Exhibitors offer a glimpse of early American life during events at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
Remembering
What Happened Here STORY BY ERIN CHESNUTT PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE & CLIFF WILLIAMS
Experiencing history at the site of a historically significant event provides a unique opportunity to learn, firsthand, what historical figures experienced during events that shaped our country’s future. The opportunity to visit such a protected historical site exists 12 miles north of Dadeville in Tallapoosa County, just upstream of Lake Martin. The Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is the site of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814. This battle led to the end of the Creek War and, eventually, the cessation most of the southeastern U.S. It was here that General Andrew Jackson led an Army of Tennessee Militia, with members of the Creek and Cherokee tribes joining as allies. The Army consisted of 3,300 men. Red Stick Creek warriors had fortified the bank of the Tallapoosa River. The Red Stick Creeks, led by Chief Menawa, built an 8-foot barricade to protect their community. The tribes were not in agreement about working with the settlers and giving up their land. Jackson attacked the fort and, with the help of allied Creek and Cherokee warriors, 800 of Menawa’s 1,000 warriors were killed during the battle. Chief Menawa survived the attack. A treaty was
70
signed at Fort Jackson, currently the area of Wetumpka, Alabama. The treaty resulted in the United States claiming 23 million acres of land. Jackson became a war hero and was promoted to Major General after the battle. Even though the Creek and Cherokee warriors helped Jackson win the battle, he decided to claim the land and move all of the native peoples out West. Many Native Americans perished during the trip, which is known as the “Trail of Tears.” The land has seen many changes, and it could have been lost completely, but in 1920, when Alabama Power planned to flood the area for the dam, the utility was met with local opposition due to the historical significance of the site. The land was converted to farmland until 1959 when it became a national park. The 2,040-acre property opened to the public in 1964 to commemorate the battle and preserve the land for its history. Today, visitors are invited to enjoy the property and learn more about the battle and the people who made their homes on the land in the 1800s. Visitors can walk through the grounds and take in the history with information panels to guide them along the way. Walking through the park lets them experience the terrain and sight advantage points that made the land so desirable to the Red Stick Creeks.
WE MAKE IT GREAT HERE! | FEBRUARY 2022
