Video: Scenery in Murfreesboro, TN: Overall St. Trailhead | Stones River Greenway

This is one of several entry points for the Stones River Greenway in Murfreesboro, TN, but one I didn't know about until this day. Let's take a moment to enjoy the fall leaves and the babbling brook.

Stones River Pedestrian Greenway Bridge, Nashville

This photo was taken in 2004 soon after completion of this pedestrian bridge which is part of the Nashville Metro Parks Greenway system. It crosses Stones River close to where it joins with the Cumberland River. This is near Heartland Park in the Two Rivers part of town.

Video: Dam on the Stones River

This dam is all which remains of a mill along the middle fork of the Stones River on the south side of Rutherford County.

The Trail of Tears came through Smyrna

This PDF document can explain it a lot better than I could:
www.sitemason.com/files/iJ0tDa/Trail%20of%20Tears%20Artic...

In 2012, the Native History Association discovered a previously unknown segment of the Trail of Tears where it crossed the Stones River at the former town of Jefferson.

This website tells you how to get there:
www.nativehistoryassociation.org/old_jefferson_hiking.php

It's a 2.5 mile hike starting from the parking lot at the East Fork Recreation Area. New signs here point out it is a Trail of Tears site. The trail starts by passing an abandoned picnic area of the park. The trail will proceed along a closed gravel road: Central Valley Road past a closed water treatment plant. The path goes through a farmland, and then a muddy horse trail. Once the trail makes a 90 degree turn to the left, you are on the old Trail of Tears path.

Eversong cabin - Nashville, TN

Eversong is located at Stone Hall which became a Nashville park in 2007. Here is the story from a marker:

Eversong was moved here by Dempsey Weaver Cantrell from Williamson County in the 1930s. If it had been at its present location overlooking the Stones River in the early 1800s, Eversong would have provided a view of Andrew Jackson's racetrack, store, and tavern just across the river. Dempsey's wife Nora, who was poet laureate of Tennessee and called her poems "songs," said that when she went down to the cabin by the river she "ever had a song in her heart," so she called it Eversong.

Stones River Battlefield: Entrance to Civil War Cemetery

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

To see all of my Stones River Battlefield pictures, Look Here.

The entrance to the Park and the cemetery across the street are on Old Nashville Highway, which many years ago was the Dixie Highway.

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

To see all of my Stones River Battlefield pictures, Look Here.

Stones River National Cemetery Rostrum (Replica)

From the marker:
Only a handful of original rostrums still exist in the United States. Formal platforms for speakers and dignitaries-like the one you see reconstructed here-were common to all national cemeteries and provided focal points for decades of patriotic speeches and ceremonies during veterans' reunions and Memorial Day activities in the years following the Civil War. Some even served as bandstands for summer concerts. The original 1883 Stones River rostrum was torn down in 1941-42 after it had deteriorated beyond repair. Ground-penetrating radar helped archaeologists find the foundations of the original rostrum in 2004.

To see all of my Stones River Battlefield pictures, Look Here.

Stones River Battlefield: Tree at McFadden Cemetery

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

The Mcfadden Cemetery and farm is a disjointed area separated from the rest of the park. While it is nearby, it's the only part of the National Battlefield located to the east of Broad St.

Post Card Tuesday: Stones River Battlefield US Soldier Monument

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

As you can tell by the rows of grave markers, this is in the battlefield Cemetery. The plaque on it labels it as the Union Soldier Monument.

Fishing at the Walter Hill Dam

I wonder how many times I'd driven past this and not realized it was here, right off of US231 north of Murfreesboro. The area is listed as Walter Hill Day Use Park. This is a dam on the Stones River and was built to be part of hydroelectric plant.

Ransom's Mill Dam - Murfreesboro, TN

This old dam on the Stones River in Murfreesboro is now a nice swimming hole. This area is easily accessible from the Manson Pike Trailhead on the Stones River Greenway system. I don't have any info on the history of the mill.

This photo was taken the day before the big May 2010 flood, but this same spot made the news in August. A lightning strike shut off power at a sewer treatmant plant, causing sewage to make it into the river a little upstream from here. So for a short while, there was no swimming here.

