Re-enactor with Governor's Scholars at Perryville State Park.
Kentucky Military Heritage Commission
In 2002 the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission was created by an act of the General Assembly as an independent agency of the Commonwealth of Kentucky but attached to the Kentucky Heritage Council for administrative and support purposes. The commission consists of the Adjutant General, the State Historic Preservation Officer, the Director of the Kentucky Historical Society, the Director of the Commission on Military Affairs and the Commissioner of the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
As a means of protection, the commission is charged with maintaining a registry of Kentucky military heritage sites and objects significant to the military history of the Commonwealth. The commission accepts requests from the public for designation of military heritage sites and objects – including buildings, monuments and community resources – that represent all eras of Kentucky’s military history. Most sites registered by the commission are military monuments and memorials, but the legislation gives the commission some latitude as to what may be considered for recognition.
Once accepted to the registry, these sites and objects by law cannot be damaged or destroyed, removed or significantly altered, other than for repair or renovation, without the written consent of the commission. Failure to do so is a Class A misdemeanor for the first offense and a Class D felony for each subsequent offense.
The Kentucky Military Sites Report [Word - 365KB] lists recognized military heritage objects as well as those known to be eligible for listing by the commission. For more information about nominating a site to the registry, contact Roger Stapleton at the Heritage Council, 502-564-7005, ext. 134.
Civil War Sites Preservation
The Kentucky Civil War Sites Preservation Program was created by the Heritage Council in 1991 to conduct the national Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Survey of the 11 principal battlefields located within the Commonwealth of Kentucky. These include Barbourville, Camp Wildcat, Ivy Mountain, Rowlett's Station, Middle Creek, Mill Springs, Richmond, Munfordville, Perryville, Paducah and Cynthiana.
The Kentucky Heritage Coucil has also led efforts to develop partnerships between state and local government entities that are working closely with area residents and national Civil War preservation organizations to preserve, protect and interpret Kentucky's other Civil War sites. These include Camp Nelson, Fort Duffield, Columbus-Belmont, Fort Heiman, Fort Sands, Fort Smith, the Battle of Sacramento, the Battle of Tebbs Bend, Fort Boone, the fortifications of Northern Kentucky and sites in Lebanon, Bowling Green and Clark County.
The program has also assisted the National Park Service in the identification and survey of the state's Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites, including Fort Harrod, Logan's Fort, Fort Boonesborough, Ruddell's Station, Martin's Station, Bryan's Station, The Battle of Blue Licks, The Bourbon Iron Works, Great Saltpeter Cave, Mammoth Cave and Newport Barracks.
The Heritage Council has been active in the development of the Civil War Preservation Trust's Civil War Heritage Trail within Kentucky. The Commonwealth was the first state to join this national initiative that links more than 500 individual sites in 28 states. Currently, 51 Kentucky sites are listed.
Working closely with the Kentucky Department of Travel and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Heritage Council developed and distributed 200,000 copies of Kentucky's Civil War Heritage Trail. This statewide heritage tourism initative links numerous historic sites throughout the Commonwealth. A copy of the brochure is available from the Kentucky Department of Travel, or visit the Kentucky Civil War Heritage Trail [
] for information about upcoming events.
Also in partnership with the Department of Travel and Transportation Cabinet, the Heritage Council is participating in the development of the Kentucky Cultural and Heritage Driving Trails Signage Program. The agency partnered with Murray State University in the development and installation of the Kentucky Ohio River Civil War Heritage Trail and is working with other travel-related tourism initiatives.
For more information about the Heritage Council's Civil War Sites Preservation Program, contact Roger Stapleton, 502-564-7005, ext. 134, or refer to the list of Kentucky Civil War sites below.
Winchester, KY 40392
Defenses of Cincinnati
Berhinger-Crawford Museum
PO Box 67
Covington, Kentucky 41012
Columbus-Belmont State Park
PO Box 8
Columbus, Kentucky 42032
Battles of Cynthiana
117 Court Street
Cythinana, Kentucky 41031
Fort Duffield Heritage Committee
16706 Abbott's Beach Road
West Point, Kentucky 40177-9606
Leslie Morris Park
Frankfort, KY 40601
The Kentucky Historical Society
100 West Broadway
Frankfort, KY 40601
Friends of Fort Hill 1122 Grand Avenue
Frankfort, Kentucky 40602-1792
Octagon Hall Museum/Ky Confederate Studies Archive
Franklin, Kentucky 42135
Battle of Richmond
Battle of Richmond Association
101 Battlefield Memorial Highway
Richmond, Kentucky 40475
Riverview At Hobson Grove
Riverview At Hobson Grove
1100 W. Main St.
Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101-4894
Battle of Rowlett's Station
Hart County Historical Society
PO Box 606
Munfordville, Kentucky 42765
Battle of Sacramento
The City of Sacramento
PO Box 245
Sacramento, Kentucky 42372
Fort Smith
Smithland Area Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 196
Smithland, Kentucky 42081
Battle of Tebbs Bend
Taylor County Tourist Commission
PO Box 4021
Campbellsville, Kentucky 42718
Fort Williams
City of Glasgow
Glasgow, Kentucky 42141
Blue Licks State Resort Park
Highway 68
Mt Olivet, KY 41064-0066
Battle of Blue Licks
Fort Boonesborough State Park
4375 Boonesborough Road
Richmond, KY 40475-9316
Fort Boonesborough Living History
Old Fort Harrod State Park
100 South College Street
Harrodsburg, KY 40330-0156
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park
PO Box 1848
Middlesboro, KY 40965
Logan's Fort
P.O. Box 1775,
Stanford, KY 40484
Ruddles Station
Great Saltpeter Cave
Mammoth Cave
1 Mammoth Cave Parkway
P.O. Box 7
Mammoth Cave, KY 42259