Join us for a special 250th anniversary commemoration interpreting the Battle of Island Flats — the first major battle of the Cherokee War of 1776 and one of the opening conflicts of the American Revolution on the southern frontier - on Saturday, July 25, from 10 am to 3 pm and Sunday, July 26, from noon to 3 pm at Exchange Place Living History Farm, 4812 Orebank Road in Kingsport.

Fought near the Long Island of the Holston in July 1776, the battle saw frontier settlers and Virginia militia from Virginia’s New River Valley clash with Cherokee warriors led by Dragging Canoe during a coordinated campaign against the expanding settlements along the Holston, Watauga, and Nolichucky rivers. The battle marked a major turning point in the struggle for control of the southern Appalachian frontier and helped open Southwest Virginia, upper East Tennessee, and eventually Kentucky to expanding settlement.

At this two-day commemoration Cherokee interpreters from the Appalachian region and Virginia militia living historians will bring the frontier world of the 18th-century to life near the very landscape where these dramatic events unfolded. Visitors will experience:
* Living History Encampments – Explore authentic frontier camps and learn about daily life on the Tennessee frontier during the Revolutionary era
* Cherokee Cultural Interpretations – Learn about Cherokee history, lifeways and the broader Cherokee War of 1776. Local/regional Native American artifacts will be on display with the tribal archaeologist on hand to answer questions. A Cherokee flute player will play Native American music throughout the day.
*Historic Foodways – Discover the foods, cooking methods, and survival skills used by frontier settlers and Cherokee communities.
*Battlefield Interpretation - Learn how the battle unfolded through maps, historical analysis and interpretation of the Island Flats battlefield.
*Historic Weapons Demonstrations – See period long rifles, trade guns and other historic firearms with scheduled firing demonstrations plus a display of war clubs and a weapons demonstration by the Cherokee War Chief.
*Primary Sources & Historical Documents – View reproductions of original Revolutionary-era documents relating to the battle and its aftermath.

Cherokee Medicine Man Lee “Ewani” Eames will give a presentation on “The Healing Herbs of the Appalachian Mountains” on Sunday, July 26, at 1 pm. He will bring with him some of the herbs that our ancestors have used for centuries throughout east Tennessee and surrounding areas, that have helped to heal and sustain both European and Native American descendants alike.

Sponsored by Hamlett-Dobson Funeral Homes and Exchange Place, this free event is part of Fun Fest. No ticket or registration is required. For more information and updates, contact 713–825–9131 or wooldrickfritts@gmail.com or see https://www.facebook.com/events/exchange-place-kingsport-tn-1850s-farm/battle-of-island-flats-commemoration/1438188830844429/