Rocky Top in Anderson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
American Chestnuts
Photographed By Tom Bosse, March 4, 2017
1. American Chestnuts Marker
Inscription.
American Chestnuts. . Convicts cut trees from Militia Hill and surrounding hillsides in 1892 so soldiers could spot attacking miners. Many of those trees were American chestnuts. Convicts and soldiers could not know that a fungus carried by Chinese chestnuts, brought to New York City in 1904, would decimate the remaining American chestnuts within a few decades.
The American Chestnut Foundation is developing a blight-resistant hybrid so the American chestnut can regain its crown as king of the forest. Chestnuts prefer loose, rocky ground, and modern surface mines provide ideal locations for planting blight-resistant hybrids where they can spread to surrounding forests.
Convicts cut trees from Militia Hill and surrounding hillsides in 1892 so soldiers could spot attacking miners. Many of those trees were American chestnuts. Convicts and soldiers could not know that a fungus carried by Chinese chestnuts, brought to New York City in 1904, would decimate the remaining American chestnuts within a few decades.
The American Chestnut Foundation is developing a blight-resistant hybrid so the American chestnut can regain its crown as king of the forest. Chestnuts prefer loose, rocky ground, and modern surface mines provide ideal locations for planting blight-resistant hybrids where they can spread to surrounding forests.
Location. 36° 12.883′ N, 84° 10.017′ W. Marker is in Rocky Top, Tennessee, in Anderson County. Marker is on Vowell Mountain Lane, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Lake City TN 37769, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Militia Hill (here, next to this marker); Breastworks (here,
Credits. This page was last revised on April 13, 2017. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 433 times since then and 14 times this year. Photo1. submitted on March 26, 2017, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.