Dover, TN— In observance of the 158th anniversary of the Forts Henry, Heiman, and Donelson Campaign and battles, Fort Donelson National Battlefield will be offering several programs during the month of February.
The first set of programs, to be held on Saturday, February 8, will offer an afternoon of exciting hikes at the national park’s Fort Heiman Unit, located in Calloway County, Kentucky, site of the Confederate Fort Heiman and its view down upon the submerged site of Fort Henry, in Stewart County, Tennessee.
The program schedule for the February 8 is:
Noon The Battle for Confederate Forts Henry and Heiman 158 years ago, Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant’s Union forces were moving their way towards Forts Henry, Heiman and Donelson to open the vital Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Fort Heiman was one of several Southern forts placed to protect the rivers from the Union advance.
Participants are to join the Ranger for a hike to the Confederate works to learn about this mostly “forgotten fort” of the Fort Donelson story. The distance, round trip, is approximately one-mile, with two steep inclines to trek.
2:00 pm The Union Fort Heiman After the victory at Fort Henry, the Tennessee River would continue to be a crucial troop and supply line for the advancing Union forces. Federal troops occupying the immediate area were kept busy by Southern partisans and military raids. To better defend this area, a new Union Fort Heiman was constructed in proximity to the former Confederate works.
Participants are to join the Ranger for a hike to the Union works to learn about Federal occupation of the area. The distance, round trip, is approximately one- mile on pavement and earthen trail.
For both hikes participants are to park and gather at the Fort Heiman Interpretive Pavilion, 682 Fort Heiman Road, New Concord, Kentucky 42706. As both tour routes are along broken/gravel roads, grass, and unpaved trails, each participant should wear appropriate footwear and clothing for such a hike, with water and snacks encouraged.
In the interest of safety, in the event of inclement weather, both events are subject to cancelation due to inclimate weather. Information as to event status will be available online or by contacting the Ranger office at 931-232-0576 x0. It should be noted that the primitive roads at Fort Heiman are not owned nor maintained by the National Park Service, and travel past the interpretive pavilion is not recommended.
From February 14 – 16, additional 158th anniversary events, specific to the Battle of Fort Donelson will be offered, with programming about the history and contributions of the US Colored Troops on February 22. These activities will occur at Fort Donelson National Battlefield, or other specific locations in and around Dover, Tennessee.
Additional February schedule information can be currently accessed online via the national park Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/