The East Tennessee Preservation Alliance (ETPA) is now accepting nominations for the 2016 East Tennessee Endangered 8, a listing of the eight most threatened historic sites in our region. The objective of the list is to inform our communities about the real threat of losing these important sites to development, demolition or lack of maintenance as well as the value of what will be lost if action isn’t taken soon to avoid their destruction. Nominations are due by March 1st and are accepted for sites at least 50 years old and located in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union counties. The 2016 East Tennessee Endangered 8 will be announced on April 15th. The nomination form and more information is available online at www.knoxheritage.org/ETPA.

ETPA has presented a list of endangered heritage sites in our region since 2010. The organization seeks to develop preservation strategies for each property included on the list. Endangered properties can be saved by working with property owners, developers, government officials, citizens and local historic organizations to find preservation solutions that work. Historic sites in Anderson, Cocke, Hamblen, Jefferson, Monroe and Morgan Counties were featured on the 2015 list. Past endangered heritage lists can be found online at www.knoxheritage.org/ETPA.

ETPA celebrates properties once considered endangered, but no longer threatened. The Alexander Guest House in Oak Ridge and the Arrowmont School in Gatlinburg are two high profile success stories, but grassroots efforts throughout the region have made a significant impact on places like the Oak Grove School in Union County, Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex in Morgan County, downtown Post Office in LaFollette and other sites recognized in the past as endangered.