary goal first and foremost is the preservation of those men and one woman who received the nation's highest military award. In order to tell that story as completely as we can, we have also worked to develop a first-class military history collection that features exhibits you can't find anywhere else." The National Medal of Honor Museum's board of trustees is expected to meet in a few weeks to discuss the Smithsonian Secretary's offer of affiliation.

The museum, which is located on Georgia Avenue, is Chattanooga is open Tuesday through Saturday. For more information on visiting or helping the museum, you can contact them at (423) 267-1737 or mail them at: Medal of Honor Museum, P.O. Box 11467, Chattanooga, TN 37401.

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On Cosby Festival dates set

COSBY - The Cosby Family, Community and Education Study Group, Vision 21 of Cocke County and the East Tennessee Foundation have announced the 2000 dates for the On Cosby Festival - the Moonshine Capital of the World. The Festival, which celebrates the authentic history of the region, will be Oct. 20-22 from 10 a.m. until dusk at the Smoky Mountain Information Center in Cosby, Tn. The Information Center is located at the intersection of Highway 321 South and 73. What began as an attempt to recognize the history and identity of the Cosby community has become in three short years, one of the most unique festivals in America. The On Cosby Festival is rich with local arts and crafts, Appalachian Mountain music and folklore and the best food in East Tennessee. With demonstrations of handiwork, singing and dancing or just relaxing in the shadow of the Smokies, the On Cosby Festival has something for everyone. The festival kicks off with Kids Day on Friday, Oct. 20 as all the are elementary schools are invited to send groups to explore the crafts, exhibits and the great outdoors. Also on the first day will be the On Cosby drama written by Cosby native Delmar Baxter. The drama, performed at 7 p.m. in front of the Information Center on Friday night, is a fictional re-telling of the mountain way of life in East Tennessee during the Great Depression. During that time the most plentiful crop was corn and patrons in large cities or our region such as Knoxville and Chattanooga paid top dollar for the finished product of the hundreds of clandestine stills that littered the mountains. Saturday and Sunday see daylong celebrations featuring gospel singing, dancing and old fashioned fun. The On Cosby Festival is a fascinating, and above all, honest look at he heritage of our region. The allure and romance of the moonshine industry during the earl part of the twentieth century has drawn thousands to the Smokies looking for authenticity and an enjoyable time. By celebrating the heritage of the are, the On Cosby festival spectacularly manages to do both.

 

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Shop Talk

Gatlinburg-Tennessee Online has been undergoing some changes over the last few months and trying to revamp some of the sections of the site. We are pleased to announce that the Internet web site and Ed Hooper picked up three awards over the summer for excellence in journalism with the site's news page and popular artifacts section. In the meantime, research has continued to locate photographs and other material, which will be included in the site at a later date.
   We have received numerous letters from web site visitors asking us for genealogical, municipal and statistical information that is impossible for us to provide. We try to handle each request individually and respond to each one, but sometimes the information is impossible for us to get. We will continue to forward those letters to the proper agency, but please ask for your patience in getting a reply. As more and more of the state's agencies come on line, we will post them on the site. Once again, we would like to thank you for your time and contribution to the site's growing archives. Without it, our jobs would be much harder. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us by e-mail.

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