Groundbreaking at Brown's Mill site on Saturday
By SARAH FAY CAMPBELLsarah@newnan.com
It’s been a long time coming, but work is finally about to begin on Coweta County's Brown’s Mill Battlefield Park.
A groundbreaking will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at the battlefield site. As parking is limited at the battlefield site, attendees are asked to park at the Coweta County Fairgrounds, where shuttle service will be available.
The first phase is being funded with a $300,000 Transportation Enhancement Grant awarded by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
It’s only the first step.
“Master planning and subsequent phases have been and will be funded with local funds, grants from the Georgia Local Development Fund, the American Battlefield Protection Program and local in-kind support,” said Patricia Palmer, Coweta’s public affairs director.
The Battle of Brown’s Mill was fought on July 30, 1864, and was a rare Confederate victory in the Atlanta campaign.
With the help of the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Coweta County purchased 105 acres of the battlefield site in 2001. Master planning was done from 2004 to 2007 with grants from the Georgia Local Development Fund and the American Battlefield Protection Program.
The 2,717-foot trail to be built as part of phase one will be the first trailhead on Coweta’s proposed greenway, a multi-year, multi-purpose trails project.
Those wishing to attend the groundbreaking should park near the agriculture building at the fairgrounds. The Brown’s Mill Battlefield Association will be offering refreshments from 9:30 a.m. until 10.
The association has become quite active in the past few years, and has sponsored cleanups of the park site and archeological surveys. The group has also actively raised money to go toward development of the battlefield site.
For more information, contact Sandra Parker at 770-254-2635.
