Four Community Sites Listed on the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network

Contact: Chris Barr

Contact: Eric Ellis

BEAUFORT, SC - The National Park Service announces the addition of four new sites to the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. This national network connects sites across the country who provide education, interpretation and research related to the period of Reconstruction. The Reconstruction Era (1861-1900) is one of the most fascinating and misunderstood periods in American History and includes stories of freedom, education and self-determination.The new community sites added to the network this quarter include:

• African American Heritage Society of Maury County in Columbia, Tennessee interprets the experiences of formerly enslaved people in Maury County during Reconstruction. Interpretive programs include historic signage at a variety of sites chronicling this important community history and traveling exhibitions.

• Located in Oberlin Ohio, the Wilson Bruce Evans Home was constructed in the 1850s. During Reconstruction it provided lodging for African American students at nearby Oberlin College, many of whom became educators especially in the Reconstruction South. The Home will open as an educational center and historic site.

• The Harrison School was the first and only school available to Black students in Tipton, Missouri during Reconstruction. The current structure dates to around 1890 and efforts are underway to renovate the school for the purpose of sharing this important Reconstruction era history in Missouri.

• The Walker County African American Historical and Alumni Association, Inc. of Walker County, GA conducts programs interpreting the experiences of the Black Appalachian communities of northwest Georgia during Reconstruction. The organization supports preservation efforts of sites throughout the region such as the Prince Hall Masonic Lodge #221 in Chickamauga, the marking of historic cemeteries, historical television shows, management of an African American Museum and Multicultural Center, conducting oral histories in the community, and working to erect historic markers in far northwest Appalachia Georgia.

"These four sites reflect the power of communities to preserve and interpret their Reconstruction era stories," said Park Superintendent Laura Waller. "It is exciting to see such vibrant efforts underway by these community organizations to restore historic places and develop public educational opportunities at the local level."The John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act, signed into law on March 12, 2019, outlined the creation of the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. This network, managed by Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, includes over 100 sites and programs that are affiliated with the Reconstruction Era, but not necessarily managed by the National Park Service. This network is nationwide and works to provide opportunities for visitors to connect to the stories of Reconstruction. For more information about the Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, visit https://www.nps.gov/subjects/reconstruction/network.htm.

For more information about Reconstruction Era National Historical Park, visit www.nps.gov/reer or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ReconstructionNPS.

About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 433 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov , and on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .