More Than 30 Thousand Visit The Wall

Putnam County officials estimate at least 30 thousand visitors spent time this weekend at the Wall The Heals display.

“Our citizens turned out in unbelievable numbers,” Putnam County Executive Randy Porter said. “Not only our Putnam County citizens but from all over the Upper Cumberland region and multiple states.”

Closing ceremonies took place Sunday afternoon as a steady rain fell on the wall. Porter saluted the work of the county staff and hundreds of volunteers who have worked tirelessly over the weekend and the last several weeks to make the wall possible.

“I was looking through the comments and posts that people have made while they’ve been here,” Cookeville Mayor Ricky Shelton said. “Some of the words, ‘honor, teaching, humbling, sobering, sad, happy, inspiring, thankful, hopeful.’ And I saw a comment that I thought was really pertinent ‘we must never forget.'”

Porter said the county will continue to honor its veterans and celebrate their service.

The wall will be taken apart Sunday evening and head to Lincolnton, Georgia.