For immediate release July 2, 2008
TENNESSEE HISTORICAL COMMISSION ANNOUNCES MERIT AWARDS
Nashville, Tenn. – The Tennessee Historical Commission has announced 13 recipients of its 2008 Certificate of Merit Awards, a program which annually recognizes Tennessee individuals and groups who have worked to preserve the state’s cultural heritage through historic preservation projects and the study of history.
“We are proud to pay tribute to the accomplishments of people and organizations who devote themselves to our state’s unique history,” said Patrick McIntyre, executive director of the Historical Commission. “From the group who had the vision to restore a 1930’s school to serve a new generation of students, to a talented team who wrote and produced a play that brings to light little-known stories from Nashville’s Civil Rights Movement, this year’s honorees reflect the diverse ways that Tennesseans are preserving and honoring our heritage.”
Recipients of the 2008 Certificate of Merit Awards are:
- Denise Hawkins of Nashville for her successful completion of the National Register nomination for the Whitland Area Neighborhood Historic District in Nashville;
- Ordinary Heroes: The Birth of a Movement - this play, written by Vali Forrester and Jeff Obafemi Carr and organized by Libscomb University and Fisk University, is recognized for its chronicles of untold stories from Nashville’s participants in the Civil Rights Movement;
- Julian Bibb of Franklin for his long-standing contributions to preservation in Franklin, including 17 years on the board and three terms as president of the Heritage Foundation and his tireless efforts as part of Franklin’s Charge to acquire the Eastern Flank of the Franklin Battlefield;
- The Humboldt Higher Education Committee for the successful renovation of the 71 year-old Main Street Elementary School for use as the Humboldt Higher Education Center.
- The Main Street Collierville Historic Church Markers Program, for erecting four historic markers at downtown Collierville churches to help tell the stories of these historic buildings;
- The Cookeville History Museum, which opened in April 2007 and whose exhibits trace the history of the region back to Native American times;
- Emily Sells of Livingston, whose weekly newspaper column called “Josephine’s Journal” often features stories focused on local history;
- Thomas Cartwright of Franklin for leading the successful effort to purchase a half-acre tract adjacent to the Carter House State Historic Site. The land, once occupied by the Carter’s garden, was the site of some of the bloodiest fighting during the Civil War;
- Ronald Dishman of Livingston, who spent countless hours compiling and sharing historical and genealogical information as the Overton County historian;
- Bob and Betty Sherwood of Morrison, who published a book about their home area called, Hubbard’s Cove and Beyond and have restored several cemeteries in Hubbard’s Cove;
- The Grundy County Historical Society for its many contributions to the study of local history, including the publication of Heritage of Grundy County and placement of identification signs on previously unmarked cemeteries. The Historical Society also publishes a quarterly journal, The Pathfinder, and has developed an educational Web site;
- Kenneth Thomson, Jr. of Cross Plains for restoring the Walton Cottage in Cross Plains for use as his residence and for encouraging preservation in his community and surrounding areas through active participation with Rose Mont, Cragfont and Wynnewood historic sites and by co-authoring two books on Sumner County;
- Juanita Wise Gourley of Gallatin for her long-time leadership and many contributions at Cragfont and Rose Mont historic sites.
For more information about the Tennessee Historical Commission, please visit www.tn.gov/environment/hist/.
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For more information contact: Tisha Calabrese-Benton |
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