[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 175 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E947-E948]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO BILL NEIKIRK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 9, 2020

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Bill Neikirk, co-founder and first President of the Mill Springs 
Battlefield Association (MSBA), as we celebrate the fruits of his 
tireless labor to preserve southern Kentucky's historic Civil War 
battlefield. Bill Neikirk led the charge to secure 900-acres of land 
and the battlefield's iconic structures in Pulaski and Wayne counties, 
which are now designated as a National Monument in the National Park 
System (NPS).
  In 1991, the National Park Service identified the Mill Springs 
Battlefield as one of the 25

[[Page E948]]

most endangered battlefields in America. Since that day, I have worked 
hand-in-hand with Bill Neikirk, the MSBA, the American Battlefield 
Trust and stakeholders in Pulaski and Wayne counties to rescue the 
expansive Civil War site of the first major victory for the Union Army 
in the western theater. The Battle of Mill Springs was the second 
largest battle to take place in Kentucky with some 17,000 soldiers 
engaged in the fight. During the battle, Confederate General Felix 
Zollicoffer became one of the first Confederate generals to die in the 
Civil War. He was laid to rest under a large white oak tree on the 
battlefield, now known as the Zollie Tree.
  In 1993, the Mill Springs Battlefield was designated as a National 
Historic Landmark, catapulting multifaceted efforts to secure 
additional tracts of land from Nancy to Monticello, Kentucky. In 2006, 
we worked together to build a $1.7 million, 10,000 square-foot 
Visitor's Center and Museum, adjacent to the Mill Springs National 
Cemetery. The value of preserving these hallowed grounds became the 
driving force behind the local mission to have the Mill Springs 
Battlefield designated as part of the National Park System. On July 17, 
2018, I invited Bill to Capitol Hill to testify before the U.S. House 
Committee on Natural Resources about the intensive preservation efforts 
of the MSBA and the desire to present the fruits of their labor to the 
National Park Service for everyone to enjoy. Bill's heartfelt testimony 
was a key turning point in this monumental endeavor. Highlighting the 
long-time legislative efforts to protect our beloved battlefield for 
future generations, the Mill Spring Battlefield National Monument Act 
was signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 12, 2019, and on 
September 22, 2020, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt officially 
established our new national monument as part of the National Park 
System.
  Over the years, funding was sometimes scarce and doors were often 
closed, but Bill Neikirk maintained an unwavering resolve to see the 
Mill Springs Battlefield earn its rightful place in the national 
spotlight. It has been one of the greatest honors of my service as the 
U.S. Representative for Kentucky's Fifth Congressional District to work 
alongside such a great friend and champion for our region, and to see 
the final victory of this battlefield to now be included in the 
National Park System. The people of southern Kentucky owe Bill Neikirk 
a great deal of gratitude for preserving this rare jewel in our 
history.

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