Posted October 9, 2009 by Kaye Ireland

Recently we dedicated a historical marker in Portland, the third of a dozen that will link Sumner County to the Tennessee and National Civil War Trails. As we worked with historians, property owners, city and county officials to locate information for the markers, it came to me that most of these buildings and sites have been here since even before 1860, some from as early as 1796. Looking at the old photos made me realize how different life was for the people who settled and built here.

Bits of history have been captured in photos, or in diaries, bibles or news articles. Fortunately, some of the homes and buildings remain, lovingly restored by historians and are open for us to tour. What treasures they are! I like that our historic sites include the stories of war, family, occupation and endurance as part of a tour. Their docents and guides explain how each generation lived, what they did to produce income, how they died, and how the property came to be restored today.

These stories are important because they connect us to the past, and help a visitor to visualize real people living in the sites they are touring. The stories create feelings of belonging and thoughts of our own families…how did our ancestors work, play and live? Every now and then in our busy lives, it wouldn’t hurt to take a moment to look back on the life stories waiting to be uncovered or remembered from our own family’s history.

Preservation and genealogy give us many resources to search for information, particularly now that the web has opened up endless possibilities. Think about that one rainy afternoon and go searching for your own history, and also consider documenting current stories for future generations to uncover.