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Guarding Springfield

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Springfield
Early in the war, townswomen met at the Henry H. Kirk house, just north of here, to sew uniforms and blankets for Confederated soldiers after Kirk bought sewing machines and patterns in St. Louis, Missouri. When the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry hoisted the Stars and Stripes in Springfield on March 25, 1862, however, the Federal occupation began and shaped everyday life here for the rest of the war.

Pvt. William Thomas of the 9th Pennsylvania wrote in his diary that he “camped on a Hill looking over the town, name of hill-pulltight.” The Federals constructed a fortified camp here to observe the city and protect the Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad. A line of earth-works was built from the fort’s north side to Sulphur Fork Creek, and another line extended a mile from the south end of the camp. Union soldiers also manned railroad blockhouses at Baker’s Station, the Ridgetop Trestle, the Dry Creek Trestle (Greenbrier), Sulphur Fork Trestle and the Red River Blockhouse No. 1 near Adams. The Federal troops guarded the town spring and confiscated firearms from local citizens, including the tools of local gunsmith Philip Anglin.

The occupying forces confiscated what they needed. At an abandoned Confederate base, Camp Cheatham near Cedar Hill, soldiers recalled” “(We) tore down Houses that was used by the Secesh for Commissary and Hospital (and) used the boards to floor our tents.” By August 1864, Col. Thomas J. Downey and the 15th U.S. Colored Infantry were stationed here and guarded the town and its valuable railroad line until the end of the war.

(captions)
Kirk House - Courtesy Robertson County Archives
15th PA Cavalry Camp - Courtesy Robertson County Archives

(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Robertson County Courthouse

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Springfield
The center section of this building was constructed in 1879 with red brick. The north and south wings and clock tower were added in 1929 and covered with the brick now visible. This property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

(Notable Buildings) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

An Army In Springfield

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Springfield
For most residents, Robertson County was a difficult place to live during the war. After the fall of Confederate Forts Henry and Donelson in 1862, Union forces occupied the county and made the town of Springfield a military base, where they guarded local roads and the Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad. Federal troops used the First Presbyterian Church on Locust Street as a staple; damage from horseshoes can still be seen in this historic building. Relations between the soldiers and the residents were generally friendly at first, but by February 1863, citizens were complaining of misbehavior and thievery to Military Governor Andrew Johnson. During one horrific December 1864 day at Wessyngton Plantation, Union soldiers threatened and then shot the plantation owner while burning many farm buildings there.

Other important military activities also affected civilian life. In June 1861, Confederates established a major induction center, Camp Cheatham. It was named in honor of Gen. Benjamin Franklin Cheatham, whose ancestors were among the founders of Springfield. During the autumn of 1862, Confederate Gen. John Hunt Morgan’s cavalry raid destroyed the Dead Horse Trestle near Ridgetop. In 1863, Federal authorities recruited escaped slaves from local plantations and formed units of the U.S. Colored Troops (USCTs). In 1864, the 15th USCT formed part of the Union garrison in Springfield.

“The house had been pillaged from garret to cellar, trunks broken, open(ed) & rifled, furniture chopped to pieces with axes, doors burst down, and your Grandma cursed and told if she did not give them 500 dollars, they would burn the house over here d__n old head.” — Jane Washington, Dec 18, 1864

(captions)
First Presbyterian Church Courtesy Robertson County Archives
Wessyngton Plantation Courtesy Robertson County Archives

(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Fort Redmond

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Adams
The Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad were vitally important for transporting soldiers and supplies. Confederate forces constructed Fort Redmond to protect and defend the railroad bridge a mile northwest of here, near the confluence of the Red River and the Elk Fork Creek. The dense woods there provided firewood, lumber for structures, and natural shelter in the winter months.

