2008 Woodie Awards
Stones River Battlefield receives funding secured by Bart Gordon
Tiffany Gibson
Issue date: 1/14/08 Section: News
Recently Stones River National Battlefield was given $980,000 by the Federal Highway Administration's Federal Lands account. Congressman and former MTSU graduate student, Bart Gordon, secured the funding to improve the trail route and construct two new entrances into the park.
The two new entrances will be available at Thompson Lane, which will bring visitors into the main park area, and the Artillery Monument, which is located near McFadden's Fort.
"The current driving tour route was designed in the '60s, but the battlefield has more than doubled in size since then," said Julie Eubank, communications director for Gordon. "As a result, some of the portions of the battlefield are not accessible from the current tour route."
On average, the battlefield receives 200,000 visitors a year to reminisce about the battle of Stones River, which took place on Dec. 31, 1862. According to Gib Backlund, chief of operations at Stones River National Battlefield, the union army had just marched out of Nashville that December while the Confederate Army occupied Murfreesboro. President Lincoln desperately wanted a victory to help boost the popularity of the Emancipation Proclamation, so the battle began and ended three days later with a Union victory.
After being defeated, the Confederacy retreated as the Union went on to win Chattanooga and Atlanta, which ultimately led to the Union Army's victory in the Civil War.
The anniversary of the Stones River battle is celebrated from Dec. 31 until Jan. 2. During this time specials events are offered such as Ranger informational guide walks, stories about actual soldiers who fought in the battle, and traditional cannons being shot.
"In 2011, the nation will observe the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. It's exp- ected that visits to Civil War sites will increase as the anniversary approaches," Eubank said.
Along the tour, guests also have the option of examining the exhibits that help tell the story of the battle as well as admiring natural plant and animal life along with memorial monuments for soldiers.
The two new entrances will be available at Thompson Lane, which will bring visitors into the main park area, and the Artillery Monument, which is located near McFadden's Fort.
"The current driving tour route was designed in the '60s, but the battlefield has more than doubled in size since then," said Julie Eubank, communications director for Gordon. "As a result, some of the portions of the battlefield are not accessible from the current tour route."
On average, the battlefield receives 200,000 visitors a year to reminisce about the battle of Stones River, which took place on Dec. 31, 1862. According to Gib Backlund, chief of operations at Stones River National Battlefield, the union army had just marched out of Nashville that December while the Confederate Army occupied Murfreesboro. President Lincoln desperately wanted a victory to help boost the popularity of the Emancipation Proclamation, so the battle began and ended three days later with a Union victory.
After being defeated, the Confederacy retreated as the Union went on to win Chattanooga and Atlanta, which ultimately led to the Union Army's victory in the Civil War.
The anniversary of the Stones River battle is celebrated from Dec. 31 until Jan. 2. During this time specials events are offered such as Ranger informational guide walks, stories about actual soldiers who fought in the battle, and traditional cannons being shot.
"In 2011, the nation will observe the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War. It's exp- ected that visits to Civil War sites will increase as the anniversary approaches," Eubank said.
Along the tour, guests also have the option of examining the exhibits that help tell the story of the battle as well as admiring natural plant and animal life along with memorial monuments for soldiers.
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