Department of Parks
Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association Receives Bearss Preservation Award

PERRYVILLE, Ky. -- The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association, a non-profit organization charged with preserving and interpreting Kentucky’s largest Civil War battleground, has received the Edwin C. Bearss Preservation Award for 2007.

The award is in its sixth year and honors Edwin C. Bearss, Chief Historian Emeritus of the National Park Service.  It is given annually by the Civil War Roundtable of Chicago to a preservation organization that Ed Bearss himself deems most deserving of recognition and support.  The award also includes a $1000 contribution.

In a letter to the PBPA office, Bearrs and the Roundtable noted their “thanks and respect” for the PBPA’s “devoted and effective preservation activism,” and concluded by saying “those of us who live a distance from the ‘hallowed grounds’ of your backyard deeply appreciate your stewardship.”

“Ed Bearss is the nation’s foremost battlefield preservationist and historian, and I am humbled and honored that he chose to honor the PBPA this year,” said PBPA Executive Director Chris Kolakowski.  “We’ve had some great successes these past 18 months at Perryville, particularly with land acquisition, interpretation, and the National Reenactment.  All of our board, staff, and partners have a share in this recognition.”

Don Kelly, PBPA chairman, said, “Since 1992, a determined and committed group of people have worked to make Perryville a great site.  Ed has always been a strong supporter of what we are doing in Perryville, and I am very pleased that he saw fit to recognize our long and solid track record of preservation success.”

Previous winners include the Central Virginia Battlefields Trust, the Richmond (Va.) Battlefields Association, and the Camp Wildcat Preservation Foundation.  The Civil War Preservation Trust’s Slaughter Pen Farm initiative at Fredericksburg Battlefield in Virginia also received a Bearss Award in 2007.

The Perryville Battlefield Preservation Association is a membership organization charged with preservation and interpretation of the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site and town.  It oversees the Perryville Enhancement Project in conjunction with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Boyle County, and the City of Perryville.  Since 1991 the Project has preserved and interpreted over 500 acres of critical battlefield land along with several original structures in the City of Perryville.  October 8, 2007 is the 145^th Anniversary of the Battle of Perryville, which was the largest battle ever fought in Kentucky.

Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site is 45 miles southwest of Lexington. Take U.S. 68 west to U.S. 150 west.

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The Kentucky State Park System is composed of 53 state parks plus an interstate park shared with Virginia. The Department of Parks, an agency of the Commerce Cabinet, operates 17 resort parks with lodges -- more than any other state. Each year, Kentucky parks draw 7 million visitors and contribute $317 million to the economy. For more information on Kentucky parks, visit our Web site at http://www.parks.ky.gov