David Crockett State Park is a state park in

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee The city of Lawrenceburg is the county seat of Lawrence County, Tennessee, United States, The largest city on the state's southern border between Chattanooga and Memphis, it lies on the banks of Shoal Creek. The population was 11,633 at the 20 ...

. The park is located on Shoal Creek (originally called the Sycamore River) and commemorates the historical activities of famous frontiersman

David Crockett David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of ...

in the local area. Crockett settled near the creek bank in 1817 and started a

powder mill A powder mill was a mill where gunpowder is made from sulfur, saltpeter and charcoal. Milling steps Crude grinding and mixing operations such as the Frankford Powder-Mill of Philadelphia were a cottage industry until the industrial revolution ...

grist mill A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and Wheat middlings, middlings. The term can refer to either the Mill (grinding), grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist i ...

and distillery using the creek's

water power Hydropower (from el, ὕδωρ, "water"), also known as water power, is the use of falling or fast-running water to produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by converting the gravitational potential or kinetic energy of a ...

. By 1820, he owned of land at Shoal Creek. He also served as one of Lawrence County's first commissioners and justices of the peace. After his industrial operations were destroyed by a flood in September 1821, Crockett left the area and moved to

West Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that roughly comprises the western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its ...

. The park was established in 1959 on of land that includes the site where Crockett had his mills and distillery. Park facilities include reconstructions of a

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

and mill. A historical museum in the park, open during the summer months, is focused on Crockett's life. A

covered bridge A covered bridge is a timber-truss bridge with a roof, decking, and siding, which in most covered bridges create an almost complete enclosure. The purpose of the covering is to protect the wooden structural members from the weather. Uncovered woo ...

built across Shoal Creek in 1959 was destroyed by flooding in 1998 and replaced the following year. A lake offers opportunities for fishing and boating. Visitor facilities include two campgrounds and a restaurant. Seven two-bedroom visitor cabins built in the park in 2010 were the first vacation homes in a U.S. state park to receive

LEED Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating systems for the design, construction ...

certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

References

External links

* David Crockett State Park State parks of Tennessee 1959 establishments in Tennessee Protected areas established in 1959 Museums in Lawrence County, Tennessee Biographical museums in Tennessee Davy Crockett {{LawrenceCountyTN-geo-stub