Let’s Save the Bend (Again)
Photo courtesy of National Park Partners.
Let’s Save the Bend (Again): How Chattanoogans Can Honor the Past While Looking Forward
“I’m kind of surprised that there is a mental hospital on the property at this time and really even more disturbed to learn that now there’s a discussion of ‘well we’re going to build more.’”
- Richard Sneed, 28th Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, speaking in Chattanooga on Monday, November 13th, 2023
And shouldn’t we all be surprised? We missed the boat in the 1950’s when Moccasin Bend nearly became a National Park. We fought hard to make it one in 2003. Why are we back fighting again for something we thought we had saved?
Last week, I had the pleasure of hearing Richard Sneed, the 28th Chief of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, speak as part of the Moccasin Bend Lecture Series. Chief Sneed discussed the importance of honoring each other’s shared humanity and learning from our past. Unfortunately, recent plans by the State for further development on Moccasin Bend do neither.
Whether we’re new to town or were born in the Chattanooga region, we all should be inspired by the fact that humans have inhabited Moccasin Bend as far back as 10,000 B.C. Here at Reflection Riding, we take pride in our shared history. Just last week we began an archaeological dig to better understand what happened here before we forge ahead with our Framework for the Future.
We don’t expect to find evidence of human burial grounds. After all, this land has been heavily manipulated by humans for centuries and no such evidence has been unearthed so far. We know that people have hunted and farmed here for thousands of years and of course we honor and remember the Battle Above the Clouds during the Civil War. Thousands of soldiers traversed this land on their way to fight for control of Lookout Mountain. If we do find evidence of human remains, we absolutely will pause our planning process and ensure we avoid any sensitive areas before proceeding. Our dreams for the future must respect our past. Surely the State of Tennessee can do the same and find some land in this area that does not contain evidence of our common heritage as humans going back over 12,000 years.
Instead of reinvesting in a mental health hospital on top of a site containing some of our oldest and most sacred shared human history, let’s build a world-class National Park. Let’s build a monument to the ingenuity of the earliest Paleo-Indians who hunted, gathered, slept, wept, fought, loved and died on this sacred ground at Moccasin Bend. Let’s create another great destination for tourists and residents alike. Let’s do all that within the well-established guidelines of historic preservation and common decency. Culturally sensitive development happens all the time all over the country.
We’re fortunate to have a superintendent locally who is up to the task. Park Superintendent Brad Bennett recently accepted a special assignment to create a new monument to Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley. Bennett knows how to do this work and would be a fantastic leader who could help Chattanoogans come together to process the historical traumas inflicted on Moccasin Bend. He could help oversee the removal of nonconforming uses such as the mental hospital, the firing range, and other elements that don’t properly honor the immense importance of this site. He could help us build culturally sensitive interpretive elements and visitor amenities that respect and honor the past while connecting with current and future generations.
As Chief Sneed so wisely said during his talk, “We must learn, apply and adhere to our cultural and traditional values. For they are the anchor for the human soul.” The State’s proposed new construction does not adhere to Tennesseeans’ shared values and does not anchor our soul to anything future generations would understand or appreciate.
As Chief Sneed says, “There is hope. There is a path to healing. It is an absolute imperative that we understand that we cannot change the past, we can only learn from it and not only in these larger issues that affect our nation but in our personal lives as well. Our past does not define our future.” We now know the mistake we made when we placed a mental health hospital on top of one of the most important cultural resources in this region. Let’s not double down on that mistake. Let’s learn from history and Save the Bend…Again.
Now…how are we going to do this?
Write your representatives and let them know you don’t accept the State’s current plans.
Spread the word! Share your opinion via text, word of mouth, and whatever else you do to get the word out. You can share the National Park Partners’ campaign page.
Be sure to pick up a “Save the Bend” decal from National Park Partners, our friends group supporting both Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park and the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. Ironically, the “Save the Bend” bumper sticker had already been created decades ago, the first time citizens of Chattanooga banded together to advocate for the preservation of Moccasin Bend.
