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The Cumberland Gap National Historical Park hosted a special Civil War event last weekend — Finding Freedom and Union in Appalachia.

The weekend featured captivating reenactments, demonstrations, and educational programs throughout the park. Reenactors set up at the Visitor’s Center showcased the experiences of Union soldiers, including members of the United States Colored Troops. They demonstrated camp life, musket firing, and shared stories of the Civil War in the Appalachian Mountains.

The weekend also featured guided tours of Cumberland Gap’s Civil War sites each day, offering a two-hour journey through critical locations.

Renowned historians were also there to give lectures providing deeper insights into the region’s history. Saturday Dr. Aaron Astor of Maryville College gave a presentation on Unionism in Appalachia and Sunday Dr. Lucas Wilder led a discussion on the four years of war at Cumberland Gap.

(Photos by Jay Compton)

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