The Standing Stone Historical Society will utilize a $8,000 Tennessee 250 grant to revitalize the Standing Stone Day celebration and preserve the history of the landmark monument in Monterey.
Standing Stone Historical Society President Rebekah Beeler said the funding was awarded to support the upcoming October ceremony. Beeler said the grant aligns with the state’s Tennessee 250 initiative because it focuses on historic preservation and celebrating local heritage.
“We were just very, very blessed to have that awarded for us to be able to put on, maybe not the greatest celebration in the whole world, but really darn close,” Beeler said. “Because we’re trying to bring back the Native American presentations and dancers and things like that and do it justice.”
Beeler said the society serves as the guardian of the history surrounding a 16-foot sandstone monolith that served as a landmark for travelers and Native American tribes before it was blasted for a railroad right of way. Beeler said the remaining portion of the original stone now sits atop a monument on Commercial Avenue that was originally built by a local fraternity.
“As long as we can keep telling the story and keep the kids involved and keep the town involved, then the history will live,” Beeler said. “But as soon as we stop telling the story, we’re going to forget why it’s there.”
Beeler said the grant funding will specifically pay for presenters to share information regarding Cherokee culture. Beeler said she is currently contacting tribes across Georgia and North Carolina, as well as experts on Cherokee removal history, to participate in the event.
“It’s a holiday, an actual holiday that was written into Monterey’s books and no one has a holiday like that and that should be celebrated,” Beeler said.
Beeler said the society is also expanding its educational outreach by developing a unit study for teachers to use in their classrooms. Beeler said this curriculum will allow students to learn about Standing Stone history even if the society cannot provide an in-person presentation.
Beeler said the Standing Done Day celebration dates back to 1895 when the monument was dedicated, and the Cherokee Tribes would travel to the landmark annually.
“But then people stopped talking about it and everybody forgot and for like 83 years, people forgot what the story of the Standing Stone was and they didn’t know what the monument meant, they didn’t know when it was dedicated or anything like that,” Beeler said.
Beeler said her great-uncle, historian Dr. Oplus Walker, eventually traced the history of the monument to rediscover its meaning after the story had been lost for decades. Beeler said the society continues this work through an annual essay and art contest for students at Monterey High School and the local elementary school.
“We will have presentations and music and dancers and just a day of history and storytelling and, hopefully, learning,” Beeler said.
Standing Stone Day is observed on the second Saturday in October.