MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The Friends of the Gordon-Lee Mansion will open the mansion in Chickamauga on the following dates and times in May 2024: May 4 and May 11 from noon to 2 p.m.; May 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in conjunction with Chickamauga Down Home Days; May 19 (Sunday); and May 25 from noon to 2 p.m. for Chickamauga Turn Train visitors. All tours are self-guided. Pay at the door: adults $5 and children 12 and younger $1. Call 423-488-0861 with any questions.
On Saturday, May 4, at 2 p. m., Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park will provide a 45-minute ranger-led presentation discussing Mark Thrash, a local legend in the early years of the national military park. Participants will meet at the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center before traveling onto the battlefield for the talk. Please dress appropriately for the weather and a folding chair might be desirable. Born enslaved, Mark Thrash gained freedom after the Civil War and worked for the War Department as a laborer at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park from 1894-1922. He was a “living memorial,” enticing visitors to travel from across the country to hear his stories. He died in 1943 at 122 years old. Come learn more about Mark Thrash and his life’s story. For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-8669241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, or visit the park website at www. nps.gov/chch.
The public is invited to come and to bring friends to a free concert at LaFayette Presbyterian Church by the modern-folk acoustic duo, Friction Farm. The husband-wife team of internationally traveling troubadours, Aidan Quinn and Christine Stay, combine storytelling, social commentary, and humor to create songs of everyday life, local heroes, and quirky observations. From ballads to anthems, each song is filled with harmony and hope. They have performed across the country and abroad for civic and religious groups. The event is Sunday, May 5, at 3 p.m. Reception to follow. The church, located at 107 N. Main St., LaFayette, provides free arts and music experiences to the community on a quarterly basis. More information: 706-764-2801.
The Walker County Historic Preservation Commission will have a work session on Monday, May 6, at 6 p.m. at the LaFayette-Walker County Public Library, 305 S. Duke St., Lafayette. The purpose of the work session is to finalize four Wayside historical markers. The public is invited to attend.
A genealogy workshop will be held to help you investigate your ancestry. The William Marsh Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, welcomes you to come to the LaFayette-Walker County Library on Saturday, May 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Information on joining the DAR will also be provided. No registration required.
The Marsh House Museum in LaFayette will hold a Mother’s Day Tea and Tour on Saturday, May 11, from 1-2:30 pm, Tickets are $30 for two people ($10 for each additional person) by reservation and prepayment only. The tea will include a Victorian lunch and a special tour of the house. Make reservations by message at www.facebook.com/ TheMarshHouseOfLaFayette. Pay on the website (marshhouseoflafayette.org) “Donate” button. Spaces are limited. More information: 706-764-2801.
Lookout Mountain CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) needs volunteers to advocate for the best interest of the abused and neglected children of Catoosa, Dade, Walker and Chattooga counties who are in foster care. CASA volunteers serve as the eyes and ears of the juvenile court judges. For more information, visit the website at lookoutmtncasa.com or call 901-496-6164.