Road tripping can be as exciting as you make it…or a patience draining marathon of complaints from the backseat. We have found that frequent stops make the trip more enjoyable for everyone. In addition, it allows you to change the car ride from a simple point-to-point trip into an educational adventure.
On our way south to Florida, we took a pit-stop in Nashville and visited the Fort Negley Walking Trail. It’s just a mile walk, but allows one to discover the history of the Battle of Nashville, where the Union Army achieved one of its biggest victories of the American Civil War. The fort was constructed by the Union to hold the city after General Don Carlos Buell took the city with minimal resistance. In 1864, Confederates attempted to retake Nashville, but fortifications proved too strong, and General Hood’s army was forced into retreat. It’s not every day you see the Buell name in history lessons!
Bonus: The fort was built upon high ground near the Cumberland River, so this walking trail provides great views of the Nashville sky line!
Allow the time to read the signs to gain an appreciation of what happened on the land you’re standing on and imagine what the fort looked like in 1864 in all its glory.
There is also a visitor’s center that serves as a historical educational center.
We were just passing through on a road trip and looking to move our bodies and get fresh air, so we didn’t explore what the visitors center. But they offer interactive exhibits and videos.
Exact location: 36°05′17″N 86°48′35″W / 36.0881°N 86.8098°W / 36.0881; -86.8098
www.dwiththeanna.com 