Mount Olive Cemetery Historical Preservations Society

Proposed 2008 Project: Share Clarksville's Rich Civil War Heritage: A Symposium for Community Awareness

This project will provide a vehicle to develop a hands-on exploration and education opportunity. Persons of all ages can participate in, hear about, discuss and see the heritage passed along to them from the contributions of the Civil War-era citizens of Clarksville and the surrounding region.

The program will emphasize the importance of recalling the circumstances that occurred in the mid-1860s and the importance of recognizing all of the residents before, during, and after that period contributed to the evaluation of modern Clarksville. Some of the proposed components of the program will include:

--Dedication of headstones of US Colored Troops, part of the 101st USCT (union soldiers) interred in Mt. Olive Cemetery. (Headstones provided through community donations.)

--Tours of historic Civil War sites in Clarksville conducted by guides in period dress. Includes Mt. Olive Cemetery, Ft. Defiance (Civil War fortress overlooking the Cumberland River, Dumbar Cave (state park containing prehistoric Native American art), Smith Trahern Mansion (pre-Civil War mansion of a prominent businessman tobacco farmer, and riverboat captain), other historic homes and sites.

--Workshops featuring historians, authors, student of Civil War events

--A Settlement Store at the historic railroad station for sellers of Civil War memorabilia

--Period dress Dinner.

--All Civil War Military Encampments.

--Essay "Civil War Era: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly.

This may be a three-day event in June of 2008, but planning is now in progress, if you would like to know how you can help and/or contribute to this program please contact Mrs. Geneva Bell via email at genevab1941@aol.com

Committee Members to date: Joe Pitts, Theresa Harrington, Hybernia Williams, Geneva Bell, Howard Winn, Phyllis Smith, Norman Hill, and Randy R.

Tentive Date: June 6th - 8th, 2008 for this project.