Montgomery Bell State Park
Encyclopedia
Montgomery Bell State Park is a Tennessee state park in Dickson County, Tennessee
in the United States. The park is 3782 acres (1,530.5 ha) and sits at an elevation of 758 feet (231 m). The park is open for year-round recreation including boating, hiking, camping, fishing and golf. Montgomery Bell State Park was built during the Great Depression
by members of the Works Progress Administration
and Civilian Conservation Corps
as Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area. The park named for iron industrialist Montgomery Bell
is known as the birthplace of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
.
industry in Middle Tennessee
. The park's namesake, Montgomery Bell, arrived in Tennessee from his birthplace in Pennsylvania
by way of Kentucky
. Bell purchased an iron works at Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee
in 1804. He was soon able to expand his operation throughout the area forming one of the largest iron making operations in the state and earning him the name "Tennessee's First Iron Master". Bell owned numerous slaves. Some records indicate that he owned as many as 400 slaves at different points in time. He used his slave labor to expand his business during the War of 1812
when his furnaces produce cannonball
s for the armies of General Andrew Jackson
. The furnaces also produced many types of farm tools that were used throughout the Southeastern United States
. Montgomery Bell became quite wealthy and was said to be the richest man in the south before the American Civil War
. Prior to his death Bell began emancipating
his slaves through the American Colonization Society
. He sent 88 slaves on two ships to Liberia
and intended to free all of them. Ultimately not all of his slaves were granted their freedom before he died in 1855.
Laurel Furnace was the main iron furnace within what is now Montgomery Bell State Park. The furnace was not owned by Bell. It was built in 1815 by Robert Napier. Napier was producing 660 tons of iron by 1820 at a value of over $32,000. The pig iron
produced at Laurel Furnace was then shipped to Turnbull Forge in Cheatham County where it was worked into higher quality iron. High quality iron, guaranteed by Napier was produced at Laurel Furnace until the late 1850s. The ruins of the furnace are found at the park.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
was founded in 1810 in the log cabin
home of Reverend Samuel McAdow
within what is now Montgomery Bell State Park. The church is a small denomination
of the Presbyterian church with less than 50,000 members in 800 congregations. A replica of McAdow's cabin now stands where the church was found, and a sandstone chapel commemorating the event has been erected nearby. These two buildings are two of the main attractions in Montgomery Bell State Park.
Montgomery Bell State Park was developed as Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area during the Great Depression
. The Recreational Demonstration Area
program was a National Park Service
program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on 397000 acres (1,606.6 km²). The NPS used labor from Civilian Conservation Corps
and Works Progress Administration
, to Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area. By the conclusion of World War II
, the Recreational Demonstration Areas throughout the nation had all either become National Park Service units or been given to their states for use as state park
s. Montgomery Bell State Park was given to the state of Tennessee in 1943.
features at the park include an inn
and conference center
, several villa
s and a golf course
. The Resort Inn, built in 1951, has 120 hotel rooms and is on Lake Acorn. The hotel has cable television
, an indoor swimming pool
, hot tub, exercise room and laundry facilities. The conference center is six thousand square feet and features "standard business items" such as microphones, LCD
projectors, DVD
players and Internet
connections. Eight modern villas are fully furnished and are the first in a series of environmentally responsible homes to be built in Tennessee's state parks. The Frank G. Clement Golf Course was built on park lands during the 1970s. It is a par
72, eighteen hole course. The restaurant serves a southern style buffet and provides catering for the conference center.
trails at the park. Boating
and fishing
are permitted on Lake Acorn and Lake Woodhaven. Creech Hollow Lake is open to fishing, but has no boat access. Common game fish in the lakes include crappie
, channel catfish
, bluegill
and shell cracker. There are 19 miles (30.6 km) of hiking
trails at the park. Camping is permitted on the overnight trail. Lake Acorn is open to swimming at the beach. A large group camping area for groups such as Boy Scouts
and Girl Scouts
is available. There are 121 campsites in the park that are open to RVs and tent campers.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
in the United States. The park is 3782 acres (1,530.5 ha) and sits at an elevation of 758 feet (231 m). The park is open for year-round recreation including boating, hiking, camping, fishing and golf. Montgomery Bell State Park was built during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
by members of the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
and Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
as Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area. The park named for iron industrialist Montgomery Bell
Montgomery Bell
Montgomery Bell was a manufacturing entrepreneur who was crucial to the economic development of early Middle Tennessee...
is known as the birthplace of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Christian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. In 2007, it had an active membership of less than 50,000 and about 800 congregations, the majority of which are concentrated in the United States...
.
History
Montgomery Bell State Park is located in what was once the center of the ironIron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
industry in Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee is a distinct portion of the state of Tennessee, delineated according to state law as the 41 counties in the Middle Grand Division of Tennessee....
. The park's namesake, Montgomery Bell, arrived in Tennessee from his birthplace in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
by way of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. Bell purchased an iron works at Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee
Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee
Cumberland Furnace is an unincorporated community in northern Dickson County, Tennessee, United States, largely immediately west of State Route 48. It was the site of a large 19th century iron works, initiated by Nashville, Tennessee founder James Robertson and later operated by the "The Iron...
in 1804. He was soon able to expand his operation throughout the area forming one of the largest iron making operations in the state and earning him the name "Tennessee's First Iron Master". Bell owned numerous slaves. Some records indicate that he owned as many as 400 slaves at different points in time. He used his slave labor to expand his business during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
when his furnaces produce cannonball
Cannonball
A cannonball is round shot ammunition for a cannon.By analogy, cannonball is also the name or nickname of:* A diving technique in swimming; unlike competitive diving techniques, however, its purpose is to maximize, rather than minimize, splash upon water entry.People* Cannonball Adderley, jazz alto...
s for the armies of General Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
. The furnaces also produced many types of farm tools that were used throughout the Southeastern United States
Southeastern United States
The Southeastern United States, colloquially referred to as the Southeast, is the eastern portion of the Southern United States. It is one of the most populous regions in the United States of America....
