Unbounded Partnerships:

Community-Based Preservation
Aleia Brown, Ginna Foster Cannon, Pat Cummins, Brad
Miller and Teresa Prober

MTSUs Center for Historic

Preservation
Established 1984
Center of Excellence
Dr. Carroll Van West,
Director of CHP &
State Historian

CHPs Primary Initiatives

Rural Preservation, Sustainability and Heritage
Development
Heritage Education
Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area
Heritage Diversity
American Democracy Project

Community-Based Preservation
Methods
Grassroots-Generated
Boots on the Ground
Heritage Development
Sustainable Planning

CHPs Graduate Research Assistants (2014-2015)

Methods in Action
3 Case Studies, 1 Community
Partner
Many CHP projects start as class
projects
CHP focused on building longterm relationships with partners
Multi-staged, multi-year projects
with partners is the norm

First Case Study

Rose Hill and Rosemount Cemeteries

Columbia, Tennessee

Project Background & Scope

Background:
MTSU class project in conjunction
with CHP
CHP philosophy
Cultural landscape approach to
cemetery districts
Scope:
Historical assessment
Preservation considerations
Heritage development

Fence dividing Rose Hill and Rosemount

Cemeteries

Grassroots
Danny Moser a member of the Board of Trustees for Rose Hill
Cemetery in Columbia, TN contacted MTSUs Center for
Historic Preservation (CHP) for planning advice and possible
National Register of Historic Places nomination.
Though Rose Hill has historical value, CHP advocated a joint
project to include Rosemount, the adjacent African American
Cemetery. This demonstrates the significance of the cultural
landscape cemetery district which can only be understood
when both sides of mirror cemeteries are accessed.
For the first time in 60 years representatives from both
cemeteries are working together for a mutual purpose.

Civil War Trails Program

Marker program encompasses 5 states.
TN driving tour map is the most requested and
downloaded.
Civil War Trails Marker Process.
Research, historical narrative, images, and captions.

Second Case Study

Marble Springs State Historic Site

Knoxville, TN

History of Marble Springs

John Sevier, Tennessees first governor (1745-1815)
State-owned since 1941
Period of significance listed as 1790

Scope of Project
Request for a preliminary
assessment
Class project
Focus on sites 5 historic buildings
Provide assessments of exterior,
interior and furnishings
Provide specific and general
recommendations for each area

CHP Recommendations
Design conservation plan
Provide new interpretation and
signage
Create strategic marketing plan and
marketing material
Amend National Register Nomination
to reflect recent findings

Third Case Study

The University of Tennessee
at Chattanoogas Historic
Engel Stadium
Heritage Assessment Plan

Source: The Engel

Foundation

The Story

Source: The Engel

Foundation

The Players
University of
Tennessee at
Chattanooga
The Engel
Foundation
Center for Historic
Preservation

Setting Goals
Starting Lineup: Recognizing Engel Stadium as a
heritage asset
Grounds Crew: Prepare and maintain stadium for
safe human interaction
Announcing the Game: Public Programming
Just Like Joe: Marketing the Hidden Gem of
Chattanooga
Post-Game Interview: Gathering Memories

Building Capacity
Take Advantage of
What Already Exists
Shared Goals
Communication
Where is Engel
Today?

Community Partner

Trail of Tears National Historic

Trail Identification
The Native History Association researched and
verified an approximate 1 mile segment of
the Trail of Tears in northern Rutherford County
at the East Fork Recreation Area (Old Jefferson)
on U.S. Army Corps. Of Engineers property at
the Forks of the Stones River, near Smyrna TN.

CHP followed up with a tour of the property to

further verify our research, and the discovery
of the Trail of Tears segment. Their findings
were then submitted to National Parks Service
Staff. As a result of our partnership efforts, the
site is now officially marked with National Park
Service Trail of Tears signage, and public tours
of the property are now offered to the general
public by the Native History Association.

The intact federally owned component

of the Trail of Tears at the former
settlement of Old Jefferson, circa 1804,
the original county seat of Rutherford
County, TN

CHP staff visits and writes a preliminary

historic assessment for the circa 1807
Johns-King Home of Smyrna, TN, a Trail of
Tears witness structure, at the request of
the Native History Association in 2014.

Col. Robert Weakley

Benjamin S. &
Mary Neal King

Contact Info
Aleia Brown amb2c@mtmail.mtsu.edu
Ginna Foster Cannon vfc2a@mtmail.mtsu.edu
Pat Cummins pat@nativehistoryassociation.org
Brad Miller brm4m@mtmail.mtsu.edu
Teresa Prober probert@apsu.edu

Questions:
What does community-based preservation mean to you?
How have you put community-based preservation into
practice? What were the successes and challenges?
What advice can you offer those who are launching
community-based projects?
How long do partnerships last between public historians
and the communities? Are the projects sustainable on a
long-term basis?