Tennessee State Parks' First Hikes of 2014: Johnsonville State Historic Park Edition

We were fortunate enough today to participate in the Tennessee State Parks' First Hikes of 2014 program, a part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states. According to Tennessee State Parks' website, this initiative offers "individuals and families an opportunity to begin the New Year rejuvenating and connecting with the outdoors by taking a healthy hike . . . at a state park close to home." We chose a return visit to Johnsonville State Historic Park, a 1500-acre site once home to an important Union supply depot that suffered severe destruction during a raid led by Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest on November 4, 1864.

Park Ranger Bob Holliday met us at the trailhead and led us along a section of the railroad bed that was once used to transport supplies the 78 miles from the depot on the Tennessee River to Nashville. Mr. Holliday is an authority on the history of Johnsonville and the critical role it played in supplying General Sherman in his march south against the Confederate Army. We walked away with a considerable amount of new knowledge on the subject, as well as some informative pamphlets and 1864 maps. At the conclusion of our hike, Mr. Holliday even opened the Welcome Center for us, which was officially closed for the holiday. This is a new facility where one can learn just about everything there is to learn about the history of Johnsonville.

With the sun shining and a temperature somewhere near the 50 degree mark, this was an outstanding day for a hike and a great way to kickoff to the New Year. A few pictures of the outing:

Old Nashville-Northwestern RR bed. A blockhouse, used to

protect the line, was located up on the left, at top of hill.

 

Site of turntable used to change the direction of

locomotives. Old RR bed is up on the right.

 

Supply depot was located here in the Kentucky Lake

impoundment of the Tennessee River. The remains of

destroyed gunboats still lie under these waters.

 

Lower redoubt was ineffective in defending depot against

an assault from the river's west bank, but the successful

Confederate attack proved to be too little, too late.