"Fort Donelson will hereafter be marked in Capitals on the maps of our United
Country..." Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was becoming quite famous as he
wrote these words following the surrender of Confederate Fort Donelson on
Sunday, February 16, 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donelson elated the North
and stunned the South. Within days of the surrender, Clarksville and Nashville
would fall into Union hands. Grant and his troops had created a pathway to
victory for the Union.

"Fort Donelson will hereafter be marked in Capitals on the maps of our United Country..." Brigadier General Ulysses S. Grant was becoming quite famous as he wrote these words following the surrender of Confederate Fort Donelson on Sunday, February 16, 1862. The Union victory at Fort Donelson elated the North and stunned the South. Within days of the surrender, Clarksville and Nashville would fall into Union hands. Grant and his troops had created a pathway to victory for the Union.

A commanding view of the Cumberland River from the Upper Artillery Battery

Upper River Battery

Volunteers demonstrate Field Artillery at Fort Donelson NB

Volunteer Cannon Demonstration

Fort Donelson National Cemetery: Final resting place for thousands of American Veterans

Fort Donelson National Cemetery

Quiet Afternoon overlooking the Cumberland River, Fort Donelson NB

Artillery at Fort Donelson NB

Bald Eagles perch on their Nest in the battlefield

Bald eagles in nest

Enjoy your lunch at the Picnic Area, Fort Donelson NB

Picnic Area

Native plants found on park trails during springtime hikes

Spring flowers on the trails

Interpreting the story of the Underground Railroad and the Free State Community

Waysides interpret the history of the Free State

Native flowers found on the battlefield trails

Native Plants

Observation Deck on the Cumberland River

Artillery Batteries at Fort Donelson NB

The Fort Donelson National Cemetery, final resting place for Soldiers who fell in battle during the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II.

A view of the earthworks, where Confederate Soldiers once stood watch.

Earthworks

The Dover Hotel, site of the first major Civil War surrender.

The Dover Hotel

Volunteers of the 9th Kentucky Infantry Re-enactors demonstrate field artillery

Field Artillery Demonstration

A View from Fort Heiman, Kentucky overlooking Kentucky Lake

Tennessee River:  A View from Fort Heiman

Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Established on Nov. 9, 1962, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge lies within
the floodplain of the Cumberland River which is now Barkley Lake. The refuge
was established as a result of mitigation proceedings with the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers when portion of the Kentucky Woodlands NWR was inundated with the
creation of the Lake Barkley Project. Its primary purpose is to provide
feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds with an emphasis placed on
providing habitat for wintering waterfowl. Today, the refuge spans 8,862
acres.

The mixture of open water, wetlands, woodlands, croplands, and grasslands
creates a mosaic of wildlife-rich habitats. At peak population times for
waterfowl, the refuge will average 35,000 birds per day with numbers that may
exceed 80,000 during extremely cold weather. Historically the refuge has held
up to 10% of the total black duck population wintering in the Mississippi
flyway.

Established on Nov. 9, 1962, Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge lies within the floodplain of the Cumberland River which is now Barkley Lake. The refuge was established as a result of mitigation proceedings with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers when portion of the Kentucky Woodlands NWR was inundated with the creation of the Lake Barkley Project. Its primary purpose is to provide feeding and resting habitat for migratory birds with an emphasis placed on providing habitat for wintering waterfowl. Today, the refuge spans 8,862 acres.The mixture of open water, wetlands, woodlands, croplands, and grasslands creates a mosaic of wildlife-rich habitats. At peak population times for waterfowl, the refuge will average 35,000 birds per day with numbers that may exceed 80,000 during extremely cold weather.  Historically the refuge has held up to 10% of the total black duck population wintering in the Mississippi flyway.

Bird's eye view of the park

Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge

Located on and around Kentucky Lake in Northwest Tennessee, the refuge’s three
units, Big Sandy, Duck River, and Busseltown, stretch for 65 miles along the
Tennessee River. Established in 1945, as a conservation area for migratory
birds, it provides a major wintering area for migrating waterfowl. Currently
the refuge habitats include agricultural crops; vegetated wetlands, mudflats,
shrub/scrub areas and forested lands. This rich diversity of habitats, harbor
an abundance of wildlife. Three quarters of the bird species found in this
state are found on the refuge. Our checklist includes 306 birds, 51 mammals,
89 reptiles and amphibians and 144 species of fish.

Located on and around Kentucky Lake in Northwest Tennessee, the refuge’s three units, Big Sandy, Duck River, and Busseltown, stretch for 65 miles along the Tennessee River. Established in 1945, as a conservation area for migratory birds, it provides a major wintering area for migrating waterfowl. Currently the refuge habitats include agricultural crops; vegetated wetlands, mudflats, shrub/scrub areas and forested lands. This rich diversity of habitats, harbor an abundance of wildlife.  Three quarters of the bird species found in this state are found on the refuge.  Our checklist includes 306 birds, 51 mammals, 89 reptiles and amphibians and 144 species of fish.

Fort Donelson National Battlefield

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Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge

Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge