An archaeological survey at Brown’s Ferry Tavern, initially funded by a $150,000 state grant, has been completed, and now fundraising can begin for an authentic restoration of the historic cabin near the Tennessee River and Chattanooga’s Moccasin Bend.
The grant used for the survey, performed by the archaeological firm New South Associates, is reimbursable, said Jennifer Crutchfield, spokesperson for the nonprofit group National Park Partners of Chickamauga, Chattanooga and Moccasin Bend. The archaeological survey had to be completed in order to move forward with restoration work.
“The survey was completed at the end of the summer, and New South Associates is now communicating with the tribes to let them know what was found, as well as all the other appropriate people who need to know,” Crutchfield said in a phone interview. “So we haven’t been able to release the results of the survey until communications with all those entities are completed.”
The cabin, one of the oldest structures in Hamilton County, is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, she said.
The $150,000 grant used for the survey comes from real estate transfer tax growth funds allocated to the Tennessee Historical Commission by the General Assembly and was part of $2 million in funding made available for the 2024-25 fiscal year to projects undertaken for National Register-listed properties in the state, according to a news release from the group.
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State historic preservation officer and commission director Patrick McIntyre said the grant helps move preservation missions forward.
“This new state grant program is an important component of our mission of revitalizing historic places across Tennessee,” McIntyre said in the release. “From historic courthouses to museums, this program will help a variety of time-honored landmarks that make our communities unique.”
Cherokee businessman John Brown operated Brown’s Ferry from Moccasin Bend to Lookout Valley and constructed the building bearing his name in 1803, according to the partners group. Brown’s Ferry Tavern is an important witness structure to the American Indian Removal of 1838 and is located along the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. The tavern and surrounding property were also prominent during the Civil War Campaign for Chattanooga.
(READ MORE: Moccasin Bend study turns up more than 3,700 artifacts)
The Battle of Brown’s Ferry on Oct. 27, 1863, reopened the vital “Cracker Line” or food supply route for thousands of federal troops in Chattanooga who were at risk of being starved into surrender while that route was closed, according to the group. The Brown’s Ferry Tavern property hosted U.S. Army camps in the weeks following the Battle of Brown’s Ferry and witnessed additional actions during the Campaign for Chattanooga, including the Battle of Wauhatchie on Oct. 28-29, 1863, and the Battle of Lookout Mountain on Nov. 24, 1863.
Restoration of Brown’s Ferry Tavern will allow the group and its supporters to work with the National Park Service, the National Trails of Tears Association and other local, state and national partners to interpret the many layers of history and complex stories embodied by this structure, the group said.
“We are grateful to the Tennessee Historical Commission for recognizing the place Brown’s Ferry Tavern holds in telling the stories of our city, our state and our country,” said Tricia King Mims, executive director of the partners group. “Our organization stepped in where others wouldn’t or couldn’t to save this nationally-significant structure, and we need everyone who believes in preserving Chattanooga’s history and its irreplaceable buildings to join us in the effort.”
Officials estimate an additional $300,000-$500,000 will be required to match the grant and fully fund the project.
Contact Southeast Tennessee reporter Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569.
