The OVTA's mission is to Protect, Preserve and Interpret the route of the Campaign to the Battle of Kings Mountain

The Overmountain Victory Trail Association was formed in 1975 to gain recognition for the route the Overmountain men took to the Battle of King's Mountain South Carolina.

On September 25, 1780, over 1,000 men "mustered" at the Sycamore Shoals of the Watauga River in current day Elizabethton, TN. From there, they crossed the high mountains and dropped into the Piedmont of North Carolina pursuing Major Patrick Ferguson and his Tory Army.

They finally caught them on the afternoon of October 7th atop King's Mountain, in South Carolina. When the battle ended every Tory soldier had been killed or captured. The battle became known as the turning point of the Revolutionary War.

In 1980, President Carter recognized the historical significance of the Campaign to King's Mountain by signing a law designating the historical route the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail; the first National Historic Trail in the eastern United States.

The OVTA's mission is to Protect, Preserve and Interpret the route of the Campaign to the Battle of Kings Mountain

Our protection efforts include everything from maintaining the Pemberton Oak; a 600 year old oak tree that was the mustering point along the trail, and until its fall in 2006, was the only living remnant from the 1780 campaign; to working with civic organizations to develop the trail in their community or to oppose projects that would damage or destroy the Trail at any of the historic sites. We also work with landowners to Certify their property. Certification is a contract between the land owner and the National Park Service to protect the trail.

We manage the Trail by clearing and marking the trail corridor, meeting and negotiating with landowners and working cooperatively with the National Park Service to install and maintain certification signs and the system of road signs that mark the trail's motor route.

Our promotional efforts are intended to keep the story of the Campaign to King's Mountain alive. We do this by giving presentations and programs, working with Chambers of Commerce and tourism bureaus, community-based organizations and writing news articles to report on trail projects and activities.

Our biggest trail promotion is the annual re-enactment. Each year since 1975, the OVTA has sponsored a "march" on the route of the campaign to King's Mountain. As much as possible we walk the original route and camp in the same campsites. While the reenactment is NOT a primitive backpacking experience, but rather, a combination of trail and road walking along with car camping, it provides a great opportunity to relive one of the important moments in America's history. As we move down the trail, we reenact the historical events that occurred during the original campaign. We give programs to school children and conduct historical sketches for community groups showing what happened on that very spot in 1780. The reenactment is open to everyone. However, to participate in the reenactments and historical sketches, period dress is required.

There is still a lot of work to be done. We invite you to join us and help preserve one of America's greatest moments.