Safe Crossing

Safe Crossing (HM20YG)

Location: Cherokee, AL 35616 Colbert County
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Country: United States of America
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N 34° 50.277', W 87° 56.536'

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Inscription

Natchez Trace Parkway

In the early 1800s, ferries like the one George Colbert ran near here on the Tennessee River linked segments of the Natchez Trace. Ferries carried people across the river—for a fee. Post riders, Kaintucks, military troops, casual travelers, slave traders, and enslaved people took the ferries.

The Chickasaw had the title to the land in this region, and Chickasaw leaders like George Colbert understood the value of safe river crossings. In 1801, in one of their first treaties with the US, the Chickasaw allowed the US to develop the Natchez Trace into a road. The Chickasaw retained the right to operate a ferry across the Tennessee River.

(caption)
US General Andrew Jackson and his veterans of the Battle of New Orleans marched homeward after the War of 1812. George Colbert's ferry carried them across the Tennessee River here. Although the river was not as wide and deep then, ferries made crossing safer and easier.
Details
HM NumberHM20YG
Tags
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Placed ByNatchez Trace Parkway, 
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Monday, August 21st, 2017 at 10:02am PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)16S E 413846 N 3855477
Decimal Degrees34.83795000, -87.94226667
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 34° 50.277', W 87° 56.536'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds34° 50' 16.62" N, 87° 56' 32.16" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)256
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling West
Closest Postal AddressAt or near Natchez Trace Pkwy, Cherokee AL 35616, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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