Time to Rant and Rave About This One

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My second stop of the day, after a brief visit to KenLake State Resort Park, was Columbus-Belmont State Park. It’s located on the Mississippi River, so it’s just about as far west as you can go in Kentucky (although I did manage to go further later on in the day....only me, right? And no, I didn’t swim! ) I cannot say enough good things about this park. If you want to visit solely for beauty, this is the place to go. The park is loaded with trees and has several overlooks that sit atop the cliffs that drop over 100 feet straight down to the banks of the Mississippi River. The views are stunning. The layout of the park is great as well. Now, if you are into history, it’s also a joy. This little plot of land in a little town in western Kentucky, with a population under 200, has seen quite a bit of unpleasant history. The primary focus of the park’s history is the Civil War. Columbus-Belmont (the latter is across the river in Missouri, where all the cannons were fired AT: no battle ever took place on the soil of the state park in Kentucky) was the site of General Ulysses S. Grant’s first battle in the Civil War, long before he became known as “General Unconditional Surrender” Grant later in the war. The Confederates held the land in Kentucky for a brief time (September 1861-March 1862). In that time the 20,000 or so troops established it as a very strategic locale. Nicknamed “the Gibraltar of the West” because of its location high above the Mississippi, affording lovely views for the tourist and clear views of oncoming troop movements for soldiers, the location right on the Mississippi, not too far from Confederate territory (Kentucky was neutral initially, then remained in the Union, although it was a slave state), provided a perfect first line of defense to keep the Union from utilizing the river as transportation into the south. The Confederates even decided they were going to block the river. They installed a two-ton anchor on one of the bluffs, then stretched a chain (each link weighing 20 pounds) across the river. Good idea, but poor execution: the weight of the chain quickly caused it to sink into the river instead of floating on a series of wooden platforms put on the river. For a measly three bucks ($4 for non-seniors) the museum curator, a local resident who lived all his life in the area, gave a detailed explanation of photographs and items on display before starting the ten-minute film about the Civil War history of the area. But the Civil War isn’t the only history attached to the park. Columbus served as the ferry point to transport the Cherokee across the river into Missouri on the infamous Trail of Tears. There are markers that detail that sad part of American history and Columbus’ role. Columbus also suffered in the 1927 Mississippi River flood. In fact, the town was wiped out. The flood was so extensive that, once the waters receded, it was discovered that the Mississippi had carved a new path...right through the town. The town was relocated, where the 200 or so residents live today. Other features include carefully preserved earthworks, which were constructed for fortification by the Confederates (they are a good 6-8 feet high), fragments of original cannons that were excavated from the property, and a lovely shelter built during the 1930s by the CCC. Admission to the park is free. It would have been worth twenty bucks, or more, just for the view...or for the history. Photo collage: 1. Historical marker explaining the site’s position earning it the name “Gibraltar of the West.” 2. Earthen mounds constructed by Confederate soldiers for protection on top of the bluff. 3. The view of the Mississippi River from the top of the bluff. 4. The anchor that was utilized to try to block the Mississippi River during the Civil War.