News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park named the 2022 Excellence in Innovation Award recipients.
Park Manager Nate Dodson said the park was recognized for its work to create a position for a blacksmith “Artist in Residence” this spring. He said that position allowed the park to keep their blacksmithing in operation more frequently, showcasing it to visitors.
“So that idea for us was really beneficial simply because our staff is so small that were not always to be in the shop,” Dodson said. “But that one Artist in Residence, he was able to man the shop and keep it open, so it was just really beneficial all around.”
Dodson said the position was made possible through the efforts of Sgt York Patriotic Foundation and the Tennessee Arts Commission. He said together, they worked to make the position completely grant-funded. Though the blacksmith was only in place for three months as a test run, Dodson said they are working to find a longer-term solution to keep that position.
Dodson said the Blacksmith shop plays a key role in the park, as it showcases another aspect of York’s life as a laborer.
“Sgt. York was a lot of other things, beyond being a Medal of Honor recipient and soldier,” Dodson said. “He was a farmer, he was a blacksmith, he was just a common laborer for a majority of his life. So we’re able to tell that story more fully on-site with that blacksmith shop. And that position funded a blacksmith that was able to be in the shop each day demonstrating and interpreting to the public the skills, especially of a rural blacksmith.”
