Recognizing the Past: Creating a Civil War Heritage Trail based on John Hunt Morgan’s 1864 Raid

Institution

Morehead State University

Abstract

Confederate General John Hunt Morgan is considered to be a hero and a role model to many Kentuckians. Historians and those who study Morgan focus most of their attention on his first three raids in the central and western part of Kentucky. Scholars, however, have traditionally ignored Morgan’s fourth and final eastern Kentucky raid. To readdress this problem, the authors have sought to increase the body of knowledge about this raid. While there are highway markers in Eastern Kentucky acknowledging the presence of Morgan and his men, no interpretive framework exists for their interpretation. In order to rectify this situation, the authors have attempted to bring together the historical sites that relate to Morgan’s final raid through Kentucky. After proper study, the authors have developed a heritage trail linking together the people and the events from Morgan’s last raid. This ongoing project, which developed from a Public History class offered by Dr. Adrian Mandzy through the Department of Geography, Government and History at Morehead State University, fits within existing state and federal Civil War heritage programs devoted to John Hunt Morgan. The popularization and the implementation of this program will not only help bring Eastern Kentucky’s Civil War history into the forefront, but also provides a more balanced view of America’s bloodiest and most costly war.

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Recognizing the Past: Creating a Civil War Heritage Trail based on John Hunt Morgan’s 1864 Raid

Confederate General John Hunt Morgan is considered to be a hero and a role model to many Kentuckians. Historians and those who study Morgan focus most of their attention on his first three raids in the central and western part of Kentucky. Scholars, however, have traditionally ignored Morgan’s fourth and final eastern Kentucky raid. To readdress this problem, the authors have sought to increase the body of knowledge about this raid. While there are highway markers in Eastern Kentucky acknowledging the presence of Morgan and his men, no interpretive framework exists for their interpretation. In order to rectify this situation, the authors have attempted to bring together the historical sites that relate to Morgan’s final raid through Kentucky. After proper study, the authors have developed a heritage trail linking together the people and the events from Morgan’s last raid. This ongoing project, which developed from a Public History class offered by Dr. Adrian Mandzy through the Department of Geography, Government and History at Morehead State University, fits within existing state and federal Civil War heritage programs devoted to John Hunt Morgan. The popularization and the implementation of this program will not only help bring Eastern Kentucky’s Civil War history into the forefront, but also provides a more balanced view of America’s bloodiest and most costly war.