Johnsonville State Historic Park In Tennessee Is The Perfect Destination For Both Nature And History Lovers
By Meghan Kraft|Published May 03, 2020
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
During this season of social distancing, folks are looking for an escape like never before. Tennesseans have been stuck in their homes for weeks on end, and now that the state’s stay-at-home mandate has been lifted, locals are making their way out to state parks and national forests with stunning speed. Sure, it may be easy to head to the hills of the Great Smoky Mountains, but don’t forget about Johnsonville State Historic Park. This oft-forgotten Tennessee gem makes it easy to social distance while out and about in nature. It’s a beautiful place to visit, and one you won’t want to miss. Learn all about it below!
Johnsonville State Historic Park can be found in Humphreys County, Tennessee, and the day-use park is famous for its stunning natural expanse and historic ties to the state of Tennessee.
The park itself was named after President Andrew Johnson who served as the Union Military Governor of Tennessee during the Civil War, and the park is meant to honor the site of the Battle of Johnsonville.
During the height of the Civil War, Johnsonville served as a Union supply depot. Steamboats transferred supplies up the Tennessee River, and in Johnsonville they were loaded up into railroad cars and sent off to Nashville and onto Georgia.
Under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest, the Johnsonville Depot was attacked in November of 1864. Folks believe that a local, Jack Hinson, led Forrest to the spot without detection. Although Union troops fought long and hard, the Johnsonville Depot was lost to the Confederacy in a victory led by Forrest.
In 1944, the site of the Johnsonville Depot was flooded out by the Tennessee Valley Authority in order to create the Kentucky Lake. Although most of the historic site is now covered with water, the land has since been organized into the Johnsonville State Historic Park.
There's quite a bit of history found on this small plot of land, and it has been honored since the official introduction of the Johnsonville State Historic Park in 1971. You can visit everything from Fort Jonson to the Crocket Cemetery on-site, and there's even a museum and a series of wayside exhibits that will help you and yours experience the park to its fullest extent.
Throughout the year, Johnsonville State Historic Park hosts a series of interpretive programs and educational opportunities like guided hikes and Junior Ranger Camp. Don't miss the Annual Battle of Johnsonville Commemorative Living History Event, either! It's held in early November, and it's a sight to see.
