The National Park Service looks to partner with the Civil War Trust again this year to have a hands-on preservation event to help Civil War, and now Revolutionary War & War of 1812, battlefields and historic sites take on maintenance projects large and small. Volunteers across the country will again answer their nation’s call to service.
History enthusiasts, community leaders, and preservationists will team up with the Civil War Trust on Saturday, April 7, at more than 130 historic sites in 30 states to participate in the 22nd annual Park Day.
Since its inception in 1996, Park Day has attracted volunteers of all ages and abilities bound by their dedication to serving their communities. In 2017, nearly 6,000 volunteers at 138 historic sites across the country donated more than 24,000 service hours.
At Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, volunteers are needed to help build a historic fence at McDonald Farm, around the park’s headquarters. Sign-up will start at 8:30 a.m. in the lower parking lot of the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center. Participants should come dressed for outdoor work and wear clothes they do not mind getting dirty. For safety reasons and due to the nature of the work, clothing should include long-sleeved shirts, long pants, tennis shoes or work boots. Gloves and other personal protective equipment will be provided. Come prepared for the sun with a cap, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle.
After the event, at 12:30 p.m., a brief ceremony will take place dedicating the park’s new visitor entrance sign at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center. This sign and others at various park areas were purchased and installed through a National Park Service 2016 Centennial cost share program between the park and the Friends of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park. The donation of nearly $50,000 from Friends of the Park was made possible by a gift from the estate of Shawn Johns, said Tricia Mims, executive director. “Mr. Johns loved coming to Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, and volunteered as a living historian for many years,” said Mrs. Mims. “We are grateful for his legacy gift and the opportunity Mr. Johns provided us to partner with the park on a project of this significance.”
For more information about Park Day at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact Will Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator, 752-5213 x 137; will_wilson@nps.gov.
For more information about Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 821-7786, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.