Chickamauga Battlefield unveils Mark Thrash exhibit

FORT OGLETHORPE, Ga. (WDEF) – The Chickamauga Battlefield is honoring one of the park’s most storied figures.

An exhibit honoring Mark Thrash is now on display inside of the Visitor Center at the Fort Oglethorpe entrance.

Thrash, who was born a slave and became a laborer for the park after the Civil War, claimed to live for over 120 years and lived until 1943.

When he worked for the park, he would share his life stories to those who visited.

Mark Thrash

The exhibit features many artifacts found at his cabin during an archaeological excavation conducted in 1975.

Abbey Messer, a curator of this exhibit, says that they hope visitors learn about a unique part of the park’s history.

Messer said, “We like to see this as something that’s in the distant past, but it’s actually not as far from our past as we like to think. To realize that people visit today that remember him when they were younger that are still alive to this day really helps bring the idea that this really isn’t as long ago as we think it is.”

Learn more about the exhibit and Mark Thrash here. 

It is free to visit the Chickamauga Battlefield.