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Division of Tourism installing 150 Civil War Trails markers in state

July 02, 2009 @ 02:46 PM

2009/The Herald-Dispatch

Herald-Dispatch.com

 HARPER’S FERRY, W.Va. — The West Virginia Division of Tourism is funding the purchase and installation of 150 Civil War Trails markers throughout the state.

The latest marker was unveiled in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park this past week during a meeting of the West Virginia and Virginia Civil War Sesquicentennial Commissions. The interpretive marker was placed at Bolivar Heights Battlefield in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park to describe what happened there during a Civil War battle in 1862. Bolivar Heights features Civil War cannons, infantry trenches and was the site of the largest Union surrender during the war.

Civil War Trails is a multi-state program that identifies, interprets and creates driving tours of Civil War campaigns and the lesser-known sites. The interpretive markers with maps, illustrations and text have been installed at more than 900 previously un-interpreted sites throughout Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee. The Civil War Trails program is administered by a nonprofit corporation and supported by local communities, state tourism offices, and state departments of transportation. In 2001, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identified the Civil War Trails program as one of the most successful and sustainable heritage tourism programs in the nation.

Find out how a Civil War site in or near your community can become part of the West Virginia Civil War Trails program by contacting Justin Gaull at the West Virginia Division of Tourism at 304-558-2200 or jgaull@wvtourism.com.