Tour takes in sites of historic Walden’s Ridge

History buffs have the opportunity to learn more about the remaining historical sites on the mountain with the Signal Mountain Genealogical Society’s bus tour of historic Walden’s Ridge led by historian Jim Douthat Saturday, July 17 from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

“I think people will find there’s more to the mountain than just their own little neighborhood,” he said. “I’d like to open their eyes to some of the vistas the mountain has to offer.”

Douthat said the tour’s highlights include the Connor Tollhouse, Mabbitt Springs and Signal Point.

“These are the only major historic sites left that we can look at,” he said.

The group will meet at Bachman Community Center, Signal Mountain’s oldest surviving school, he said. There participants will enjoy a PowerPoint presentation by Genealogical Society member LaVonne Jolley before boarding an air-conditioned, 62-passenger bus to see the historical sites of Signal Mountain.

From Bachman participants will travel to the nearby Connor Tollhouse, which has survived the years in semi-original condition.

“The tollhouse was one of the earliest industries here,” said Douthat. “They collected a fee from people using Anderson Pike and in exchange kept the road in good order.”

The next stop is the Lone Oak community, which he said was the area where all the life was in the mountain’s early days of civilization.

“You also get a different view of the mountain and see how flat it is,” said Douthat.

The group then travels down Fairmount Pike to see where the now-defunct Fairmount community had its recreation facilities, school and “place where young people went to court,” he said.

“Fairmount was the only community here during the Civil War, and the school was the first in Hamilton County,” he said. “Students boarded with families up here until the school was abandoned in 1911.”

Tour participants will have an opportunity to get off the bus and walk around at Mabbitt Springs, he said.

From there the tour will stop by the Little Brown Church, a community gathering place, then drive along the East Brow before heading toward the town of Signal Mountain.

“We’ll get a good view of the valley since we’ll be sitting up higher on the bus,” said Douthat.

By following the trail of the old Signal Mountain trolley, the tour will then move on to the old hotel, now the Alexian Inn, the wishing well and Signal Point, where participants again have a chance to leave their seats before returning to Bachman by way Texas Avenue and James Boulevard through Old Towne.

Reservations are recommended, and tickets purchased in advance are $10 for adults and $5 for children. If available, all tickets bought the day of the tour are $12.50.

Marilyn Long, the member of the Genealogical Society in charge of taking reservations, said more than 20 seats have already been reserved and a waiting list will be compiled once the bus fills. She said they might run an afternoon tour as well if interest is high, as well as consider additional tours throughout the year.

For more information contact Marilyn Long at 886-3820.