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The historic Henegar House in
Charleston will be officially added to
Tennessee’s collection of sites included in the Civil War Trails Association’s national tour. The new Henegar House marker will be unveiled in a public dedication Tuesday,April 20 at 10 a.m. on
Market Street in
Charleston.
Special guests will include Dr. Carroll Van West, director of the
MTSU
Center for Historic Preservation and director for Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area. West is consulting with trail applicants regarding the authenticity of the historic site and the information that would be included on the markers. West is also senior editor of Tennessee Historical Quarterly.
Charleston will also welcome Lee Curtis, from the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development (TDTD). The state department has been instrumental in managing the applications and promoting the program across
Tennessee. The effort to add Tennessee, the state second only to Virginia in number of Civil War sites, has been a true state-wide effort and an opportunity to include many partners in an important project.
Civil War re-enactors will be in attendance and the group plans to shoot an authentic Civil War cannon owned by local Civil War enthusiast Phil Newman. Walker Valley High School Band will present music at the dedication and special guests will comment on the addition of this important site.
The Henegar House marker tells the story of a divided household, reflecting the loyalties of the county as a whole. The house served as headquarters for both
Union and Confederate generals including Gen. William T. Sherman, who while chatting on the porch with Margaret Henegar, spoke of destroying the Southland.
“This house represents American History and I am honored to be the caretaker of that story,” said
Natalie Winningham, owner of the Henegar Houser. “This marker tells of
Sherman’s visit with strong-willed Confederate supporter Mrs. Henegar, which is an important moment in time and interesting to share. But it is also my person contribution to our community in hopes of attracting visitors to
Charleston.” Winningham has collected many original letters and family photos that give a glimpse of life with the Henegars in this now historic home.
Built in 1849 by Henry Benton Henegar, the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and is the oldest brick residence still standing in
Bradley
County. Henegar served as a wagon master under Chief John Ross and led a Cherokee detachment on the Trail of Tears to the West. He built the house upon returning to
Tennessee.
Information for the markers must be approved by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, as well as the Civil War Trails Association. Winningham and
Bryan Reed, professor at
Cleveland
State
Community College and president of the Bradley County Historical Society, researched and compiled the information on the marker.
Tennessee has been added to the National Civil War Trails program over the past year and has given communities and historic sites the opportunity to apply for a grant that includes a site marker, directional signage and inclusion in a trail guide and website. The matching grant requires that sites cover 20 percent of the $5,500 cost of each marker package ($1,100) and an annual $200 maintenance fee. Each marker site must have parking area or “pull-off” space available for visitors to safely view the information and site.
In June 2009, Bradley County was officially placed on the National Civil War Trails when the Bradley County Commission, Cleveland City Council and Charleston City Commission teamed up to acquire two gateway markers illustrating the role of each community during the War. One is located in the
Charleston
Public
Park and the other stands in front of the
Museum
Center at 5ive Points. Commitments to cover the annual maintenance fee came from the Charleston-Calhoun-Hiwassee Historical Society, Bradley County Historical Society,
Museum
Center at 5ive Points, the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Convention & Visitors Bureau of the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce.
“Participation in this program adds another reason for visitors to come to our community,” said
Melissa Woody, Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce vice president for Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We are included in the state’s Civil War trail guide and on the website with our gateway markers and now we have an enhanced presence with the addition of the Henegar House. I hope this will encourage other private property owners to share the story of their historic sites.”
Winningham, with author Raymond Evans, recently published a book, “Struggle on the Hiwassee” detailing the pivotal position that
Charleston and the
Hiwassee
River played in Civil War strategy. The beautiful hard-bound first edition of the book will be available for purchase at the dedication.
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