Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area Celebrates Updated Museum, Land Donation and New Friends Group
Elizabethton, Tenn. - Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area is celebrating improvements to its museum, a recent land donation to the park and a new park friends group called the Friends of Sycamore Shoals with a community event on Thursday, March 22, at 6:00 p.m. at the park. The event will feature music, skits, food, door prizes and information about park improvements and new programs. It is being sponsored by the friends group and is free and open to the public.
Among the improvements being celebrated is a $575,000 upgrade planned for the Sycamore Shoals museum and exhibit space. The upgrade will include building improvements and new, interactive exhibits to help bring the history of the 18 th Century frontier to life for park visitors.
“I am pleased to be able to support the good work accomplished at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area of preserving and sharing history,” said Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Commissioner Jim Fyke. “The new museum exhibits will go even further to combine the best of historic preservation and recreation for the people of Carter County and Northeast Tennessee as well as visitors to the area.”
In addition to building improvements, the park is celebrating a recent land gift of 25 acres, donated by Charles Green and the creation of the Friends of Sycamore Shoals, a group dedicated to working with the park to create new opportunities for the community when they visit Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area.
“This is truly a bright new day for us,” said Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area Manager Jennifer Bauer. “You can feel the excitement among our volunteers and supporters. We have received outstanding support from Governor Bredesen and Commissioner Fyke, as well as community members like Mr. Green, which has enabled us to expand our borders and begin the process of upgrading the site, particularly our museum and exhibit space.”
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area also hopes to expand existing programming in the near future and is upgrading and reworking the park’s popular annual drama, which will have new scenes, a fresh look and a new name when the curtain goes up in July.
“For the people of Carter County, Elizabethton and Northeast Tennessee, and for me, this is a dream come true,” said Representative Kent Williams. “The prospects for the future that are made possible by these investments will be good and strong for all of us.”
Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area attracts more than 250,000 people every year. The 85-acre site sits on the banks of the Watauga River where the Overmountain Men assembled in 1780 before marching to defeat the British in the Battle of Kings Mountain, a turning point in the Revolutionary War. The park features interpretive exhibits, events, a fitness trail and picnic facilities. It is located off U.S. Highway 321 in Elizabethton. For more information on park activities, call the park office at (423) 543-5808 or visit the Web site at: http://www.tnstateparks.com/SycamoreShoals/.
For more information contact:
Tisha Calabrese-Benton
Office (865) 594-5442