Crossroads of commerce: highways and waterways converge on Moccasin Bend

Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to participate in a 90-minute, 1.2 mile walking tour focusing on the history of trade and commerce around Moccasin Bend on Sunday, March 19 at 2 p.m. This program will take place along the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trace on Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. Look for and follow the “Special Program” signs beginning on Manufacturers Road, west of U.S. Highway 27.

For thousands of years, people utilized the waterways around Chattanooga as a vital means of transporting goods and people through present-day Chattanooga. Over time, American Indian groups, including the Cherokee, developed a series of roadways throughout the region. These roads became part of the federal road system that facilitated the nation’s economic growth in the early nineteenth century. Then, in the mid-twentieth century, the construction of Interstate 24 once again placed Moccasin Bend at the center of national trade and commerce. Join us on the Brown’s Ferry Federal Road Trace as we examine how the unique geography of Chattanooga affected the movement of people and goods around Moccasin Bend and how these waterways and highways shaped the geography of Moccasin Bend.

As a reminder, please wear comfortable shoes and dress appropriately for the conditions. Lightweight, portable chairs are permitted and bringing water is encouraged.

For more information about programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, contact the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, the Lookout Mountain Battlefield Visitor Center at 423-8217786, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/ chch.www.nps.gov