. Montgomery Bell became quite wealthy and was said to be the richest man in the south before the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Prior to his death Bell began emancipating
Emancipation
Emancipation means the act of setting an individual or social group free or making equal to citizens in a political society.Emancipation may also refer to:* Emancipation , a champion Australian thoroughbred racehorse foaled in 1979...
his slaves through the American Colonization Society
American Colonization Society
The American Colonization Society , founded in 1816, was the primary vehicle to support the "return" of free African Americans to what was considered greater freedom in Africa. It helped to found the colony of Liberia in 1821–22 as a place for freedmen...
. He sent 88 slaves on two ships to Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and intended to free all of them. Ultimately not all of his slaves were granted their freedom before he died in 1855.
Laurel Furnace was the main iron furnace within what is now Montgomery Bell State Park. The furnace was not owned by Bell. It was built in 1815 by Robert Napier. Napier was producing 660 tons of iron by 1820 at a value of over $32,000. The pig iron
Pig iron
Pig iron is the intermediate product of smelting iron ore with a high-carbon fuel such as coke, usually with limestone as a flux. Charcoal and anthracite have also been used as fuel...
produced at Laurel Furnace was then shipped to Turnbull Forge in Cheatham County where it was worked into higher quality iron. High quality iron, guaranteed by Napier was produced at Laurel Furnace until the late 1850s. The ruins of the furnace are found at the park.
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Christian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. In 2007, it had an active membership of less than 50,000 and about 800 congregations, the majority of which are concentrated in the United States...
was founded in 1810 in the log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
home of Reverend Samuel McAdow
Samuel McAdow
Samuel McAdow , a Presbyterian minister, was, in 1810, one of the founders of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.-References:...
within what is now Montgomery Bell State Park. The church is a small denomination
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
of the Presbyterian church with less than 50,000 members in 800 congregations. A replica of McAdow's cabin now stands where the church was found, and a sandstone chapel commemorating the event has been erected nearby. These two buildings are two of the main attractions in Montgomery Bell State Park.
Montgomery Bell State Park was developed as Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area during the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The Recreational Demonstration Area
Recreational Demonstration Area
The Recreational Demonstration Area program was a National Park Service program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on , chiefly near urban areas in the United States...
program was a National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
program during the 1930s and early 1940s that built forty-six public parks in twenty-four states on 397000 acres (1,606.6 km²). The NPS used labor from Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
and Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
, to Montgomery Bell Recreational Demonstration Area. By the conclusion of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Recreational Demonstration Areas throughout the nation had all either become National Park Service units or been given to their states for use as state park
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
s. Montgomery Bell State Park was given to the state of Tennessee in 1943.
Resort
Montgomery Bell State Park is also known as Montgomery Bell State Resort Park. The resortResort
A resort is a place used for relaxation or recreation, attracting visitors for holidays or vacations. Resorts are places, towns or sometimes commercial establishment operated by a single company....
features at the park include an inn
INN
InterNetNews is a Usenet news server package, originally released by Rich Salz in 1991, and presented at the Summer 1992 USENIX conference in San Antonio, Texas...
and conference center
Convention center
A convention center is a large building that is designed to hold a convention, where individuals and groups gather to promote and share common interests. Convention centers typically offer sufficient floor area to accommodate several thousand attendees...
, several villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
s and a golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
. The Resort Inn, built in 1951, has 120 hotel rooms and is on Lake Acorn. The hotel has cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
, an indoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
, hot tub, exercise room and laundry facilities. The conference center is six thousand square feet and features "standard business items" such as microphones, LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
projectors, DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
players and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
connections. Eight modern villas are fully furnished and are the first in a series of environmentally responsible homes to be built in Tennessee's state parks. The Frank G. Clement Golf Course was built on park lands during the 1970s. It is a par
Par (score)
The word "par" is a term in the game of golf used to denote the pre-determined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
72, eighteen hole course. The restaurant serves a southern style buffet and provides catering for the conference center.
Recreation
Montgomery Bell State Park is open for year-round recreation. There are 20 miles (32.2 km) of mountain bikingMountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
trails at the park. Boating
Boating
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels , focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or water skiing...
and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
are permitted on Lake Acorn and Lake Woodhaven. Creech Hollow Lake is open to fishing, but has no boat access. Common game fish in the lakes include crappie
Crappie
Crappie is a genus of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. The type species is P. annularis, the white crappie...
, channel catfish
Channel catfish
Channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, is North America's most numerous catfish species. It is the official fish of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Tennessee, and is informally referred to as a "channel cat". In the United States they are the most fished catfish species with approximately 8...
, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
and shell cracker. There are 19 miles (30.6 km) of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails at the park. Camping is permitted on the overnight trail. Lake Acorn is open to swimming at the beach. A large group camping area for groups such as Boy Scouts
Boy Scout
A Scout is a boy or a girl, usually 11 to 18 years of age, participating in the worldwide Scouting movement. Because of the large age and development span, many Scouting associations have split this age group into a junior and a senior section...
and Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
is available. There are 121 campsites in the park that are open to RVs and tent campers.