March 2026 - Rhea Heritage Preservation Foundation

 A small organization with only three employees, the Rhea Heritage Preservation Foundation has been in existence for 12 years, with Rick Dye leading the way. They are a non-profit organization that produces the Scopes Trial Play each July, with the 2025 production celebrating the 100th anniversary of the trial. Rhea Heritage also produces the Summer Nights Concerts on the Courthouse lawn each Friday in July. Each March they produce How It Started, a narration play about the trial along with a Scopes Museum tour targeted to school age children. With Rick being our “Resident Expert” on all things related to the Scopes Trial, he is surprised when he hears attendees of the play compare Inherit the Wind to the actual trial. One of the best things about his leadership of the organization is when a play attendee says they never knew the trial was a publicity stunt and Scopes volunteered to be put on trial. On the flip side, the most challenging part of this is finding cast members to be part of the production and volunteers to help with all aspects of producing the play. Rhea Heritage hopes to continue their partnership with the Clyde Roddy Library showing movies in the park, and performing their two radio plays during Pumpkinfest and Christmas At the Courthouse. Rick aims to promote the walking tours and gain extended hours of operation for the Scopes Museum, and even add lights and sound to the courtroom, allowing for the production or more plays and other events in the courtroom. Rhea Heritage also works with Rhea County Department of Tourism to promote Tennessee Songwriters Week! This organization’s goal is simple. They aim to promote Dayton, Tennessee’s history and story in order to tell the world what actually happened during the World’s Most Famous Trial.