NPS Photo September 25, 1780 In the early morning hours of September 25, the militia from Virginia left their encampment near Fort Womack and arrived at the Holston River. There was a well-known crossing at a shallow spot in the river called Choate’s Ford that the men used to cross and continue their journey south. The historic crossing is upstream from where the trail currently crosses the river via the swinging bridge. It is located just on the other side of the railroad trestle. On the eastern side of the river visitors have access to an interpretive NPS wayside and may take the adjoining Patriot’s Trail to where the crossing was located. On the western side of the bridge the trail winds through the city, following sidewalks for approximately 0.6 miles ending near the Bluff City Middle School. The historic route ran nearly straight from the crossing to the middle school but due to development this is not possible for the current route to follow. The sidewalks are blazed with the OVNHT logo to mark the path. There are no restroom or picnic facilities available. The trail is open to the public year round, from sunrise to sunset. There is parking available on Main Street where the trail joins the bridge and on Silver Grove Rd on opposite sides of the river. |
Last updated: August 3, 2019