Forever Moccasin Bend
“Where the river, mountains, and plains meet, there the people will gather.”
We established the Forever Moccasin Bend campaign to raise awareness and dedicate funding toward the following objectives:
Highlighting Moccasin Bend’s 12,000 year Indigenous history and significance as the only National Historic Landmark in Hamilton County and the first (and only) National Archeological District in the country.
Celebrating the community-wide preservation efforts that began more than a century ago and protecting Moccasin Bend’s culturally sensitive resources from continued threats.
Partnering with the National Park Service to develop visitor amenities that welcome the public to learn, experience, reflect, and connect across this iconic landscape.
Save The Bend, Again
Concerning the Rebuilding of the State of Tennessee Mental Health Hospital on Moccasin Bend
In August 2023, Forever Moccasin Bend entered its second phase, “Save the Bend, Again” which focused on preventing new construction of nonconforming uses that threaten historically significant and culturally sensitive Indigenous resources within the approved Moccasin Bend National Archeological District boundary.
Facing this generational threat to Moccasin Bend, National Park Partners saw no choice but to rally the community to Protect YOUR Park and insist on transparency and stakeholder involvement, especially with Tribal partners whose ancestry on this land traces back thousands of years. After more than a year of relentless advocacy, we succeeded when Gov. Bill Lee announced in September 2024 that the state of Tennessee would end plans to build a new mental hospital on Moccasin Bend as originally proposed.
“Tennessee’s robust conservation strategy balances our state’s growth with a plan to protect our environment, which is why we pursued an archeological study at Moccasin Bend,” said Gov. Lee. “I look forward to working with stakeholders to determine the best path forward for this historic site.”
National Park Partners are deeply grateful for the overwhelming support of our Save the Bend, Again campaign and the clear mandate from the public and our partners for full preservation of Moccasin Bend’s nationally significant assets. We are grateful that all stakeholders are once again in agreement that the highest and best use of the land on Moccasin Bend is to complete the longstanding vision of an intact and complete National Archeological District.
Please donate to National Park Partners today and grow Chattanooga’s national park legacy with us!
#moccasinbendmatters
THANK YOU!
Open the Gateway: Creating a Visitor Orientation Plaza
For the first time, a new visitor orientation plaza will create a welcoming entrance for the public to experience Moccasin Bend National Archeological District. Along with a new programming pavilion and accessible walkway near the Tennessee River, visitors will enjoy a parking area, restrooms, and an interpretive display with trail maps and highlights of Moccasin Bend's 12,000 years of history.
Environmental landscaping improvements include a bio-swale feature to provide animal habitat, allow for natural stormwater drainage, and encourage native plant growth. Thanks to your support, we raised the required 50% local match for the federal Centennial Challenge grant! As of September 2024, the National Park Service is working through the last steps before putting the project out to bid and we hope to invite the public to a groundbreaking ceremony very soon!
Indigenous Ties
12,000 Years, 23 Tribes
“Reproduced with permission from the artist. Copyright 2024, Maria Willison”
From the National Park Moccasin Bend Cultural Landscape Report:
American Indian use and occupation of Moccasin Bend for approximately 12,000 years make this place a nationally important archeological resource. Moccasin Bend contains portions of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, which commemorates the 1838 forced removal of the Cherokee Indians from their homelands by the U.S. government. Additional historic resources include important Civil War earthworks and campsites concentrated along Stringers Ridge. In 1986, out of recognition for the national significance of its cultural resources, 956 acres of the Bend received designation as the Moccasin Bend Archeological District National Historic Landmark. In 2003, Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park (NMP) added 755 acres of the Bend as the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District unit of the park.
National Archeological District
DESIGNATED IN 2003, MOCCASIN BEND NAD IS THE COUNTRY’S FIRST AND ONLY NATIONAL ARCHEOLOGICAL DISTRICT, AND FOR GOOD REASON.
Signing documents to create Moccasin Bend National Archeological District
The "Open the Gateway" phase of our Forever Moccasin Bend campaign will create a welcoming entrance to the country's only National Archeological District.