With the fall of Forts Henry and Donelson in February 1862, the Confederates abandoned Fort Redmond, and Union troops occupied the area. The Federals also recognized the value of these railroad and river fortifications. They restored the bridges and established Red River Blockhouse No. 1 to secure the trestle and the rails that cross the Red River. The wooden structure was constructed of heavy timber, two feet thick, designed to withstand attack by light weapons. The blockhouse, however, did not face any significant Confederate assaults for the rest of the war.

“Monday, Aug 18—Federal Troops pressed seven men to help build RR bridge over the Red River which the Southern soldiers burnt partly up on Saturday night also pressed wagon and team. …Aug 22—The Southern Cavalry 120 in number under Col. Woodard attacked the Federals 80 in number and after a short skirmish captured them all, released them on parole burnt the bal(ance) of the bridge—The Negroes all ran home.” — J.W. Fort farm journal, 1862

(sidebar
The Red River provided water, fish, and transportation for travelers and settlers. The Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad Company constructed the first bridge across the Red River by February 1859 for $82,345. The limestone piers that supported the bridge are still visible, and remnants of earthworks remain on the southern ridge.

(captions)
February 1862 map published in The New York Herald — Courtesy Robertson County Archives
Middle Tennessee Blockhouse Courtesy Robertson County Archives

(Forts, Castles • Railroads & Streetcars • War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

First United Presbyterian Church

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Springfield
The First Presbyterian Church, built in 1839, is the oldest public building in current use in Robertson County, located in lot 17 of the original city plat. The bell, still in use, was given by the Cheatham family. A center partition placed men on one side, ladies on the other. Used as a stable during Union occupation, hoofmarks are still visible on the old floor. The sanctuary was added in 1897 by Thomas Pepper in memory of his wife.

(Churches, Etc. • War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Springfield Historic District

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Springfield
This area is a city designated residential historic district. Although settled in 1796, the existing homes in this neighborhood date from 1833. They include a wide range of architectural styles. These homes stand as a lasting testimony to the generations of people who have called Springfield home.

(Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Camp Cheatham

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Cedar Hill
Named for Benjamin Franklin Cheatham, who was in 1861 appointed brigadier general in the Provisional Army, Independent State of Tennessee, and its first camp commander, the training camp established in this area in June, 1861 was used by numerous Confederate units, including the 3rd Tenn. Infantry (John C. Brown), 11th Tenn. Infantry (Rains) and 42nd Tenn. Infantry (Quarles). Other units, organized elsewhere, trained here; among them were Woodard's 2nd Ky. Calvary.

(War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Joseph W. Byrns

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Cedar Hill
Joseph Wellington Byrns was born in 1869 in a small cabin near Cedar Hill. A graduate of the Law Department of Vanderbilt University, he served in both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly. Elected to the United States House of Representatives, he represented this area in Congress for 27 years. At the time of his June 4, 1936 death, Byrns was Speaker of the House of Representatives. Later, the Robertson County School Board named Jo Byrns school in his honor.

(Politics) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Camp Elder Civil War Paroled P.O.W. Camp

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Pennsylvania, Chester County, near West Chester

After the July 1863 Battle of Gettysburg, over 2,000 Union prisoners were held at a makeshift camp here, awaiting exchange for Confederate prisoners. Retreating armies often issued battlefield paroles to captured enemy soldiers, who were then held by their own army. The community welcomed these men and tended the injured for several weeks until the Federal government declared the paroles invalid and returned the prisoners to their regiments.

(Notable Places • War, US Civil) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Reedy Chapel A. M. E. Church

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Texas, Galveston County, Galveston
This structure, erected during the pastorate of the Rev. J.E. Edwards, replaced the first Reedy Chapel Church on this site, destroyed by the 1885 Galveston fire. Contractor E.F. Campbell began construction in 1886. Four storms hit the island that year, delaying completion of the project until 1887. Severely damaged by the hurricane of 1900, the building was restored to its original Gothic style. The church was repaired and enlarged again in 1947 and 1957. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1975

(Churches, Etc.) Includes location, directions, 9 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Grave of Steamboat Captain

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Kentucky, Jefferson County, Louisville
Mary M. Miller of Louisville, a pioneer among women, was issued license as master of a steamboat on inland waters, Feb. 16, 1884, in New Orleans. License authorized her to navigate waters of Ouachita, Mississippi, Red, and other western rivers. She and her husband George, a pilot and master, owned steamboat SALINE, built nearby. Died 1894; buried in Portland Cem.

(Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels) Includes location, directions, 1 photo, GPS coordinates, map.

Red River Church

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Adams
1/2 mile from here is the present site of the Red River Baptist Church. Constituted July 25, 1791, its first location was 1 1/2 miles west, near the south bank of the Red River. It is the first church to be founded west of the Cumberlands. It was moved to its present location in 1898.

(Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

1859 Masonic Lodge & General Store

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Adams
This building served as a lodge, general store, and post office from 1859 until the 1950s. Today it serves as the Port Royal State Park Headquarters.

The lower floor is divided into two rooms, the larger served as the general store and the smaller served as the post office and later a telephone exchange. The upper floor was used as a meeting space for the Free and Accepted Masons, Hampton Lodge No. 137 which was established in 1858. Hampton’s Lodge No. 137 remained at Port Royal until 1921 when it consolidated with the Red River Lodge No. 537 in Adams, TN. The lodge is the only remaining building from the town of Port Royal. It was built at the end of the Civil War and Reconstruction began a slow decline until the town faded away. However this building remained a constant and was continuously used as a store until the 1950s.

Stories of Murder---
In 1863 on a Sunday morning, George Whitehead shot and killed Simpson Rosson, both members of this lodge. Whitehead was arrested and tried under military law with at least part of the trial taking place on the upper floor of this building. Whitehead was convicted and sentenced to death. Supposedly, a relative of Whitehead’s made a deal with the Defender, Gen John Garner in the back room of this building. He would pay Garner $3000 to cross enemy lines and get President Lincoln’s pardon. He is thought to have received the pardon.

…and Folklore---

In 1903 a bridge over Red River was under construction when it came time to remove the supports. Though people were instructed to leave the bridge during the process, a few remained including 17 year old Willie Wooldridge. As the supports were removed the bridge collapsed, critically injuring Wooldridge and two other men. Woodridge was taken to the upper floor of the lodge building to receive care from a doctor but soon after died from his injuries. His mother arrived shortly after his death and was overcome with grief and died there as well. It is said that both of their ghosts still haunt the lodge building today.

(Inscription under the photo in the bottom left)
The lodge building around 1890.

(Inscription under the photo in the bottom center)
The lodge in 1965. A tornado had hit the building in 1921 removing a portion of the upper floor. Instead of rebuilding it, the roof height was adjusted.

(Inscription under the photo in the bottom right)
The Lodge is the late 1970s. When the State of Tennessee acquired the building, it was in shambles and had been abandoned for several years, it was soon after renovated to serve as the Park Headquarters. Efforts to restore the Lodge to a late 19th century appearance began in 2011.

(Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Port Royal

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Tennessee, Robertson County, Adams
One mile N. at confluence of Red River and Sulphur Ford Creek is Port Royal, early center of commerce and manufacturing. It was settled in 1784 and nearby was Weld, the first court in Tennessee County, N.C. established in 1788. The Red River Baptist Church was organized here in 1791. A covered bridge, erected in 1903, spans the Red River here.

(Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Trout Creek Cemetery

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Indiana, Elkhart County, near Bristol


Trout Creek Cemetery

Established circa 1850


A Historic Cemetery Listed in Indiana's Cemetery and Burial Grounds Registry of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Installed 2005 Indiana Historical Bureau and Elkhart County Genealogical Society and Joyce A. Bellows

(Cemeteries & Burial Sites) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Butchers’ Arch

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Switzerland, Lucerne (Canton), Lucerne (District), Lucerne
Metzgerbogli or Butchers’ Arch is a tunnel between Kornmarktgasse and Brandgässli. The marker is composed of four inscriptions on glass, each inscription is in German, English and Chinese. Only the English text is printed here. Click on the images to enlarge them and read the German and Chinese texts.

