Kentucky and Tennessee residents who were evicted in the 1960s to make way for a nature preserve are fighting to make sure their history is accurately represented in historical markers and visitor centers at the site.
"Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area is a peninsula of forests and ridges between two dammed river valleys whose serene backwoods atmosphere was created in part by tearing down small towns and burning farms."
"The U.S. Forest Service is preparing a heritage management plan for the area, which will determine how the history of the land and its people is presented."
"That has triggered complaints and a letter-writing campaign from displaced residents worried they will not have enough of a voice in deciding how their story is told for future generations."
"The creation of Land Between the Lakes included tearing down the towns of Golden Pond and Twin Lakes and demolishing and burning many of the farms and schools that dotted the more than 170,000 acres. But family cemeteries and parts of some buildings still stand in the area. The last families moved from the area in the late 1960s. The TVA transferred the land to the Forest Service in the 1990s."
"Since then, the former residents and the federal government have battled over commercialization of the land, including the introduction of campgrounds, tours and a planetarium."
FULL STORY: Former residents want say in how history presented

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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