Along with a new programming pavilion and accessible walkway near the Tennessee River, the project establishes a parking area, restrooms, and an interpretive display with trail maps and highlights of Moccasin Bend's 12,000 years of history.
Environmental landscaping improvements include a bio-swale feature to provide animal habitat, allow for natural stormwater drainage, and encourage native plant growth.
We are 90% of the way to fully funding the project, and we need you to get us to the finish line! Help us Open the Gateway and create this great new great outdoor space for you and future generations to enjoy.
Moccasin Bend is the only designated National Archeological District in the entire National Park System. Archaeological studies conducted across the National Historic Landmark peninsula revealed evidence of human activity dating back to 10,000 B.C. as the earliest Paleo-Indians hunted and gathered here; continuous habitations followed through the Archaic, Mississippian, and Woodland periods. Places where the plains meet rivers and rivers meet mountains are magnets for humans, drawing us in since time immemorial.
Such gravitational forces are evident today as the seals of the City of Chattanooga and Hamilton County bear the image of the timeless Moccasin Bend landscape formed where the Tennessee River met the immovable force of Lookout Mountain.
Public support for preserving Moccasin Bend nearly resulted in National Park status in 1950 as President Truman signed legislation approving its inclusion; an indefensible failure of vision on the part of Tennessee Governor Frank Clements in 1953 let that opportunity for a world class park mere moments from Chattanooga’s downtown slip away.
Another 50 years would pass before the Moccasin Bend Task Force studies, originally focused on economic development of the remaining land on Moccasin Bend, instead recommended against the continuing desecration of its nationally significant, culturally sensitive, and irreplaceable historic resources. The 23 American Indian Tribes whose ancestors inhabited Moccasin Bend for millennia were engaged in the planning and recognized as stakeholders in all future land use decisions. Ultimately, elected officials at every level – local, state, federal, and tribal – agreed in 2003 to preserve more than 750 acres on Moccasin Bend through the National Archeological District designation, and to remove nonconforming uses (including the Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute, built in 1961) at the earliest opportunity.
Moccasin Bend in the Media
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“Moccasin Bend Archaeological Study to Conclude by Early-October” by Ben Benton, Times Free Press, July 29, 2024
“Cherokee Tribes Join in Opposition to Replacement Hospital on Moccasin Bend” by Ben Benton, Times Free Press, June 30, 2024
“Rhetoric Over Proposed Replacement Mental Hospital on Moccasin Bend Heats Up” by Ben Benton, Times Free Press, April 21, 2024
“Opinion: Transformation of Raleigh’s Dorothea Dix Mental Hospital sets benchmark for Chattanooga’s Moccasin Bend” by Clint Cooper, Times Free Press, April 20, 2024
“Rebuilding The Mental Hospital On Moccasin Bend Would Be A Huge Mistake” by Fred Robinson, Chattanoogan.com, April 18, 2024
“New Cry Of "Save The Bend" Goes Up At Ruby Falls Rally” chattanoogan.com, April 11, 2024
“Advocates Work to Conserve Moccasin Bend, Seek to Move Mental Health Facility” by Jaclyn Davis, News Channel 9, April 11th 2024
“Chattanooga developing plan to preserve Moccasin Bend” by Timbrel Williams, WDEF Channel 12, April 12, 2024
“Moccasin Bend Faces Potential Construction for Mental Health Hospital” by Germyah Batey, Local 3 News, Apr 11, 2024
“Moccasin Bend Public Forum Seeks Transparency, Preservation” by Ben Benton, Times Free Press, April 9, 2024
