Lincoln Memorial University (LMU) hosted a statue dedication ceremony on October 11 during Homecoming festivities to honor Rev. Arthur A. Myers and Mrs. Ellen Green Myers, commemorating their contributions to education in the Cumberland Gap region.
The statue, unveiled in front of an audience of faculty, staff, students, and community members, celebrates the legacy of the Myers, whose efforts in establishing local schools were pivotal to the foundation of what would later become Lincoln Memorial University.
Rev. Myers, a congregational minister, and his wife Ellen arrived in Kentucky in the late 19th century under the auspices of the American Missionary Association. In the years following the Civil War, eastern Kentucky and Tennessee faced widespread educational gaps. With no tax-supported public education system in place and a loss of many private schools, the region was in dire need of new educational institutions. Rev. Myers took on this challenge with determination and resourcefulness, establishing elementary schools and ultimately founding the Harrow Academy in 1890.
The academy, built alongside the church Rev. Myers helped establish, included a schoolroom where Mrs. Myers taught local children, offering them an invaluable opportunity for formal education. This academy is regarded as the predecessor to Lincoln Memorial University, marking its 1890 founding as a significant chapter in the history of the university.
During the dedication ceremony, Dr. Jason McConnell, president of LMU gave remarks as well as Dr. Autry O.V. “Pete” DeBusk, chairman of the Board of Trustees, and Dr. Michael Lynch, director of The Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum. The ceremony culminated in the official unveiling of the statue, located beneath Grant-Lee hill near the Tex Turner Arena
.
The statue serves as a reminder of LMU’s foundational history, one built on the vision and perseverance of individuals who believed in the transformative power of education. Their efforts helped build a legacy that continues to empower students in the Appalachian region and beyond.
Lincoln Memorial University is a values-based learning community dedicated to providing educational experiences in liberal arts and professional studies. The main campus is in Harrogate, Tennessee. For more information about the undergraduate and graduate programs available at LMU, contact the Office of Admissions at 423-869-6280 or email at admissions@LMUnet.edu.
