The Museums of Tusculum College have received $3,902 in grant funding the state of Tennessee to enhance educational programming.

The Doak House Museum and the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library, both located on campus, have received $1,951 each. The state had appropriated $400,000 for museums, for which museums across the state had to apply.

The state support is much appreciated as it will help enrich the quality educational programs offered at the two museums, said George Collins, director of the college's Museum Program and Studies. The funding is also a recognition of the importance of museums to education and heritage tourism in the state, he said. "In the past, field trips to museums were something to do to fill free time," Collins added. "Now, these trips are part of school curriculum, and historic tourism is becoming more popular."

At the Doak House Museum, the funds will be used enhance educational programs related to the archeological digs at the museum site. For the past three years, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga has conducted archeological field schools at the museum site, home of the co-founder of the college the Rev. Samuel Witherspoon Doak.

"We have nine thousand artifacts and new information about the site, and we need to get the information to school children and other visitors to the museum," Collins said. "We need to tell the story that we now know."

The state funds will be used to create signs, brochures and educational materials about the archeological findings and what they reveal about life at the site during the 1800s. Artifacts ranging from slate pencils to shards of dinnerware from the time of Rev. Doak were found during the digs. The remnants of two buildings, whose existence had not been previously known, were also discovered during the digs. One is a structure in front of the present Doak House and another is adjacent to the Tusculum Academy building and is believed to be early student living quarters.

Similarly, the funds for the President Andrew Johnson Museum and Library will be used to help the community learn about another historic site, the Tusculum College campus, which is a National Register Historic District.

In the spring, the museum will feature an exhibit examining the architecture of the 10 structures on campus that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The stone arch at the entrance of campus and nine buildings are on the Registry: the Doak House, Old College (which houses the President Andrew Johnson Museum), McCormick Hall (which now houses administrative offices), the Library, Virginia Hall (which houses classrooms, faculty offices, a computer lab, and administrative offices), two residence halls, Haynes and Welty-Craig; Rankin Hall (which houses faculty and athletic offices and the Center for Civic Advancement); and Tredway Hall (which houses classrooms, science labs, and faculty offices).

The funding will help support the creation of campus maps and other educational materials related to the exhibit. "Many people come to campus and have no idea the we are a historic district," Collins said. "Sometimes we look at buildings, but we don't really see them or the unique architectural elements that represent a range of styles. The exhibit will also support curriculum-based educational programs for children."

At the presentation of the funds, State Sen. Steve Southerland (R-1) and State Reps. David Hawk (R-5) and Eddie Yokley (D-11) commended local museums for their efforts to help educate the community and draw visitors to the area, noting that heritage tourism is becoming increasingly popular.