“Public Invited to Moccasin Bend Public Hearing on Thursday” by Courtney Goins, WDEF Channel 12, April 8, 2024
“Moccasin Bend Public Forum is Thursday” chattanoogan.com, April 8, 2024
“Opinion: Protect Moccasin Bend and its cultural, historical assets for future generations” by Major McCollough, Times Free Press, January 27, 2024
“Opinion: Moccasin Bend Vision Endures; Let’s Complete It” by Eleanor Cooper, Times Free Press, January 20, 2024
“Opinion: Moccasin Bend and Native Americans” by Karen Stone, Times Free Press, January 13, 2024
Opinion: National Parks are Kind of a Big Deal" by Tricia King Mims, Times Free Press, January 6, 2024
"Preservation Push: Petition opposing Moccasin Bend hospital site garners more than 1,000 signatures" by Ben Benton, Times Free Press, January 3, 2024
"UPDATE: Hundreds sign petition against rebuilding plan for Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute" by Gracyn Gordon, Local 3 News, Dec 28, 2023
"Save Moccasin Bend - Sign the Petition" by Jim Johnson, Chattanoogan, December 25, 2023
"Think Creatively About Moccasin Bend", Times Free Press, December, 23, 2023
“Time to Save Moccasin Bend, Again” by Sally Robinson, Times Free Press, December 17, 2023
“Opinion: 1982 Moccasin Bend Task Force report laid out what a future park could offer” by Mickey Robbins, Times Free Press, December 9, 2023
“The Hidden Attractions of dStringers Ridge on Moccasin Bend” by Mickey Robbins, Times Free Press, December 3, 2023
“A Local Issue of National Significance: Protecting Moccasin Bend “ by Brooke Persons, Times Free Press, November 26, 2023
“Let’s Save the Bend (Again)” by Mark McKnight, Reflection Riding News, November 21, 2023
“Embracing a golden opportunity on Moccasin Bend” by Mickey Robbins, Times Free Press, November 19, 2023
“Developer-White-Favors-Moving-Hospital” by Chattanoogan.com, November 16, 2023
“Moccasin Bend [a look back]” by Lawrence Alexander and Jay Mills, Times Free Press, November 12, 2023
“Wamp…Backs Relocation Of MB Mental Hospital” by Hannah Campbell, Chattanoogan.com, October 21, 2023
“As Tennessee begins Moccasin Bend archeology study, park supporters say key stakeholders left out” by Elizabeth Fite & Dave Flessner, Times Free Press. October 19, 2023
“State Building Commission Backs New Moccasin Bend Mental Hospital Despite Chattanooga Opposition” by Sam Stockard, Tennessee Lookout. September 19, 2023
“MOCCASIN BEND HEALTH INSTITUTE DECISION A MISSED OPPORTUNITY” Editorial, Times Free Press. September 16, 2023
“A Loss for Preservation” Editorial, Times Free Press. September 16, 2023
“State OKs Plan for New Psychiatric Hospital” by Andy Sher, Times Free Press. September 15, 2023
“Tennessee Building Commission approves plan for new Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute” by Gracyn Gordon, Local 3 News. September 15, 2023
“Opinion: Preservation losing out in Moccasin Bend mental health facility replacement” by Clint Cooper, Times Free Press. September 15, 2023
“Moving Mental Hosptial Away from Bend Still Best Idea” Times Free Press. September 12, 2023
“Protect Park Plan at Moccasin Bend” Times Free Press, September 12, 2023
“Never the Intent” by Elizabeth Fite, Times Free Press. September 10, 2023
“National Park Partners Urges State Building Commission To Reject Moccasin Bend Hospital Rebuilding Plan”, Chattanoogan. September 9, 2023
“A Monumental Decision” by Mickey Robbins, Times Free Press. August 24, 2023
“ by Brooke Persons RPA, TENNESSEE COUNCIL FOR PROFESSIONAL ARCHAEOLOGY, 9/24/22
“State, local officials consider expanding, relocating Moccasin Bend Mental Health Hospital” by Eric Benninghoff, News Channel 9. April 12, 2022
"Chattanooga Mayor Proposes Moving Psychiatric Hospital" by Andy Sher, Times Free Press. January 31, 2022
“Sohn: Let's get Moccasin Bend park site open and finished” by Pam Sohn, Times Free Press, October 9, 2020