Ned Jilton II TN Photo

08/16/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/385724/in-honor-of-aviation-day-my-first-adventure-in-flying/ National Aviation Day is the 19th; in this week's column I write about some of my early experiences in flying.

Any time you get the chance to fly with the military it can get exciting really quick. For example, there was the time I went on maneuvers with the National Guard and the army.

08/10/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/384865/rocky-mount-offers-blacksmithing-workshops/ Ever want to try your hand at blacksmithing? In this week's column learn about an opportunity to learn how at Rocky Mount State Historic Site

Blacksmithing is an art you see demonstrated at several of our area historic sites.

07/26/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/382673/history-of-battle-of-island-flats-part-2/ With the Battle of Island Flats under way at Exchange Place, my column this week is part two on the battle with an alternative take on the battle plus a couple of short stories as well.

Last Saturday's column on the Battle of Island Flats was based on the earliest newspaper account as well as a few historic records, all of which aligned with the historic markers around town. However, I found an account of the battle that tells a slightly different story.

07/20/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/381663/a-history-of-the-battle-of-island-flats/ This week's column in the Kingsport Times News and the Johnson City Press is the first of two parts on the Battle of Island Flats. A Revolutionary War battle fought where Kingsport is located today.

Did you know there was a battle fought right here in what is now Kingsport?

07/14/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/380721/a-short-history-of-hot-air-balloons/ On Saturday morning, July 25, 234 years of aviation history will lift off from Fort Henry Drive in Kingsport and float into the sky as the Fun Fest Hot Air Balloon Rally takes place. Check out the beginning of hot air ballooning and how it coincides with the founding of the United States in my column this week.

The beginning of balloons carrying people into the air coincides with the formation of the United States. But it might not have happened when it did if not for a wet shirt drying in front of a fireplace.

07/11/2026

The Tri-Cities Civil War Round Table will host “A Civil War Evening” on July 13 at 7 p.m. in the Renaissance Center Theater in Kingsport. The evening will feature “Clara Barton, Angel of the Civil War Battlefield,” in a portrayal by historian Leslie Goddard.
History will come alive in the talented hands of historian Goddard, who will introduce Barton, the first woman to serve as a nurse on the front lines of a battlefield, as a tireless worker who faced remarkable challenges in her quest to care for wounded soldiers. Learn about the medical conditions during the American Civil War and about the courage required for a woman who dared to brave the war's front lines.
Goddard, Ph.D., is an award-winning actress and scholar who has been portraying famous women and presenting history lectures for nearly 20 years. Her portrayals, including Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Queen Elizabeth II and Louisa May Alcott have been seen by audiences in 18 states. She holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University specializing in U.S. history and American Studies, as well as master's degrees in both theater and museum studies.
Tickets can be purchased at the door unless sold out.

07/07/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/379807/a-pop-quiz-on-our-founding-fathers/ Another fun quiz for the 250th anniversary of the United States. How well do you know about the founding fathers?

I hope you are enjoying the food, fireworks and parades. However, do you remember the people that made this day possible?

06/21/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/378517/celebrating-the-250-year-history-of-the-american-flag/ This week's column celebrates the flag of our nation with Rocky Mount State Historic Site help.

It's been with us for 250 years. It's been cheered, feared and jeered. It has changed to reflect the growth of our country.

06/15/2026

https://timesnews.net/news/376636/demonstrator-showcases-rope-making-at-sycamore-shoals/ In this week's column, I check out another frontier skill being demonstrated at Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park.

In my visits to area historic sites, I have had the opportunity to learn many skills and crafts. I can add rope making to the list.

06/08/2026

The Tri-Cities Civil War Round Table is hosting a presentation by Sean Michael Chick titled " ‘Not a Useless Appendage’ - Don Carlos Buell in the Civil War”. Mr. Chick’s presentation will be at 7 p.m. on June 8 June, in room 219 of the Toy F. Reid Eastman Employee Center, 400 S. Wilcox Dr., Kingsport, TN. This presentation is free and open to the public and all interested are cordially invited to attend.
Don Carlos Buell earned the nickname "The McClellan of the West" for his cautious approach and desire for a limited war that would not disrupt civilian life in the South or interfere with slavery. Although he staunchly opposed secession, he was never able to reconcile himself with the Lincoln administration. Buell's wife had owned slaves prior to the war although she freed them shortly after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter. Buell's career/accomplishments during the Civil War were heavily criticized by many including President Lincoln.
Chick graduated from University of New Orleans with a BA in History and Communications and from Southeastern Louisiana University with a Master of Arts in History. He works in New Orleans, leading historic tours of his hometown. His main American Civil War research interests include Shiloh, the Army of Tennessee, New Orleans during the Civil War, P.G.T. Beauregard, the Petersburg Campaign, and Civil War tactics in relation to linear tactics from 1685-1866. He is currently working on multi-volume books on Shiloh and Petersburg.