Lend support to Insurrection Trail Project

Published 8:37 am Wednesday, December 12, 2012

To the Editor:

As announced in The Tidewater News on Tuesday, Dec. 18, a public meeting will be held to review the 1831 Southampton County Insurrection Trail Project.

In every American History textbook (that covers their times) are two names with a connection to Southampton County — Nat Turner and Dred Scott. Such publicity can only be hoped for by any historical/tourism related project.

Both have extensive interest to historians and tourists alike. Both have several books devoted to the events in their lives. Both, as evidenced by that interest, have great value to add to Southampton’s economic variety.

I am an unabashed tourist in hundreds of places on a few continents. I left behind some economic benefit in each. Maybe it was a rental car, or a gas station stop, or food, or something from a store that I forgot when I left home. Maybe it was the price of a book, or map, or brochure. Some places benefited more than others, but all benefited.

The Nat Turner event is pointed out, by some, to be a violent episode, not to be celebrated. I submit that acknowledgement of history is not always a celebration or pretty. Custer’s last stand, the Alamo, and the Salem Witch Trials come to mind. Each of those events have extensive publicity and are major tourist attractions.

I am not a county resident and residents have the right of decision. I urge residents to attend the hearing and lend support to the Driving Tour project. I see it as having long term benefits for Southampton County.

James D. “Archie” Howell
Kingwood, Texas
Former Southampton County resident