Bristol Historical Association Newsletter

May 2012

Education Outreach

Joyce Kistner

Joyce Kistner and Barbara Smith are pleased to report further progress and success in teaching Bristol history to the fourth grade students of Bristol Tennessee  and Bristol Virginia public schools as well as two private schools. Over 400 students enjoyed these presentations, and each child was given a bookmark depicting scenes of historical highpoints in  Bristol's history.  The wonderful artwork on these bookmarks was designed and created by Joyce Kistner. Due to popular demand, purchase of these Bristol bookmarks will be made available through the Merchandise Committee in the near future.

On Monday, June 11th, Dr. John Gaines will present a program about General John Cabell Breckinridge, an American lawyer and politician. Breckinridge served as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from Kentucky and was the 14th Vice President of the United States (1857-1861), to date, the youngest vice president in U.S. history, inaugurated at age 36. 

Following the outbreak of the American Civil War, Breckinridge served in the Confederate States Army as a general and commander of Confederate forces prior to the 1863 Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, and of the young Virginia Military Institute cadets, at the 1864 Battle of New Market in New Market, Virginia. He also served as the fifth and final Confederate Secretary of War.  Don't miss this fascinating story of the only vice president ever to take up arms against the government of the United States. 

I trust that I have the courage to lead a forlorn hope.
--John C. Breckinridge, 1860

Joe Tennis to Present Talk on Franklin and Washington  

Author Joe Tennis will be the guest speaker for a public meeting of the Bristol Historical Association on Monday, May 14. The meeting will be held in the J. Henry Kegley Meeting Room at the Bristol Public Library at 6:30pm. Tennis will present a program called "Franklin and Washington: A Lost State and a County of Change."

Benjamin Franklin's face is on the $100 bill, and many towns and counties across the United States bear his name, including places in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee.  Franklin's name also showed up on the short-lived State of Franklin, located in what is now East Tennessee, from 1784 to 1788. This "lost state" predated Tennessee with a geographic boundary stretching from a northern border at Washington County, Va., south to the Smoky Mountains.

In his recent book, "Finding Franklin: Mystery of the Lost Capitol" (Backyard Books, $6.99), Tennis examines how the State of Franklin is perceived after 200 years. Tennis has also most recently released a new pictorial book of Washington County, Va., highlighting the history of Mendota, Abingdon, Damascus, Bristol and the Virginia Creeper Trail.

"Finding Franklin" is a comical adventure book that stays true to the history of the State of Franklin, Tennessee, according to Tennis, while also exploring the mystery of what happened to the lost state's capitol building. That building, described by the author, stood in Greeneville, TN. It was moved to Nashville and set up for Tennessee's centennial celebration in 1897, but was later dismantled and lost.

Tennis is known for his numerous regional books, including "Washington County, Virginia: Then & Now", a 96-page journey along the Holston River, old railroads and legendary highways like U.S. 11 and U.S. 58.  "This book has a theme: the railroad," Tennis said. "Almost every photo in this book, including the cover, is tied to the railroads of Washington County - from the main line through Glade Spring, Meadowview, Wyndale and Wallace to the paths that are now trails."

Tennis is the author of five other books and a regular newspaper column, "Tennis Anyone?", in the Bristol Herald Courier.

The May 14 meeting is in conjunction with the Bristol Public Library's mission of "Expanding Minds and Building Community."  This educational presentation is free and open to the public. 

 Renew your membership!

Did you know that BHA offers a variety of membership levels, most of which come with discounts on BHA merchandise?  

And don't forget that you can give BHA memberships as gifts! 

For more information, 

contact Roxann Coulthard at roxann@bvunet.net 

or visit BHA's website at  

BHA@bristolhistoricalassociation.com 

 

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Many exciting activities are taking place at the Preston House located in Washington County, VA, on Lee Highway. Jordan Pennington, a member of the Preston House Committee, submitted a request to the Washington County Tax Assessor's office to exempt the property from taxes due to its historical status in the County. Clearing of trees and brush, bee removal from the inside of the house, and upcoming work on the foundation along with repainting the shutters are already showing visible improvement to the house as Phase One Stabilization work continues.

     

Many thanks to all the Job Corps folks who helped with cleaning up the property!

 

"Beekeeper" Jan Rainero helping relocate the Preston House Bees!