Fort Donelson National Battlefield - Civil War Army-Navy Exhibit (U.S. National Park Service)

Park Staff

Army and Navy Exhibit

Date: May 9, 2008
Contact: William Bazar, 931 232 5706 X0

Civil War Army-Navy Exhibit on display July 4-6, 2008

Dover, Tennessee—Collectors and amateur historians alike will enjoy a weekend of Civil War naval and army artifacts and replica gunboats. The Army-Navy Exhibit returns to FortDonelsonNational Battlefield, July 4-6, 2008. Although the exhibit has been returning to the park every year since 2002, visitors will see a few changes.

Kraig Lawson and Jack Barnhart, owners of the collection, will be display scale model ironclad gunboats, army and navy uniforms, and other military artifacts at the VisitorCenter. Lawson and Barnhart, both from Ohio, have been life-long Civil War enthusiasts. Both men were part of the 35^th OhioInfantry re-enactor group, and have been “extras” in mini-series like “The North and the South,” “The Blue and the Gray,” and even the motion picture film, “Glory.”

They have collected Civil War artifacts for at least 25 years and created the Army-Navy Exhibit to share their enthusiasm and knowledge with others. This exhibit contains personal items from U.S.soldiers and replica ironclad gunboats. An Ames1846 box-lock pistol - the first weapon designed with the sailor in mind will be displayed, along with an Amesgold-gilded officer's belt buck, plus relics from the ironclad the USS Cairo (sunk in 1862 and recovered in 1963).

The exhibit will be located in the visitor center on Friday, July 4^th, 9 am – 4 pm, Saturday, July 5^th Noon—7 pm, and Sunday, July 6^th, 9 am—3 pm. The program is free.

For additional information, contact William Bazar at 931-232-5706 x0.