News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Friday is the final day to sign up for a World War I-centered genealogy event at Sgt Alvin C. York State Historic Park.
Park Administrative Assistant Alec Parsons said staff hopes to help people understand their lineage and the connection they might have to World War I. He said those who supply the park with the name of a soldier in their ancestry will be provided a packet of information about that soldier’s role in the war.
“We’re trying to help visitors kind of not forget their past,” Parsons said. “If they have a picture of a gentleman on their wall that’s dressed up in a uniform, we’re trying to help them understand that he fought for his county, and we don’t want them to forget about the county that they served.”
Parsons said the park last held the popular event in 2019. He said with a whole new staff since then, they are excited to bring the unique experience back. During the event March 22, the staff will present their findings on the history of the soldiers that attendees have claimed connections to and show people how to do their own genealogy in the future.
“We are very World War I oriented here at the park,” Parsons said. “And so we talk a lot about Alvin York, of course, who served in World War I. So we think it’s important to remember the war because it’s often thought of as the forgotten war, and so we’re trying to remember the stories of the soldiers in that war.”
He said World War I was overshadowed by the subsequent beginning of World War II, leading many to overlook the connections they may have to the war.
“We think we can kind of help promote the mission of this park by inviting visitors to learn more about World War I and learn about their families,” Parsons said. “By learning about the historical connection that they have to World War I and the events surrounding that.”
