After destroying 15 miles of railroad in the Obion River bottoms, Forrest's Brigade captured the Federal garrison of Union City and destroyed railroad lines running northeast and southwest into Federal territory, as well as lines northward and . . . — — Map (db m155945) HM
Reelfoot Lake is a by-product of the "New Madrid Earthquakes", a series of 1,874 recorded tremors centered generally about 70 miles southwest of the Lake, taking place from December 16, 1811 until March 8, 1812. The "hard shock” came at 3 . . . — — Map (db m155949) HM
Troy, first town in Obion County and county seat from 1825-1890, was laid out in 1825
with the assistance of Davy Crockett, who later represented the district in Congress. In the nearby Obion River bottoms he made his record year's kill of bears, . . . — — Map (db m155947) HM
Most light rail used in the United States was replaced in the 20th century as trains began to get heavier. Today's track size range from 112-pound to 140-pound rail (per every three feet). The pieces seen here were removed in 2016 from a section of . . . — — Map (db m273679) HM
President of the United States of America, during the American Civil War, 1861-1865.
In the Nation's darkest years, Lincoln led the North in war, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and oversaw passage of the 13th Amendment, these acts . . . — — Map (db m106068) HM
Russian-American Novelist, Philosopher, Playwright, and Screenwriter.
Rand is known for her two best-selling novels, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and Developing a Philosophical System called Objectivism.
Atlas . . . — — Map (db m106066) HM
Featuring local rough-milled cypress, this timber frame structure was built in the summer of 2011 by two volunteers, Wilbur Brewer and Bill Austin, using only traditional timber framing methods such as mortise and tenon joints. No nails were used in . . . — — Map (db m273773) HM
Built in 2012, this functional workshop is named for Mr. Charlie Grooms.
Working as the leader of an all-volunteer committee from 2006 to 2012. Mr. Grooms helped inspire several of the outdoor exhibit areas at Discovery Park of America. The Smithy . . . — — Map (db m273772) HM
The display seen before you once stood in front of Central Grammer School of Union City. Built in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) on the grounds of the former Central School, it was home to grades one-six. Different combinations of . . . — — Map (db m273672) HM
A column is a form of architecture that has existed since ancient times. Classical architects established various orders that laid out guidelines for style and proportion. The Ancient Greeks developed the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian column orders, . . . — — Map (db m273686) HM
Crawler-transporters are gigantic machines used to transport rockets and spacecraft from the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) to Launch Complex 39 at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The largest vehicle ever built, Crawler-transport 1 (CT-1) . . . — — Map (db m106008) HM
Frontiersman, Congressman, and defender of the Alamo during the Texas War of Independence.
Developed a reputation as a skilled frontiersman that elevated him to folk legend status.
Elected into Congress in 1827, and was re-elected twice before . . . — — Map (db m273669) HM
Roman engineers built the first monumental domes around the 1st century BCE. Made of stone, they became heavier as they grew larger, and for centuries, dome size was limited by the weight of stone, concrete, and other materials.
In the early 20th . . . — — Map (db m106010) HM
The F11F-1 Tiger, a single-seat carrier-based fighter, entered service in 1954 during an era of rapid advancement in aeronautical engineering. The proportion ratios of this aircraft and its swept-wing design are both the result of lessons learned . . . — — Map (db m106014) HM
The Christian Church was organized in Obion County in 1848 at Old Republican Meeting
House 4 miles west of Union City. Gen. G. W. Gibbs founded the city in 1854 and in 1856
gave the lot for this, the city's first church. Despite the destruction of . . . — — Map (db m155926) HM
Located five blocks north, the monument was dedicated on October 21, 1869. Some of the twenty-nine buried here died in training at Camp Brown in Union City, an important rail junction and staging area for the invasion of Kentucky. Others fell in . . . — — Map (db m155918) HM
Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest led his troops in a raid on Union-controlled railroads in 1862, hoping to disrupt Union General Ulysses S. Grant's supply lines.
Sections of the railway were destroyed by burning the ties, placing the . . . — — Map (db m273675) HM
The MOON DOME is the geodesic dome.
