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''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[ | ''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Natchez_Trace|Natchez Trace]]'' | ||
[[Image:{{NatchezT}}]]The '''Natchez Trace''', or "Old Natchez Trace" was a 450 mile (725 km) long trail connecting what were originally American Indian settlements on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_River Cumberland River] (Nashville, Tennessee) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_River Tennessee River] ("Wawmanona" Indian site near Florence, Alabama) with settlements near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River Mississippi River] (Natchez, Mississippi). In the 1796 the trace was extended 275 miles (440 km) from Nashville, Tennessee to Maysville, Kentucky where it connected with [[Zane's Trace|Zane's Trace]] which continued through Ohio to Wheeling, West Virginia. This made it possible to go overland from the east coast to the Mississippi River. After the trace was upgraded to a road in 1801, the same could be done in a wagon for the first time. | [[Image:{{NatchezT}}]][[Image:{{NatchezTMap}}]]The '''Natchez Trace''', or "Old Natchez Trace" was a 450 mile (725 km) long trail connecting what were originally American Indian settlements on the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumberland_River Cumberland River] (Nashville, Tennessee) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_River Tennessee River] ("Wawmanona" Indian site near Florence, Alabama) with settlements near the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_River Mississippi River] (Natchez, Mississippi). In the 1796 the trace was extended 275 miles (440 km) from Nashville, Tennessee to Maysville, Kentucky where it connected with [[Zane's Trace|Zane's Trace]] which continued through Ohio to Wheeling, West Virginia. This made it possible to go overland from the east coast to the Mississippi River. After the trace was upgraded to a road in 1801, the same could be done in a wagon for the first time.<br> | ||
<br> | |||
'''Route''' | |||
'''''Original trace south to north:''''' | |||
'''Original trace south to north:''' | |||
*Natchez, Adams, Mississippi | *Natchez, Adams, Mississippi | ||
| Line 29: | Line 21: | ||
*Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee | *Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee | ||
'''1796 extension:''' | '''''1796 extension:''''' | ||
*Tompkinsville, Monroe, Kentucky | *Tompkinsville, Monroe, Kentucky | ||
| Line 35: | Line 27: | ||
*Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky | *Lexington, Fayette, Kentucky | ||
*Maysville, Mason, Kentucky | *Maysville, Mason, Kentucky | ||
=== Historical Background === | |||
The "trace" was first created by animals like bison to reach [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_lick salt licks] in the Nashville area, and their grazing areas near the Mississippi River. American Indians, developed the trace further for trading mostly, and also as a warpath. An unknown Frenchman was the first European to write about traveling the full Natchez Trace in 1742.<ref name="null">Wikipedia contributors, "Natchez Trace," ''Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia'' at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natchez_Trace (accessed 24 July 2010).</ref> But earlier Europeans such as Spanish explorer [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hernando_de_Soto_(explorer) Hernando de Soto] may have come across parts of the trace in 1540 while being guided by [[Choctaw Indians|Choctaw]] and [[Chickasaw Indians|Chickasaw]] Indians. The trace followed a natural ridge and, at first, was only a narrow footpath or horse trail unsuitable for wagons because of trees. | |||
In 1801 the United States signed a treaty with the Choctaw Indians allowing construction of a mail road by the side the the old footpath. | |||
Midwestern farmers often floated their goods down the Mississippi River to market in New Orleans. One of the ways they could return to Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, or Indiana was by way of the Natchez Trace. However, because their pockets were loaded with money they were frequently preyed upon by gangs of robbers along the trail. | |||
Meriwether Lewis, Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory, and a leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition was traveling on the Natchez Trace in 1809 when he died near Grinder's Stand, Tennessee. | |||
=== Settlers and Records === | === Settlers and Records === | ||