Governor Bredesen Announces Enhancement Grant for Humphreys County

Enhancement Grant for Johnsonville State Historic Park Welcome Center,
 Murray Crow, TDOT Commissioner Gerald F. Nicely, County Mayor Jayce Rawlings,
 Theda Young, Richard Bryant, Al Hethcoat, Gov. Phil Bredesen, Rep. John Tidwell,
 TDEC Commissioner Jim Fyke, Jack Gilpin, Nancy Dorman, Brenda Palk, Dir. of Tenn. Wars Commission.

Nashville, Tenn. -- Phil Bredesen announced today that the state will provide Tennessee State Parks with an enhancement grant in the amount of $1,165,000 to assist in the construction of a Welcome Center for Johnsonville State Historic Park in Humphreys County.

“The small town of Johnsonville was a transportation hub during the Civil War,” said Governor Bredesen. “I’m proud the State of Tennessee can invest in a project that will enhance one of our 54 State Parks and help educate visitors about an event that changed the course of American history.”

The welcome center will feature public use facilities, interpretive displays, as well as trail connectors to the historic area and scenic features of the park. The project will also include native plant landscape construction to enhance the ecological and aesthetic resources of the park.

“The Johnsonville State Historic Park Welcome Center project will protect, preserve and interpret a significant cultural landscape,” said Representative John Tidwell. “I’m happy that I was able to assist in bringing this grant to Humphreys County.”

“The grant funds will also be used for historic preservation of the Civil War era earthworks,” added Senator Doug Jackson. “I’d like to thank the Governor and TDOT for making this investment.”

The grant is made possible through a federally funded program administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation.

“Including this year’s enhancement grants, TDOT has helped fund approximately $189 million worth of transportation related projects such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping and other non-traditional transportation projects,” said TDOT Commissioner Gerald Nicely. “These grants were made possible in the 1990s when Congress established a grant system funding activities designed to strengthen the cultural, aesthetic and environmental aspects of the nation’s transportation system.”

Johnsonville State Historic Park is located in Humphreys County, on the eastern shore of Kentucky Lake, approximately three miles north of State Route 70 at New Johnsonville.