These lightweight domes are built with interlocking triangles for support. The fixed angles of a triangle make it an incredibly strong shape. If pressure is applied to one side of a triangle, that force is . . . — — Map (db m106011) HM
A tip of the hat to a bygone era, Hobbs Drug Store was built in 2013 and is designed to be reminiscent of the Soda Shop that flourished in the mid twentieth century. The wrought-iron store front was manufactured by Christopher & Simpson of St. . . . — — Map (db m106070) HM
In the days before regional cooperative stores and national chains, farmers from small towns across the country could visit their local feed store to hear the latest news, talk with neighbors, and stock up on animal feed and equipment. Built in . . . — — Map (db m273775) HM
Designed in honor of the courthouse and municipal buildings that can be found in small towns across the country, Liberty Hall was built in the summer of 2012. This building houses exhibits featuring political figures and celebrates the founding of . . . — — Map (db m106072) HM
Donated by the Barnes family and moved to Discovery Park in 2012, this barn was originally built in 1858 by William Bumpus and his son, John. Hand-hewn from Popular trees located on their property, the barn was originally built to house the mule . . . — — Map (db m273667) HM
Since the Titan I was a multi-stage Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the vehicle was made up of parts (stages)that separated from the rest of the body once its engines ran out of fuel. This decrease in weight during the flight gave Titan I . . . — — Map (db m106075) HM
Congregation members, under the guidance of the Rev. W.E. Farmer, built Mt. Zion C.M.E. Church in 1896. The oldest African American church in Union City. it is part of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church denomination, which was founded in 1870, . . . — — Map (db m155924) HM
Sorghum syrup is made from the juice of sorghum cane. It became prominent in the United States during the 1850s and was an important source of sweetener. Many people planted just enough for their own use, while others grew it as a cash crop. This . . . — — Map (db m273754) HM
[North side]
1861
To the
Confederate
soldiers of
Obion County
[West side]
To the Confederate
soldier of Obion County
who was killed in battle
who was starved in
Federal prisons, and who
has preserved Anglo- . . . — — Map (db m192709) WM
Dedicated to the Men & Women who served in our Armed Forces, especially those who served in Vietnam
Side 2
Too Elusive -
To Bury
Too Dynamic -
To Forget
Obion County Servicemen Missing in Action while serving in . . . — — Map (db m273670) WM
Titans were deities that existed before the Olympian Gods, and Prometheus was known as the protector and benefactor of mankind.
Zeus, the king of the Olympian Gods, took fire away from mankind after Prometheus angered him with his . . . — — Map (db m106036) HM
Markings located inside the web of a railroad rail tell its life history. From the first set of information, we can determine the weight (80) and section identifier for the rails shown here. We know that the steel was made using the open-hearth (OH) . . . — — Map (db m273677) HM
President of the United States of America, served two terms from 1981-1989
During his inaugural speech, he called for an era of national renewal and hoped that America would again be 'A beacon of hope for those who do not have freedom.'
He . . . — — Map (db m106040) HM
Donated by the Sims family and moved to Discovery Park in 2012, this nineteenth-century log barn houses a tool barn and hen house. A tool barn would have stored hand tools that were needed to work the farm. The hen house, built with reclaimed period . . . — — Map (db m273769) HM
Donated by the Hicks family of Graves County, Kentucky, this one-room cabin was originally built in the early 1870s as a family home and once had a narrow staircase leading to the upstairs loft where children slept. When a new house was built in . . . — — Map (db m273665) HM
Stem Landing is a showcase of just a tiny sampling of great STEM achievements and is dedicated in the hopes that it will help inspire more in the future.
STEM is not a new concept. Human beings have always been scientists, observing the world . . . — — Map (db m106074) HM
This building is a reproduction of the Barber Shop that stood on the corner of High and North Church Streets in Rives, Tennessee. Built in 1894, it was run by Sam Dickery and his son, Melvin, until 1967. The original structure was added to the . . . — — Map (db m106071) HM
The Chapel was donated to the Discovery Park of America by the Eldridge Cemetery Association. Built in 1896 as the New Chapel United Methodist Church. The Chapel was moved here in the summer of 2012 and restored to appear as it did during the first . . . — — Map (db m106073) HM
When the Confederate states declared themselves as separate nation, a new flag was needed. The first national flag of the Confederacy, flying here, was known as the "Stars and Bars." The 13 stars reflect the Confederate claims to Missouri and . . . — — Map (db m106035) HM
Built in 2012, the Depot is modeled after two historic train stations. Matson Switch, located nearby between Woodland Mills, Tennessee and Hickman, Kentucky, and was the site of Civil War action in 1864. The Cookeville Train Depot in Cookeville, . . . — — Map (db m106042) HM
This dog-trot cabin was originally built in the 1870s on the Parks family estate near Clayton, Tennessee. Used to preserve history since the 1970s, this cabin was donated by Janet Parks LaMarche in 1979 to the Obion County Museum in memory of her . . . — — Map (db m273663) HM
The Firehouse was built in 2012, and is modeled after the firehouse in Harper's Ferry Arsenal, West Virginia, the site of abolitionist John Brown's 1859 slave revolt and capture by Robert E. Lee. — — Map (db m106065) HM
The William A. "Bill" Homra and Allen Homra Lodge was donated by the Critchlow family and moved to Discovery Park in 2012. Supposedly, President Andrew Johnson slept in the smaller cabin while passing through West Tennessee in the late 1800s.
