Salt Seeking Buffalo
Moccasin Clad Warriors
Dreaming Pioneers
Battling Civil War Soldiers
Fire Goddess Park Adventure Series
On our way to our next adventure in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park we stopped in the quaint town of Corbin, Kentucky for 2 nights thinking we would venture over to the Cumberland Falls for some additional exploration, but instead decided to check out the Cumberland Gap.
There is so much in our American history that as I get older tend to forget.
We stopped into Visitor Center to pick up maps and read up on the Gap.
The exhibits were impressive:
The Appalachian Mountains in all its glory expands from Alabama all the way up to Canada and crossing points in the 1700’s was far and few between.
American Indians followed buffalo as they migrated to salt licks on the other side of the Gap in the Appalachian Mountains. There they found fertile hunting grounds that they called Kain-tuck-ee. The various spellings of our fine state are entertaining in itself. I do believe we lucked out on the final version.
At the direction of the King of England, Dr. Thomas Walker surveyed the land beyond the Gap and named it Cumberland after Prince William the Duke of Cumberland, the youngest son of the King.
Long Hunter’s Daniel Boone and his brother Squire explored the vast wilderness marking hundreds of miles of trails. Some of which became known as Boone’s Trace. Daniel Boone later was contracted by land speculators, the Transylvania Company to lead a team of thirty “axemen” to blaze the Wilderness Road for the use of pioneers.
Thousands of settlers crossed the rude hills in the 1700’s in search of a better life… in Kentucky.
We ventured on up to Pinnacle Outlook to take a gander at the Gap. I really couldn’t see it… or even imagine it. The hubby kept pointing at it stating it’s right there and yet… nope… don’t get it.
Our next hike started on the Object Lesson Road that connected us to the Wilderness Road and finally up the steep and rocky Tri-State Peak trail. This trail took us to the peak where you can stand where Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia touch. Kind of a fun thought.
As we continued our hike, we noticed signs for forts hidden in the vast trees. During the Civil War, both the North and South considered the Gap strategically important and both sides occupied the area at different times building small fortresses and earth works.
Signs were posted everywhere to be on the lookout for Black Bears in the area… hmmm…
Hubby always said “no worries, you don’t need to be the fastest person if you encounter a bear… you just need to be faster than the slowest person” … hmmm… fortunately none were spotted…
There is so much more to explore in this area… trails not yet hiked… history yet to be remembered… thinking about the what if’s… what if Dr. Thomas Walker said “no” to the King about exploring the Gap… or Daniel Boone and his brother Squire said “nope not interested” …
I’m sure someone else would have come along, but I am grateful that they did, as Kentucky is now our home.
Fire Goddess out... for the moment.
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