Governor Beshear Signs Executive Order Creating Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission
Press Release
Governor announces transportation grant for improvements to Battle of Richmond Park
Governor Steve Beshear today signed an executive order establishing a commission that will recognize and celebrate the pivotal role Kentucky played in the Civil War.
The Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission will fall under the auspices of the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS) and be comprised of 25 diverse members, including legislators, Kentucky college and university Civil War specialists, members of the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Kentucky Arts Council.
Abraham Lincoln famously remarked during the height of tensions between the Confederate and Union armies, I hope to have God on my side, but I must have Kentucky.' The crucial role that Commonwealth played in the Civil War cannot be understated. Through the establishment of a Civil War Commission, I hope to demonstrate to all Kentuckians what a historic stronghold exists in their own backyard, said Gov. Beshear.
The commission will be tasked with recommending activities to commemorate important Civil War events in Kentucky, increasing civic awareness about the principle role of the Commonwealth in the Civil War, as well as encouraging communities and businesses to engage in activities to expand the understanding of the civil war across the state and beyond.
Appointments to the commission will be made no later than Nov. 1, 2009 with the first meeting of the commission expected to occur in March 2010.
This is important to the people of Richmond and Madison County because one of the most important battles -- the Battle of Richmond -- was fought in Richmond, Ky., said Sen. Ed Worley, D-Richmond. We thank Gov. Beshear for his work on creating the Kentucky Civil War Sesquicentennial Commission and for the grant to improve the Battle of Richmond Park. It is important that we educate those who do not realize our state's significance in this historic era and recognize our ancestors for their role in the war and the aftermath.
KHS will play a pivotal role in helping Kentucky commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial, having recently received a $1,050,000 grant to commemorate the occasion. KHS will use the funds to create programming and projects around the theme Discovering Together: Kentucky's Civil War Landscapes. The commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennialthe 150th anniversarywill take place 2011 to 2015.
Gov. Beshear also announced a $440,000 Transportation Enhancement grant for improvements at the Battle of Richmond Park, the historic Civil War battle site where Union forces suffered a defeat as the Confederate Army advanced northward.
This is an investment in our heritage as Kentuckians, Gov. Beshear said. It's important that we know and share the history of the events that shaped our nation.
Madison County's rich Civil War heritage is widely known, with the Battle of Richmond one of the most important fought in Kentucky, said Madison County Judge Executive Kent Clark. These grants will allow us to make infrastructure improvements to properly honor the battle's legacy and educate visitors from across the Commonwealth who come to spend time at the park.
The funding is for completion of the restoration of the Joseph Barnett-Herndon House, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The house will be used as a visitor center during Civil War re-enactments and other events. The restoration involves interior structural improvements, including upgrades to the house's plumbing, wiring, heating and air ventilation systems.
The project includes a series of informational displays at historic locations along U.S. 421/U.S. 25, the Battlefield Memorial Highway: Mt. Zion Church, the Rogers-Tribble House and the Palmer House. Cannons of the period will also be placed at the sites.
A Civil War-period split-rail fence will be built from Mt. Zion Church to the Barnett-Herndon House and will connect with the existing rail fence on the property.
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