Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Sunday, March 4, at 2 pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will provide a 1-hour, ranger-facilitated discussion on the environmental impact of the Civil War on Chattanooga. This program will take place at Orchard Knob Reservation in Chattanooga, at the intersection of Ivy Street and Orchard Knob Avenue.
In his novel, The Two Towers, author J.R.R. Tolkien described the war-torn land of Mordor as “a land defiled, diseased beyond all healing…" This fictional land was destroyed by generations of war. The same could almost be said of Chattanooga by the summer of 1865. Large armies encamped in and around the city for the previous two years, stripping away thousands of trees to build cooking fires, fortifications, bridges, and buildings. By the time the war ended, the landscape around the city was barren, and affected life in the city for years to come. Join us for this special program as we discuss the relationship between people and their environment during and after the Civil War.
Participants are encouraged to wear comfortable clothing and to bring a portable chair, as this will be a mostly stationary program and there is limited shade at Orchard Knob.
For more information about upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at (423) 821-7786, the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at (706) 866-9241, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
