AEDC debuts 'cultural walk,' putting Arnold's past into perspective

  • Published
  • By Philip Lorenz III
  • AEDC/PA
Arnold Air Force Base, Tenn. --  Twenty-seven Arnold Air Force Base (AFB) employees took part in a first for the 40,000 acre base Oct. 27 - an educational outing called a cultural walk. 

The walk, which included two stops, took the group on a trip back in time before and after Camp Forrest dominated the land making up what is now Arnold AFB. 

Tracy Carter and the Junior Force Council came up with the idea for the walk. 

"Tracy is the one who got this event rolling," explained Shawn Chapman, the base archeologist, who also took part in the walk. "For my part it was more a matter of pulling existing information together and trying to condense it for the presentation time we had. 

"This project fell within the goals for the cultural resources program of providing outreach and education to interested Air Force personnel and base employees. So far, the response has been positive and I'm hoping there will be more responses on the kinds of things we could do to improve the experience." 

Rick McWhite, Arnold Engineering Development Center's (AEDC) cultural resource manager, who is already looking to the future, said, "We may plan on doing another tour as part of Earth Day events in April 2010." 

Those conducting the walk handed participants one of two brochures providing background information as they boarded the bus taking them to the first of the two stops. 

Clare Zisk, an Aerospace Testing Alliance data processor and analyst with the Advanced Missile Signature Center, said it was very clear from that point on that a lot of time and effort had gone into this event, the first of its kind since AEDC was founded in 1951. 

She enjoyed learning about the area where Arnold AFB now exists from Chapman and AEDC Historian David Hiebert. 

"I enjoyed listening to the pre-history of Arnold AFB, from the American Indians to the troops at camp Forrest," she said. "It was interesting to learn about the American Indians and how they used the land for hunting and gathering. I enjoyed listening to some letters that were written from the Civil War." 

Some of what Zisk and others heard during the presentations both amused and intrigued them. 

"I was surprised to hear that during the Civil War the local women from Estill Springs chewed tobacco," said Zisk. 

She is already looking forward to some follow up events with the hope of learning more and seeing some artifacts, like arrow heads and pottery. 

"I like exploring and learning about the local history," she continued. "Also my stepfather has some history here, when he was in the 82nd Airborne. He was stationed at Camp Forrest for about a week or two before he was sent to fight in Germany." 

Carter, who is the secretary for the Junior Force Council, said the idea for the cultural walk first came up during a brainstorming meeting the organization held this past summer. 

The idea for the walk came up during a summer Junior Force Council meeting, explained Carter, who is the council's secretary. 

"We were trying to come up with ideas that would enhance AEDC military and DoD employees' experiences," she said. "I suggested [doing] something locally.
"I had always wondered what those concrete foundations and chimneys were left from along Wattendorf. My background before coming to Arnold was working in environmental at Grand Forks AFB. I had worked with the natural/cultural resources manager on Earth Week and was aware of the Air Force Instruction requirement to educate the base populace on the culturally significant aspects of the installation."