Annual Conference Recap, Interior Secretary Zinke at Antietam, New Website, and More

CONFERENCE AT CHATTANOOGA RECAP Last month, more than 400 Civil War Trust members and guests descended on Chattanooga, Tennessee for our 18th annual conference. Conference attendees had the option of 15 different tours with top tier battlefield guides across 4 days. The tours incorporated a detailed overview of the battles of Chickamauga and Chattanooga, and included visits to places like Orchard Knob, Snodgrass Hill, Lookout Mountain, and Brown’s Ferry -- sites that you helped to preserve! Other highlights included lectures from noted historians, an evening riverboat cruise along the Tennessee River, and the unveiling of a new book that details our 30 year organizational history. If you’ve had the chance to attend one of our conferences, you know how much our members enjoy being out on the battlefield, discussing our nation’s history with experts and, most of all, spending time with like-minded people who care passionately about preserving American history. To see more highlights of this year’s annual conference, please check out this photo gallery from our trip to Chattanooga. If you’d like to join us in Newport News, Virginia in 2018, mark your calendars for Marching Toward Freedom: The Wars of America’s First Century in Virginia’s Historic Triangle. Online registration will be open by August 15.       Interior Secretary Zinke at Antietam On July 5, the Civil War Trust hosted an event on the Antietam Battlefield with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Secretary Zinke announced that President Trump's first quarter salary donation would benefit restoration projects at Antietam. He also announced $7.2 million in federal matching grants to preserve battlefield lands associated with the American Revolution, War of 1812 and Civil War. Watch the Highlights   Thank you to our Honor Guard members! We are so grateful for Honor Guard members who have decided to leave a gift in their estate plans to the Civil War Trust, thank you! Your generosity will ensure that battlefield preservation will continue for the benefit of future generations of Americans. Learn More about the Honor Guard   New Website We recently launched a new and improved site at www.civilwar.org. The new site is designed to help you easily access the information you seek from any device — mobile phone, tablet, desktop — and to find relevant content on America’s early wars and the preservation of its battlefields. Take a Look     Support Preservation Donate Become a Member Save A Battlefield More ways to get involved:   Speak Out |  Events |  Legacy Giving |  Campaign 1776   Hiking Civil War Battlefields Book Hiking a Civil War battlefield enables you to walk in the footsteps of the Blue and the Gray. We recently partnered with Rizzoli Publishing to create “Civil War Battlefields: Walking the Trails of History,” a large-format, beautifully produced volume that highlights some of the most remarkable hikes on Civil War battlefields. A portion of the proceeds goes toward battlefield preservation! Order your copy today » Support Congressional Gold Medal for Ed Bearss Ed Bearss has been lavishly praised as a living legend, a national treasure, and America’s storyteller. He has left an indelible legacy of battlefield preservation in the U.S. and his work to protect and interpret American battlefields will live on for generations. Sign a letter to Congress urging that Ed be recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal. Sign the Letter »