In the year 1458 the corporation of butchers together with the corporation of Balenherren (: guild of fishermen and drum-netters) built their guild-house on the Wine Market. The guild-room, an assembly-room for masters and journeymen, was situated on the first floor and guests were also welcomed there.

The throughfare between Wine Market and Brandgassli, the so-called Metzgerbogli or Butchers’ Arch, existed even before the guild-house of butchers was built. It connected the Wine Market the trading-post to the north, with the bank of the river Reuss in the south where the corporation of Balenherren sold their fish and shel (sic) fish. The thoroughfare was important in case of fire. Buckets of water were then transported one by one by a chain of people from the river to the fire.

The light niche dates from the late Middle Ages and served to light up the Butchers’ Arch.
The candle or oil-lamp was placed into the nich and its light would the illuminate the thoroughfare.

In the beginning the late Gothic entrance gave access to the down town place of residence of 1 family, which later became the property of the Pfyffer family. The adjoining house burned completely down to its foundation during the last big fire in the city of Lucerne in 1833.



(Industry & Commerce • Labor Unions) Includes location, directions, 7 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Route 7 Bridge

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New Jersey, Hudson County, Kearny
This bridge was a heel-trunnion bascule built by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Co. of Chicago, Illinois. It was a popular and economic design in the early 1900’s. The first Strauss Bascule Bridge was built in 1905. The 1915 Route 7 bridge was deemed eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places prior to its replacement in 2003.

(Bridges & Viaducts) Includes location, directions, 5 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

The Rutgers Bridge

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New Jersey, Bergen County, North Arlington
A wooden bridge was first built at this location in 1790 and named after Anthony Rutgers of the family for which Rutgers University is named. It was operated as a toll bridge until destroyed by a great flood in 1841. His widow sold the charter to the widow of Nicholas Joralemon. A new bridge built in 1843 was sold to the 3 counties in 1851 and made a free bridge. In 1879 an iron bridge was constructed and replaced in 1915 with a movable draw span bridge. The present Route 7 bridge was built in 2003 by the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

(Bridges & Viaducts) Includes location, directions, 6 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Firth Dock (1828-1871)

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Pennsylvania, Schuylkill County, near Pottsville
This anthracite coal transportation facility helped fuel America's Industrial Revolution in the 19th century. It was vital to the shipment of up to one-half million tons of coal annually along the Schuylkill Canal to Philadelphia and throughout the region. Also known as Palo Alto Loading Dock, it was built by the Schuylkill Navigation Company on land held by stockholder and Philadelphia merchant Thomas Firth.

(Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels) Includes location, directions, 2 photos, GPS coordinates, map.

Hotel Monte Rosa

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Switzerland, Valais (Canton), Visp (District), Zermatt
Hier stand das Haus, in welchem Josef Lauber seit 1839 die erste Herberge von Zermatt mit drei und später acht Fremdenbetten führte. Alexander Seiler übernahm sie 1853 und errichtete 1855 an dieser Stelle das Hotel Monte Rosa mit urprünglich fünfunddreissig Betten. Das Stammhaus der Seilerschen Hotelbetriebe wurde rasch zu einem Hauptquartier der Alpinisten der Pionierzeit und galt besonders bei den Mitgliedern des Alpine Club als > (C.E. Mathews, 1885).

German-English translation:

Here stood the house in which Joseph Lauber opened the first hostel in Zermatt in 1839, at first with three, and then later eight guest beds. Alexander Seiler took over the hostel in 1853, and then in 1855 constructed the Hotel Monte Rosa, originally with thirty-five beds. This starting point of the Seiler's hotel business quickly became the headquarters of the pioneering alpinists, and became especially known by the members of the Alpine Club as "The Mountaineers' True Home" (CE Mathews, 1885).

(Industry & Commerce • Sports) Includes location, directions, 3 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
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