It is the mission of the Center for the Study of Tennesseans and War to research, preserve, and share the stories of people in our region who have been involved in wars from 1700 to the present day.
In 2022, the Center partnered with a local veteran’s organization, Veterans Heritage Site Foundation, to share research from our library and archives with the public. VHSF staff networked with local officials. Our Director and our staff, especially Kyle Vratarich and Andrew Dingus, then spent twelve months designing the content for eight information boards devoted to Tennesseans who have been involved in wars throughout the history of our state. The boards have QR codes that link park goers to additional content on our website. Knoxville Parks and Recreations positioned these boards at trailheads within Sharp’s Ridge Veterans Memorial Park in Knoxville, TN. The 150-acre park was established in 1953 to honor the military service of local citizens. Previously, there was no information on Tennessee’s military history inside the park.
Here are the eight information boards the Center created for the park project:
