With continuous human habitation for the past 12,000 years, Moccasin Bend, Chattanooga, and the Tennessee Valley are critically important to the Southeast’s cultural history.

From Pleistocene archaeological sites to Civil War battlefields, this region has seen so much in its time. Many of its stories are difficult to tell, such as the 1838 Trail of Tears, which removed Cherokee Indians from northwest Georgia and southeast Tennessee. Or in the fall of 1863, when Civil War battles were fought in and around Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain. Looking ahead, it’s the public’s duty to protect these places from modern threats while learning what can be done better in the future.

Trust for Public Land is focused on protecting these important places. TPL works with the National Park Service to preserve areas such as Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park. TPL also collaborates with the State of Tennessee and City of Chattanooga to preserve and interpret both Civil War and Trail of Tears sites along the South Chickamauga Creek Greenway. Other partners, like the Civil War Preservation Trust, play a key role in supporting our Heritage Lands work on Missionary Ridge.

These places are reminders of America’s imperfect history, but simultaneously show the importance of preserving their natural beauty for years to come.