In the visitor center waiting on our tour.
The park ranger gave us an interpretive tour of the site. We learned about the Musgroves and the mill itself. We walked where the British soldiers had camped and learned why they chose the site. The ranger spoke to us about a memorial built to honor Mary Musgrove and the mystery around it. The children learned that history has many mysteries.
Learning about the monument.
We made our way to the Enoree river and stood where the first and last shots of the battle were fired.
The ranger discussed why the spot was so important for the time period. We learned about river fords and shoals. He pointed out evidence of local wildlife. The children were intrigued by the deer tracks in the mud.
We made our way down the trail to the site of the mill. It has long since washed away in a flood. We learned that the mill stones are at least six foot beneath the surface. The trees surrounding the site are gnarled and uniquely shaped. The ranger told us how the mill run was made and how the island was formed.
We trekked further up river and saw the pylons of an early bridge. The iron supports that stuck up from the concrete structures were bent. We were told that the water had bent them when the river had flooded. Water is a magnificent force of nature.
As we weaved our way along the trail, we took in the splendor of the woodlands. We came out of the woods at the edge of a pond. The pond was not there during the time of the Musgroves. It was a later addition when the land was used by an orphanage. The pond was dug for the cattle.
We departed the park with new knowledge of the area and a place that we will definitely come back to visit!
