I’m Slipping!

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Man, oh, man, I did it again!!! To be honest, though, this wasn’t my fault. I mean, if you see a sign that says “historic fort” in Tennessee you’re going to assume it’s a Civil War fort, right? When I got to Fort Loudon Historic State Park I was quite shocked to discover that it was NOT a Civil War fort. In fact, according to the informational signs, Fort Loudon was a “contemporary” of Fort Frederica in Georgia, which I visited earlier in the vacation. Say WHAT????? Tennessee wasn’t one of the original 13 colonies! True, but, like Fort Frederica, Fort Loudon was a British garrison during the French and Indian (or Seven Years’) War. What is now eastern Tennessee was part of “disputed territory.” Fort Loudon was developed in 1756 by the British troops at the request of the South Carolina colony. The citizens felt threatened by what the French were doing about 400 miles away near the Mississippi River. This isn’t one you read about in history books, for a couple of reasons. First, it only existed for four years. Secondly, it wasn’t a British victory. During the short tenure of the fort, the once-friendly relationship between British troops and the Cherokee nation of the area soured. The Cherokee captured the fort and forced the Brits out. After that, the area where the fort stood was more or less abandoned to overgrowth. It wasn’t until 1917 that anyone even acknowledged that a fort had been there. Like Fort Clinch in Florida, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) stepped in during the Depression, clearing and reconstructing the site. With the exception of the archeological findings that are displayed in the museum, everything is a re-creation. That doesn’t make it any less fascinating to visit. Best of all, it’s free. Kudos to Tennessee for discovering lost history and preserving it! The photo is Fort Loudon’s re-created setup, with Tellico Lake in the background.