Statewide Coalition Encourages Passage by the Tennessee General Assembly Nashville, April 3, 2017 – A statewide coalition of historic preservation advocates, property owners, developers, community revitalization and business leaders is leading an effort to create a new financial incentive for the rehabilitation of historic buildings in ... Read more >

Join us March 23rd at the the Bluebird Cafe for a benefit concert for the Tennessee Preservation Trust’s Power of Place program. Legendary singers and songwriters Beth Neilsen Chapman, Kathy Mattea, Mary Gauthier and Don Henry will perform at the world famous Bluebird. Tickets go on sale March 16 at www.bluebirdcafe.com. $20 per person. ... Read more >

Nashville is honored to have an icon of the National Park Service in town while the Centennial celebration of the National Park Service (1916 – 2016) is taking place across the country the week of August 21st. Ed Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service and one of America’s preeminent Civil War historians, will give a talk on the ... Read more >

Tennessee played a pivotal role in the passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. During a hot summer in 1920, Tennessee became the final state needed to meet a requirement that three-fourths of states approve the amendment in order for it to become federal law. Genny Carter, a librarian at the ... Read more >

The Tennessee State Library & Archives has added an online collection of material that tracks dozens of family histories across several states. The material, titled “The Genealogical Research Files of Dr. Barbara Long,” traces the lines of 33 families with roots in east Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland ... Read more >

Michael Birdwell, professor of history, has been awarded Tennessee Tech University’s highest faculty honor, the 2016 Caplenor Faculty Research Award. “I am thankful that my peers found my ongoing research worthy of recognition,” Birdwell said. “As someone in the humanities, competing against researchers in engineering and science, it is doubly ... Read more >

Franklin, TN (June 1, 2016) – The Historic Franklin Masonic Hall in Franklin, Tennessee will hold a special Civil War Trails marker dedication on Friday, June 10, 2016 at 10 o’clock. The Historic Franklin Masonic Hall cordially invite the public to attend the dedication. Following the dedication, community leaders, preservationists and partners will ... Read more >

May 24th, 2016—The Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) is accepting nominations until July 31st, 2016 for its annual Ten in Tenn list of most endangered historic places. As TPT’s strongest preservation advocacy tool, listing on the Ten in Tenn raises awareness of the property’s historic value, gives credibility to restoring the building(s), and ... Read more >

NASHVILLE, TN – May 10th, 2016—On Thursday, May 26th, the Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) is collaborating with historian and author Jim Hoobler for “Gentlemen’s to Lower Broad,” a special one-time-only walking tour of downtown Nashville. This special tour is the first of TPT’s Historic Tennessee Tours series, kicking off in the ... Read more >

From Left: Dr. Charles Womack, former TPT Board Chair; Brock Hill; Jeff Wells, former TPT Treasurer NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee State Parks Deputy Commissioner Brock Hill and other Parks staff were honored with the 2016 Excellence In Preservation Leadership Award during an annual historical preservation conference on March 16. The award was ... Read more >

Press release via Johnson City Press Group moving forward on preservation plans for Bonnie Kate Theater —John Thompson ELIZABETHTON — A local foundation working to obtain and preserve the old Bonnie Kate Theater in downtown Elizabethton is not giving up its efforts, even though the property will be auctioned on April 8. The property has ... Read more >

CROSSVILLE, MARCH 1st, 2016—Two historic properties will be preserved forever thanks to the National Historic Preservation Act and the Tennessee Preservation Trust’s (TPT) preservation easement program. TPT accepted the donation of two preservation easements this February from Delos Hughes for the Vaden House and the Guest House, two homes ... Read more >

MEDIA ALERT Award goes to Tennessee native and longtime preservationist Bill King The Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) announced Bill King as the 2014 recipient of the TPT Lifetime Achievement Award, acknowledging his tireless work preserving the irreplaceable historic treasures in his home town of Denmark, Tenn. The award was granted at TPT’s ... Read more >

MEDIA ALERT The Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) held its annual membership meeting on May 1, in Germantown, Tenn., as a part of its annual Statewide Preservation Conference. The meeting highlighted the successes of the Tennessee Preservation Trust over the past year and also shared visions and goals for the coming year. At the meeting members ... Read more >

George Orwell once stated that he who controls the present controls the past. Who is in control of the present? We are. The historic places we treasure in our communities exist only because at some point in time someone else saw the value in the very same place and took action. Whether it is a small cemetery in the woods or a near forgotten battlefield ... Read more >

Rep. Steve McDaniel has introduced a number of bills in the House regarding the preservation of TN’s heritage this session. Here are a few that are making their way through the General Assembly right now that we are keeping an eye on: HB 0301 / SB 0642 (sponsored by Tracy & Ketron in the Senate) – The “Tennessee Civil War Site ... Read more >

In 2012, our friends at Knox Heritage met with Senator Massey regarding legislation that would help local governments dispose of surplus historic properties AND help preserve those properties. Yesterday, Senate Bill 0074 unanimously passed the State and Local Government Committee with one friendly amendment and will be placed on the calendar for vote on the ... Read more >

TPT can now announce what presentations and hands-on demonstrations will be happening at the Old House Fair March 9th. 9 am – 3 pm Cohn School – 4805 Park Avenue The exact schedule will be announced soon, but in the meantime, we can confirm that the following will take place: Flushed Away: Getting Creative with Old Plumbing Join Andrew ... Read more >

Last Fall, Knox Heritage’s Kim Trent and Ethiel Garlington met with Senator Becky Duncan Massey about legislation that would help local governments dispose of surplus historic properties that also helps preserve those properties. The draft legislation was modeled after a similar measure in North Carolina that has helped preserve hundreds of buildings ... Read more >

In 2012, Tennessee Preservation Trust kept you abreast of the changes to the transportation bill submitted to Congress. Numerous amendments were made as the parties went back and forth trying to finalize a bill that would satisfy all parties within the tight budget constraints. Now that the waters have (slightly) calmed down, we can now report to you some ... Read more >

TPT More details are confirmed for the 2013 Annual Conference. CAMP, Commission Assistance and Mentoring Program, will be offered May 16, 2013. Join us for a full-day of training with nationally known leaders who have served either with the National Trust, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, or the National Association of Preservation Commissions. ... Read more >

Here’s what happened last week in Tennessee… TPT Planning for the annual Statewide Preservation Conference continues. Save the Date for May 16-18th in Cookeville, TN. Save the Date notices are going out soon. Become a member to receive a significant discount on your registration! Have you visited our new website yet? If not, please stop by ... Read more >

Planning for the 2013 Conference in Cookeville is well underway! Tennessee Preservation Trust, in conjunction with the Tennessee Historical Commission, is excited to be hosting the 2013 Statewide Preservation Conference in Cookeville May 16-18, 2013! More details will be coming as speakers are confirmed, tours are scheduled, bands are booked, and food is ... Read more >