Archaeologists who have been studying the land that comprises Fort Campbell will give the next History on Tap program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at Hopkinsville Brewing Co.
Ron Grayson and Nichole Sorensen-Mutchie have been involved in a project to document the history of the military installation before the creation of Camp Campbell (later named Fort Campbell) during World War II.
The archeologists will introduce a new book, “Before Fort Campbell: History, Landscape and Communities,” which tells the story of the region from thousands of years ago to the start of WWII. The book by M. Jay Stottman, Lori C. Stahlgren and A. Gwynn Henderson, is available to read online.
The introduction to the book states: “This book tells many stories. For more than 12,000 years, Native Americans were the first to call the Fort Campbell region their home. More than 200 years ago, immigrants from the east displaced them from this land. The exigencies of a World War necessitated land to be used for training troops to fight the threat of the Axis Powers. To create Camp Campbell, many families, businesses, churches, and individuals had to once again move from the land. These Americans had to make a different kind of sacrifice for the war effort than those in uniform, but it was a sacrifice nonetheless. The continued use of Fort Campbell means that their sacrifice continues to strengthen the nation to this day.”
History on Tap is a monthly program on topics of local interest organized by the Museums of Historic Hopkinsville-Christian County. For more information about History on Tap, call the museum at 270-887-4270.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
