Historic weathervane towers over battlefield

Posted: Monday, December 29, 2008 12:37 pm

Historic weathervane towers over battlefield | CIVIL WAR

Allen Ragland shows Chief of Operations Gib Backlund the repaired weather vane.

A piece of history returned to its place high above the hallowed ground of Stones River National Cemetery as employees replaced a repaired weathervane atop the cemetery flagpole.

The weathervane had been in storage for several years after blowing down and breaking during a storm. The park contracted with Allen Ragland, a local blacksmith and the son of long-time Stones River National Battlefield volunteer Robert Ragland, to repair the broken elements.

Ragland spent several weeks studying the brass, copper, and iron pieces. He took photographs, measurements, and made tracings before recommending a course of action. Ragland determined that the weathervane was not part of the original flagpole erected in the 19th Century. He suspects the work dates to the 1940’s which still means the weathervane is a historic part of the cemetery landscape. The National Park Service considers significant structures and their elements that are older than 50 years to be historic.

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Ragland repaired the damage to the hand-wrought brass sail and the cone that tops the pole. The original collets were also used to hold the pieces in place. Ragland bought spheres made of steel to replace the broken originals. The elements designed to show compass points could not be repaired, and Mr. Ragland could not find modern replacements that would not be so heavy as to ensure a second collapse of the weathervane. Park managers decided to leave the directional elements off and cataloged the originals into the park’s museum collection along with Ragland’s notes, drawings and photographs.

Ragland was on hand to watch the fruit of his labors placed back atop the pole. He says that he has become so intrigued by the craftsmanship he saw on the damaged pieces, that he intends to try to make his own weathervane using the same materials.

With the weathervane back in place, the historic flagpole and the cultural landscape of Stones River National Cemetery present an appearance more in tune with the designs of the early planners and managers of that special place.