Cedar Hill Park marker honors Civil War soldier Elijah Wood
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This historical marker in Oak Ridge’s Cedar Hill Park tells the story of Civil War soldier and church founder Elijah Wood. It’s part of the Civil War Trails series of signs. - Ben Pounds
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Elijah Wood lies buried in this grave across from Cedar Hill Park near the site of the church he founded. - Ben Pounds
Visitors to Cedar Hill Park in Oak Ridge will now see information on Civil War soldier and education promoter who made local and national history and whose grave is across the street.
The sign is at the corner of Michigan Avenue and West Outer Drive, across from 145 W. Outer Drive. It tells the history of Elijah Wood, with the subtitle “a soldier’s sacred service.”
In 1834 Elijah Wood was born, enslaved in Robertsville, part of the area that would after his lifetime become Oak Ridge.
He volunteered for the Union army and enlisted in the First United States Colored Heavy Artillery in Knoxville in August 1864. Wood and his regiment participated in George Stoneman’s Raid, as well as other missions in Tennessee, Alabama and North Carolina.
Wood after returning, helped his fellow African American Robertsville residents with the Wood Chapel and School near the current site of his grave.
“This was a remarkable achievement during the post-war Reconstruction South when many in the South bitterly resisted the efforts of free men and women to build new lives,” the marker states. “Wood’s work to uplift the Robertsville farming community through education and spiritual guidance left a lasting impact.”
Government, tourist and church organizations unveiled the marker honoring Wood on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The marker is part of the Civil War Trails network, a multistate program connecting visitors to over 1,400 historic sites across six states. However, it was Oak Ridge resident Katatra Vasquez who set the process of getting the sign in motion.
Oak Ridge resident Katatra Vasquez founder of Atomic Hope Heritage Preservation & Tourism Company said when she moved to Oak Ridge she was interested in researching the town’s African American history and heard about Wood.
“This story started out with me wanting to find out more about people who looked like me in my new city,” she said, although she stressed that Black History of people like Wood was American history.
She brought the idea of commemorating Wood to Explore Oak Ridge, the city’s Visitation and Tourism Bureau, which in turn brough it to the Civil War Trails Committee. Vasquez helped that committee, writing much of the sign’s text.
“I believe that this story could have been forgotten in history. However, I’m so glad that it’s not and it shows what courage and hope look like for all of us, not just in Oak Ridge but in our nation and the fight for freedom.” She said she was grateful for the sacrifice and service of people like Wood.
“Our main goal is to share history of the forgotten,” she said of Atomic Hope Heritage Preservation, saying that it focused on “collaborative and collective American story.” To learn more, go to atomichope.com.
Also speaking at and attending the event were Oak Ridge Mayor Pro Tem James Dodson, Mount Zion Baptist Church Pastor Henry Watson and Katy Watt from Explore Oak Ridge.