Garrison Creek

Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness

"Today on our journey up the Natchez Trace Parkway we are visiting a site called GARRISON CREEK that is just south of Leipers Fork, Tennessee.

"There's a trail used by hikers and horseback riders that connects this site with exhibits at BURNS BRANCH, the OLD TRACE EXHIBIT and the TENNESSEE RIVER DIVIDE along the original Old Natchez Trace and the parkway. All these exhibits pertain to the National Road Era of the Natchez Trace.

"When the old trail first became a national road, the postmaster general wrote the secretary of war asking for the army's help to improve the road. During those days, in 1801 and 1802, the army worked on this section of the road. GARRISON CREEK got its name because the U. S. Soldiers who did the improvements on the NATCHEZ ROAD were garrisoned at this creek.

"Just beyond GARRISON CREEK the Parkway crosses over highway 46 and enters a section of the parkway opened in June of 1993. This is the parkway's high country and the road is very curvy as it winds its way around, in and out of the valleys that are the last steps of our journey.

"Join us next time as we cross the first segmentally constructed arch bridge in the United States at Tennessee Highway 96. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com