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Tennessee River Gorge Trust acquisition preserves Edwards Point

Staff file photo/ With fall colors nearing the peak at Edwards Point, the Southern Belle riverboat cruises the Tennessee River Gorge in October 2016. The rocky cliffs seen directly behind and above the Southern Belle form Edwards Point, recently acquired by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust and permanently protected for future generations.
Staff file photo/ With fall colors nearing the peak at Edwards Point, the Southern Belle riverboat cruises the Tennessee River Gorge in October 2016. The rocky cliffs seen directly behind and above the Southern Belle form Edwards Point, recently acquired by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust and permanently protected for future generations. Staff file photo/ With fall colors nearing the peak at Edwards Point, the Southern Belle riverboat cruises the Tennessee River Gorge in October 2016. The rocky cliffs seen directly behind and above the Southern Belle form Edwards Point, recently acquired by the Tennessee River Gorge Trust and permanently protected for future generations.

By Ben Benton 4 min read

Almost three dozen acres on Signal Mountain have been protected through the Tennessee River Gorge Trust’s acquisition of iconic Edwards Point, which takes in the view of the eastern end of the river gorge from more than 1,800 feet above sea level.

“This morning we all have the privilege of being surrounded by this incredible view that we have of the entrance to the iconic Tennessee River Gorge,” trust executive director Rick Huffines said Tuesday morning during an announcement at Baylor School with Williams Island and the Tennessee River as a backdrop.

Outdoor public spaces are important to the human species, especially in trying times, he said.

“We seek these places and we need these places to maintain a sense of place and knowledge that we have space – open space – out there for us when we need it,” Huffines said. “One of the important outdoor places we seek is a place known as Edwards Point.

“There is rarely a day that goes by – rarely, and it’s usually because of really foul weather – that there is not a human being standing up on Edwards Point,” he said, describing it as “a pilgrimage for many.”