News story:
www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=12921164

Fishing at Nice Mill Dam Park

This place is only 5 miles from my house, but I had never heard of it before. I just stumbled across this place by accident a couple of years ago. On this day in 2009, it was warm enough outside to go with the highwaters, even though it was still February.

Stones River Battlefield: Hazen Brigade Monument

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

The Hazen Brigade Monument, built in 1863, is the oldest surviving Civil War monument standing in its original location, being finished before the war was even over.

The markings on the monument are rather weatheres but the inscriptions read:

Hazen's Brigade to the memory of its soldiers who fell at Stone River Dec. 31, 1862. "Their faces toward Heaven, Their feet to the foe." Inscribed at the close of the war.

The veterans of Shiloh have left a deathless heritage of fame upon the field of Stone River.

Erected 1863 upon the ground where they fell by their comrades

The blood of one third of its soldiers twice spilled in Tennessee crimsons the battle flag of the brigade and inspires to greater deeds.

Stones River Battlefield: Hazen Brigade Monument

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

The Hazen Brigade Monument, built in 1863, is the oldest surviving Civil War monument standing in its original location, being finished before the war was even over.

The markings on the monument are rather weathered but the inscriptions read:

Hazen's Brigade to the memory of its soldiers who fell at Stone River Dec. 31, 1862. "Their faces toward Heaven, Their feet to the foe." Inscribed at the close of the war.

The veterans of Shiloh have left a deathless heritage of fame upon the field of Stone River.

Erected 1863 upon the ground where they fell by their comrades

The blood of one third of its soldiers twice spilled in Tennessee crimsons the battle flag of the brigade and inspires to greater deeds.

Stones River: Artillery Monument at McFadden's Farm

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

Since this civil war battle was fought over positioning for a major rail lines, in the early 20th century the NCStL Railway listed the battlefield as a stop and point of interest. In 1906, the company erected a 31-foot obelisk to commemorate the January 2, 1863, position of massed Union artillery used to repel a Confederate assault on Union troops across the river.

The plaque on the front reads:

On Janary 2nd, 1863 at 3:00 P.M., there were stationed on the hill fifty-eight cannon, commanding the field across the river, and as the confederates advanced over this field, the shot and shell from these guns, resulted in a loss of eighteen hundred, killed and wounded, in less than an hour.
Shops of N.C.&StL.RY. July 1906.

Rutherford County Historical Markers

Now online is the newest SeeMidTn.com Extended Gallery for historical markers, highlighting ones from Rutherford County. Most of the markers are from the Stones River National Battlefield, with a few others from Murfreesboro, Smyrna and other nearby areas.

If you like Markers, or are a Civil War buff, Check it out.

Stones River Battlefield: Abandoned Artillery

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

This is one of two Wiard rifled cannons lost by Lt. Alexander Marshall of Battery G 1st Ohio Light Artillery. These guns valiantly but vainly tried to check the Confederate advance by firing repeated changes of canister then retreating "by prolonge" to fire again. The guns were abandoned when most of the horses were killed and the Confederates were but 40 yards from the guns. In this area 14 union cannons were lost to the Confederates by Sheridan and Negley's Divisions.

Stones River National Battlefield: Cannons and Artillery Monument

The Stones River National Battlefield is a park in Murfreesboro, TN along the Stones River in Rutherford County, TN. The park commemorates the Civil War battle that took place here on Dec. 31, 1862 and Jan. 2, 1863. The park was established using public and private funds, with significant help from the NCStL railway, and is now under the oversight of the U.S. National Park Service.

Since this civil war battle was fought over positioning for a major rail lines, in the early 20th century the NCStL Railway listed the battlefield as a stop and point of interest. In 1906, the company erected a 31-foot obelisk to commemorate the January 2, 1863, position of massed Union artillery used to repel a Confederate assault on Union troops across the river.

Walterhill, TN dam

I wonder how many times I've driven past this and not realized it was here, right off of US231 north of Murfreesboro, where the highway crosses over the Stones River. The area is listed as Walter Hill Day Use Park. I just learned there's a designated State Natural Area close to here, because there's a rare plant that only grows here called the Stones River Bladderpod.