It . . . — — Map (db m273652) HM
The deliberate design of a Japanese garden follows ideas that are central to Japanese culture and features aspects from garden-making's earliest history. Many aesthetic design elements, such as stones, hills, water, and vegetation, are used to . . . — — Map (db m273683) HM
Even as the Industrial Revolution continued elsewhere in the world, those on the frontier during the nineteenth century had to produce much of their own, including their textiles and clothing. This one-room cabin was donated by the Wade family and . . . — — Map (db m273648) HM
While a labyrinth has a single winding path that leads directly to its endpoint (unicursal), a maze is a puzzle of branching paths in which the correct route must be found (multicursal). Hedge or garden mazes became popular in the 16th century when . . . — — Map (db m273689) HM
Donated by the Wade family and moved here in 2012, this cabin is mostly constructed of period, reclaimed, and hewn American Chestnut logs.
It now houses a portion of the "Duck, Duck, Goose: Waterfowl of the Mississippi Flyway" exhibit that is . . . — — Map (db m273645) HM
The Rotary Pavilion was built in 2012 with funds generously provided by members of the Union City Rotary Club. The structure was modeled after the Blueband Roundhouse located at Reelfoot Lake. The Roundhouse was a popular weekend destination for . . . — — Map (db m273674) HM
Built around 1890, this one-room schoolhouse is believed to be one of the last of its kind in Obion County, Tennessee. It once stood about six miles west of here, behind the home of Denziul Maupin on Maupin Road in Union City. Schoolhouses like this . . . — — Map (db m273647) HM
Without refrigeration, preserving meat was a problem solved by salt curing and smoking. Fresh cuts of meat were packed in salt, which drew the moisture out of the meat. The meat was then hung in a small, enclosed wooden shed, a smokehouse, where a . . . — — Map (db m273770) HM
As the outset of the war, the flag of the United States of America featured 33 stars. The Federal Government did not recognize the secession of the Confederate States and left a star for each of the national flag throughout the war. A 34th star was . . . — — Map (db m106064) HM
To survive, settlers needed dependable sources of water and heat. Wells could be dug by hand, but they were later more likely to be drilled to greater depths. The well could also be used to store small quantities of perishables, such as milk or . . . — — Map (db m273644) HM
President of the United States of America, served two terms from 1801-1809
Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, a Charter of America and Universal Liberties
Drafted in 1776.
He became the Nation's First . . . — — Map (db m106069) HM
Fifty Four Titan I's were divided into six squadrons during their deployment. Each squadron was made up of three launch complexes, and each complex housed three missiles in hardened silos.
The entire launch complex was buried deep underground, and . . . — — Map (db m106016) HM
Development of the Titan I first began in 1955 when the U. S. Air Force decided they needed a backup to their Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), The Atlas, in case the program failed. They wanted a larger, two-stage missile that could travel . . . — — Map (db m106017) HM
The Bell UH-1B Iroquois, more commonly known as the "Huey," was designed as the U. S. Army's first operational turboshaft helicopter in 1955. In 1961, the Army requested improvements, resulting in the UH-1B that was used extensively in Vietnam. . . . — — Map (db m106018) HM
Union City started as a railroad town :General George Washington Gibbs received 5,000 acres from Martin Armstrong, of North Carolina, in 1829 in exchange for Gibbs' legal services.
A charter was received to build tracks from Nashville to . . . — — Map (db m106041) HM
This 1869 memorial to unknown Confederate dead is one of the oldest Civil War monuments in Tennessee and is a rare example of Reconstruction-era memorialization. The monument's location within a cemetery reflects the mourning element common to the . . . — — Map (db m155920) HM
This dogtrot, built with reclaimed period logs, was donated by the Wade family and moved here in 2012. Sometimes called a breezeway house, possum trot, or dog run, this style developed as a response to the hot and humid climate of the Southeastern . . . — — Map (db m273642) HM
An XP-84 Thunderjet prototype was first flown in 1946 and reached a top speed of 607.2 mph, making it the fastest American-designed aircraft of the time. These prototypes were followed by the production of fifteen YP-84A models, one of which is . . . — — Map (db m106076) HM
