Bledsoe's Fort Historical Park

Bledsoe's Fort Historical Park. Site of Bledsoe's Fort, 1783-1806. , Bledsoe's Fort Historical Park preserves the site of the settlement founded by Isaac Bledsoe in 1780. The frontier fort was occupied continuously from 1783 to 1806., A Settlement in the Wilderness , Isaac Bledsoe first came to this area in 1772 Eight years later he returned with his family. Bledsoe's initial attempts to establish a settlement here in 1780 were unsuccessful, but in 1783, he and his brother, Anthony, and their families constructed a civilian fort 800 feet from where you row stand. The fort was not a military post but a collection of residences protected by a stockade., At least seven households occupied the station from 1784 through 1796. By then, Native American raids had largely ceased and families dispersed to individual homesteads. Only the Bledsoe family remained., Unearthing History , The historical record provided a good deal of information about the Bledsoe family, but information regarding the fort itself and how its inhabitants lived was lacking. To answer these and other questions, the Bledsoe's Lick Historical Association and Middle Tennessee State University initiated a long-term, joint historical and archaeological project in 1995. Archaeological fieldwork has yielded a wealth of information and the project is ongoing., Exploring the Park , The interpreted walking trail takes you to the site of Bledsoe's Fort, the Pioneer Cemetery and Bledsoe Monument, Nathaniel Parker cabin, Hunley cabin, Hugh Rogan home and other points of interest., Length: The main trial is 0.9 miles; the spur trail to the spring and long hunter camp is 900 feet one way., Difficulty: Unpaved, with moderate inclines; the spring is reached by rough stone steps., Accessibility: The trail surface is mulch in open areas and gravel in wooded areas.