Nashville surrendered to the Union Army on February 25, 1862, less than a year after the beginning of the Civil War, and it remained under Union control until 1867. With good river and rail access Nashville was an important supply depot for the Confederate Army so holding the city was a major goal for the Union Army. A labor force of 2,768 free and run away slaves built Fort Negley as part of the defense around the city which included a 7 mile fortified line and Union gunboats on the Cumberland River.
The fort didn’t see any action and fell into ruin when the war ended and the Federal troops left. A restoration was attempted in the 1930s but it wasn’t until 2004 that the area was opened to the public as an historic site. Stone foundations trace the outline of the fort and boardwalk trails with interpretive signs follow the inside walls. A small visitor center with a few displays and two videos about the fort is located at the base of the hill where the fort is located.
The visitor center is accessible. A road which is closed to traffic circles the fort. It’s a steep hike along the road to the fort so wheelchair users will need a strong helper. We did not go to the top because even though it looks like a beautiful day in the photo it was actually windy and cold.
The parking lot is large enough for small RV. Larger RVs can be parked along the roads. Fort 36.14288, -86.77511
I see that flag standing straight out -- very windy! I've never heard of Fort Negley, but I'd like to visit it someday if/when we're in Tennessee again.
ReplyDeleteI wish we could have gone to the top. Should be a great view from up there!
DeleteHi Karen and Tony, here's a link for future Nashville visitors using wheelchairs: http://notesonnashville.com/2018/01/15/nashville-wheelchair-accessibility/
ReplyDeleteI'm a native Nashvillian building a blog for visitors and newcomers with a special emphasis on individuals with disabilities. (My son has autism.) My goal is to links folks to the resources they need. Sorry I couldn't be of help to you but perhaps this will prove useful to those who follow you.
Happy adventuring. --Michael
Thanks for the link! It looks like you have included a great variety of things in your blog. I'll be sure to consult it the next time we visit Nashville!
DeleteThanks, K & T. In my research, I found no centralized link to serving individuals with various disabilities so slowly this part of the website will become more comprehensive.
ReplyDelete