In 2002 the 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. The purpose of the Commission is to recognize and to register sites and objects of significance to the military history of the Commonwealth. Applications are submitted by citizens to the commission and after discussion and comments are made, the Commission votes to accept and register the site or object. Most of those sites that are 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. Recognition and registering of an object or site gives it a higher level of legal protection against destruction or vandalism as well as against moving or altering a site or object, except for repair and renovation, without the consent of the Commission.

Follow this link for a list of recognized Military Heritage objects as well as a list of those that are known that are eligible for listing by the Commission. Also included are the applications and instructions for getting an object or site registered with the Military Heritage Commission.

The Kentucky Civil War Sites Preservation Program was developed in 1991 to conduct the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission Survey of the eleven principal battlefields located within the Commonwealth of Kentucky.   These include: Barbourville, Camp Wildcat, Ivy Mountain, Rowlett's Station, Middle Creek, Mill Springs, Richmond, Munfordville, Perrryville, Paducah, and Cynthiana.

Reenactors at Zollicoffer Cemetery, Mill Springs Battlefield

In addition to these endeavors, the Kentucky Heritage Coucil has 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.

Camp Nelson Headquarters, 1865

The Kentucky Heritage Council, in partnership with the Kentucky Department of Travel and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, is participating in the development of the Kentucky Cultural and Heritage Driving Trails Signage Program.   We are also partnering with Murray State University in the development and installation of the Kentucky Ohio River Civil War Heritage Trail and are also working with the Kentucky Heartland Trails Project, the 31-W Heritage Corridor and other travel related tourism initiatives.   We coordinated the construction of both the Kentucky Vicksburg Monument and the Battle of Ivy Mountain Monument and are working with Representative Bob Damron to create the Kentucky Military Heritage Commission.   We have also assisted the National Park Service in the identification and survey of the state's Revolutionary War and War of 1812 sites, which include: 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.

Ms. Sarah A. Bowers and members of The Official Vicksburg Monument Association, dedicated the new Kentucky Monument on October 20, 2001.   Tom Fugate, Civil War Sites Preservation Coordinator, served as the project coordinator on this and the new Ivy Mountain Battlefield Monument that was dedicated on November 10, 2001 in Floyd County, Kentucky.

The Council has been quite 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, there are 51 Kentucky sites listed.

Governor's Scholars at Perryville Battlefield

Working closely with the Kentucky Department of Travel and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the Council developed and distributed 200,000 copies of Kentucky's Civil War Heritage Trail.   This statewide heritage tourism initative links numerous historic events and sites throughout the Commonwealth and is available through the Kentucky Department of Travel Development. For more information on upcoming events on the Kentucky Civil War Trail.

The Kentucky Heritage Council's Civil War Sites Preservation Program is a continuing effort that has awarded more than $250,000 in Federal and State grants to fund the identification, preservation and interpretation of Kentucky's Civil War heritage. For further information on this or other Civil War programs, contact Rachel Kennedy at rachel.kennedy@ky.gov , or please refer to the list below