Ride into the Past (135 Years)

[marvinsc]

took a Trip into the Past this afternoon to Columbus Belmont State Park located on a Bluff overlooking the Mississippi River at Columbus KY.http://www.stateparks.com/columbusbelmont.html
Years ago when We were Younger and much Poorer We would pack a picnic Lunch and take the kids there a Couple of times a Year.

It is not a Place You would find by Accident as it is well off the Beaten Path. Today it is a Peaceful Place for Picnics and Family Reunions but it was much Different in 1861. Confederate Soldiers under General Leonidas Polk Transformed that Bluff into the most Heavily Fortified Position in North America bristling with Cannons to Prevent Union incursions into the South via the Mississippi. They blockaded the River with This Anchor and chain which was suspended on Barges across the River.


Part II Coming up.

[marvinsc]

The chain was over a mile Long and each link weighs 12 pounds. The anchor weighs between 2 and 6 Tons! If a boat was friendly, the chain was retracted so they could pass, if Unfriendly, Once stopped by the Chain, they cut loose with these!


Knowing the position was Invincible from the Water, the Confederates turned their attention to preventing a Land attack by U. S. Grant's troops located 30 miles away in Paducah KY. The Perimiter of the Bluff is Surrounded by Trenchworks like These which are now walking Trails. Notice the Inhabitant I disturbed to get this Pic.



General Grant, being a smart Man Declined a Land assault.

[marvinsc]

These shots are from the Observation point where activity on the River was Monitored by Confederate Sentries.



Here is the End of the Road! Just down River from Columbus there used to be a Ferry, No More.

[airportcop]

Scott, I always like good stories that have pictures! History is one of my favorite subjects too! Thanks for sharing your ride. Where would you be if you crossed the river?

Kevin

[marvinsc]

Scott, I always like good stories that have pictures! History is one of my favorite subjects too! Thanks for sharing your ride. Where would you be if you crossed the river?

Kevin

Thanks Kevin, it's an easy 50 mile ride from home. Back in the Day the Town of Belmont MO was across the River. It's No longer There, in fact the Town of Columbus was Destroyed in the Great flood of 1927 and Rebuilt nearly a Mile inland. When the waters receded the anchor and chain were discovered and the park was developed.

[ikazuki]

what a place, the anchor that is on display and its twin were buried on opposite banks to support the immense weight of the chain spanning the river.
each link was made by a platoon of blacksmiths one by one and attached one to the next. the idea of a blockade was sound, but the task was daunting. as the tremendous weight of the chain bore collectively upon its links the old saying "only as strong as its weakest link" reared its ugly truthful head. the confederates being without the natural resources needed to replace and or repair the chain abandoned it. ultimately the union took that hill and the anchors along with their chain were forgotten.
being on the ever mercurial mississippi river the town of columbus and its sister town of belmont across the river in missouri were cursed by annual flooding . at least twice the entire town of columbus was moved building by building, house by house to higher ground. the town of belmont eventually became no more as well as the rail line that ran east and west having to cross the river by railroad ferry a few cars at a time.
the existence of the huge anchor and chain remained alive as a myth through survivors of the war. but as the 1860s fell further away in time the 20th century wascoming on full speed ahead. 1900 came nearly 40 years after the war, 1910 50 years passed 1920 60 years surely no such thing ever was.
people had only a rough idea of where it could be, but who was going to look for it? old man river never stopped eating away at the bank inch by inch year by year the shore line grew and the river widened until one day a huge slab of earth fell away and avalanched 100 feet toward the river ..and there in perfect repose stood a magnificently preserved piece of history that up til now had only been real in the minds of a few people. the anchor and chain werent a myth but truth.

[marvinsc]

A couple more Pics

Another Shot of the Anchor and Chain


Bet it left a Mark when This thing Exploded!

[chef1366]

I tend to forget how awesome the Mississippi river is. Cool history lesson! Great pics!
Sometimes I miss back east and it's history.
Mostly I just miss the green grass.

[scotty]

That was a great tour scott. Thanks

[ikazuki]

a long time ago i passed through this small town as a vacuum cleaner salesman.
i met a woman who had lived in that small town all her life. the history of the town was a big part of her life and that included the mighty confederate cannon which stood at the edge of town as a symbol of the town's once vital presence as a participant in local commerce and crossroads during the war between the states. she said that during one of the floods in which the town was moved up the hill the cannon was left behind to live in that land of myth and legend until....http://www.geocities.com/columbus_belmont/index.html

[Greg O.]

Marvin,

Looks like a nice place to ride. I love the state of Kentucky, but have never been in the extreme western part of the state. Sounds like I need to take a road trip that way sometime. So many roads, so little time. My wife and I have spent a lot of time in central KY, around Cave City, and Dale Hallow Lake. We love KY.

Greg O

[marvinsc]

Come on Down! I can Reccomend some neat places in Northwest Tennessee less than an Hour from Here too. There is plenty of Lodging around Kentucky and Barkley Lakes ranging from Fancy Hotels to Primitive Camping.

[jimcor]

This is a great thread. I had no idea a chain and anchoring system like that ever existed.

[ikazuki]

as a side bar to the anchor and chain stretched across the mississippi river,,
general grant had his union counter parts build a pontoon bridge across the ohio river at paducah, a river that today is nearly a mile wide.