McMinnville Adds New Sites To The Civil War Trails Program

Last week McMinnville, Tennessee added two new sites to the Civil War Trails program, which maintains and markets over 1,500 tourism destinations across six states. It is often touted as the world’s largest “open air museum.” The project was the result of a partnership between the McMinnville Tourism Development Board, Civil War Trails, Inc. and the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development and is expected to bring a stronger fiscal return to the community.

The two new sites include the story of Lucy Virginia French in the Riverside Cemetery off Bridge Street and the story of Gen. Benjamin Hill in the Old City Cemetery off South Hill Street. Each site now has a Civil War Trails interpretive sign, and a network of the iconic red bugle directional “trailblazers” which alongside the printed and digital maps help drive visitors to each site. The two new stories focus on two local personalities and will be a crowd pleaser with the program’s younger travelers.

Dayron Deaton-Owens, administrator for the Tourism Development Authorit, spearheaded the projects. She said, “Having these amenities in our area add another layer to our tourism industry that not only honors our past but also fuels economic growth by drawing tourists who are eager to connect with this rich heritage.” The impact of their history-focused travelers is immense. According to Civil War Trails, Inc. their travelers spend around 3-4 nights during their trips, spending around $1,200 dollars, and are increasingly interested in history, coupled with local restaurants, and recreational activities.

This sentiment was reinforced by the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. Not only does that office partner with Civil War Trails in producing the popular Civil War Trails map-guide but their team has been tracking the impact of the program and history-oriented travel in the state. “Tennessee’s historic sites and trails play a vital role in preserving our history while also inspiring tourism,” said Mark Ezell, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development. “As more families than ever before explore the rich culture and heritage that define our state, they support local businesses, drive revenue and create jobs for Tennesseans.”

These two new sites are only the beginning of a plan to refresh the remaining three Civil War Trails sites in the area. The goal is to improve story-telling and way finding between the sites with an eye towards getting visitors to stay longer and spend more in town.

For more information about visiting McMinnville please visit www.visitmcminnvilletn.com. Be sure to snap selfie and post it with #signselfie #civilwatrails and #tnsoundsperfect