News Release

In The Footsteps of Tragedy and Hope: Moccasin Bend, 1819-1840

Date: January 25, 2018
Contact: Kim Coons, 423-752-5213x139

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: On Sunday, February 4, at 2pm, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park invites the public to participate in a 90-minute, 1.2 mile walking tour exploring lives of settlers, slaves, and Cherokee on Moccasin Bend. 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 US 27.

In 1839, Jacob Cummings escaped from slavery from a farm near Brown’s Ferry. Fifty-Five years later, he shared his life story with a historian writing about the Underground Railroad. Cummings’s account provides a fascinating glimpse into life on Moccasin Bend, from the time of the Treaty of 1819 and the establishment of Hamilton County, through Indian Removal, as well as Underground Railroad activities around Chattanooga.

Join us for this special program as we use Cummings’s story to better understand this turbulent era of Chattanooga’s history. 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 upcoming programs at Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, please contact the Lookout Mountain Visitor Center at 423-821-7786, the Chickamauga Battlefield Visitor Center at 706-866-9241, or visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/chch.