Overmountain Victory
National Historic Trail
40th anniversary of OVNHT in 2020
1780 - Battle of Kings Mountain
Abingdon, Virginia
Elizabethton, Tennessee
Morganton, North Carolina
Elkin, North Carolina
Cowpens National Battlefield and
Kings Mountain National Military Park, South Carolina
A year-round, 330-mile national historic trail (motor route + selected walking trail segments) commemorating the mustering of citizen militiamen from the backcountry and their pursuit of threatening loyalist militia under British Major Patrick Ferguson. After two weeks of cross-country pursuit, they surrounded the loyalist forces atop Little Kings Mountain and in one hour on October 7, 1780, won a victory which turned the tide of the American Revolution.
40th Anniversary in 2020
OVNHT was designated by Congress in 1980, the first national historic trail designated east of the Mississippi River and the only NHT today commemorating a military campaign.
A Walk through the history
of building trail, commitment, and community
along the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail
through partnership and participation.
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the OVNHT
Click on each year to see the annual newsletters about the progress of communities as partners building the OVNHT together.
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
“The American Spirit, 1780”
Watch the award-winning video, “The American Spirit, 1780” about the mustering of backcountry militiamen to face down the threats of an invading British force to “lay waste your country with fire and sword.” This is the story told along the route of the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail.
Following a short introductory trailer, the featured video is 40 minutes. It uses dramatic narration and still photography of reenactors along with original music by The Forget-Me-Nots of Banner Elk from their 2010 CD “Blooming.”
Two good reads.
Before They Were Heroes at King's Mountain and A Guide to the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail are available online from the author for autographing.