BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL)- Blountville will soon have a new military memorial park, nestled just behind the historic courthouse.
“They can come reflect and remember those who served, their loved ones, whether they gave the ultimate sacrifice, which is what Memorial Day is all about, or if they served in the military for a couple of years or an entire career,” said Todd McKinley, the vice president of the Battle of Blountville Military Park.
The land was donated to the Battle of Blountville Military Park by Sullivan County.
“The courthouse was actually burned during the Civil War,” said county commissioner and treasurer for the park Joyce Crosswhite. “The county owns all of this and they were gracious enough to let us use this plot of land to put our military park.”
The park will feature different monuments to honor those who served in all of the country’s wars.
“We’re going to have some monuments that will recognize everyone from the Revolutionary War, which the Sons of the American Revolution are putting that up,” said McKinley. “The rest as far as the centuries are concerned, the 1800s, 1900s, and of course the 2000s, will recognize all the conflicts and all the wars that we’ve fought in.”
The group says it hopes to have the site ready by Veterans Day this year.
“They will come and they will see it’s all about our military. It’s going to be a place of comfort,” Crosswhite said. “It’s going to be a place where people can come and sit and remember their loved ones, the ones that they lost for our freedom.”
The park needs more donations before it can be completed, which can be made through the Sullivan County Archives and Tourism Facebook page.
