The National Park Service and Friends Group Celebrate New Public Access on Moccasin Bend

Date: October 30, 2014
Contact: Brad Bennett, 423-752-5213 x115

Fort Oglethorpe, GA: The National Park Service and the Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park invite the public to help celebrate the opening of newly accessible federal property within the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District on Hamm Road in Chattanooga, Tenn. On Monday, November 10, from 3:00 p.m. –4:00 p.m., two new signs will be unveiled to identify the future home of the Moccasin Bend interpretive center. One sign will be near the pedestrian entrance off Hamm Road, and the other will be located across the meadow at the newly cleared vista of the Tennessee River facing downtown Chattanooga.

Special guests at the event will include Troy Wayne Poteete, Supreme Court Justice of the Cherokee Nation and Executive Director of the National Trail of Tears Association;Sherri Fields, Deputy Regional Director for the National Park Service, Southeast Region;Brad Bennett, Superintendent of Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park; and Michael Wurzel, Executive Director of the Friends of Moccasin Bend. 

 "This is an exciting moment in the long history of preserving Moccasin Bend for the benefit of all residents and visitors," Bennett said.  "We are grateful for the hard work of local, state, and federal officials who have cooperated for many years to bring us to this point, and look forward to continued collaboration with all interested parties as we move forward with expanding public access."

 "People enjoy gathering where mountains, rivers and valleys come together to create hospitable places" stated Michael Wurzel, Executive Director of the Friends of Moccasin Bend National Park. "The future site of the visitor center embodies this phenomenon beautifully and will no doubt be enjoyed by the many visitors to Moccasin Bend National Archeological District."

To reach the event, take the Manufacturers Road exit off of U.S. Highway 27, turn west and follow the special event signs onto Hamm Road.

Almost 30 years of studies, reports, and plans will be on display that illustrate Moccasin Bend's nationally significant American Indian culture, exceptional Civil War resources, and growing recreational opportunities. Also on display will be recommendations for the planned North Shore connections between the new Stringer's Ridge park, the Tennessee Riverwalk, and the national park. In addition, design documents for the future interpretive center and exhibits will be available for viewing. Park staff and partners will be available to answer any questions regarding the future on Moccasin Bend.