MilitiaHillMulch

Restoration of Fort Anderson on Militia Hill by Coal Creek Scholars Saturday, 1 November 2014 Cold morning, committed students, singing, aggravating, fun! Easy way to earn a scholarship while preserving historic Militia Hill! MORE PHOTOS CAN BE SEEN IN THE PHOTO ALBUM POSTED HERE! https://www.flickr.com/photos/95516223@N08/sets/72157649016654336/
While most students stayed in bed during the season’s first snow, eight Coal Creek Scholars and other volunteers continued the on-going restoration work at Fort Anderson on Militia Hill on Saturday, 1, November 2014. Each of the students had been there before as part of their annual history field trip at Briceville School. Some even helped plant American chestnuts there, while others had helped install the eleven historical markers around the property as shown at http://www.coalcreekaml.com/HistoricMarkersNov2012Install.htm and http://www.coalcreekaml.com/MilitiaHillMarkerInstall.htm, so they knew the historical significance of the site. Convicts were first brought to Coal Creek in 1877 to replace striking Welsh miners in the Wye Community. More Coal Creek miners lost their jobs in 1891 when convicts were brought to mines in Briceville. Coal Creek miners met with Governor Buck Buchanan about losing their jobs, but were told that Tennessee had a revenue problem and needed the convict lease system. Elected officials offered no help, so the Coal Creek miners captured guards and convicts, put them on trains to Knoxville, and burned convict stockades. They sent a telegram to the Governor, informing him that convicts would not be allowed in Coal Creek.

	Soldiers and convicts then cut trees on Militia Hill in January 1892 to build Fort Anderson as the base of operations for the Tennessee National Guard to fight miners who opposed using convicts in Tennessee coal mines during the Coal Creek War. When attacked by miners, the Tennessee Militia would fire mud-filled cans through the Wye Gap in Walden Ridge into the town of Coal Creek to restore order. The fort was abandoned in late 1893 when new Governor Peter Turney fulfilled a campaign promise and the Tennessee Legislature appropriated funds to build Brushy Mountain State Prison, Coal Mine, and Coke Ovens, thus ending the convict lease system in Tennessee.
Charles Cox and his sons cut trees from Militia Hill to restore the view into the town of Coal Creek… and what a view it is. The rest of the Scholars installed weed mat and mulch in the American chestnut grove at the parking lot. Coal Creek Scholars participating in the event included: Nathan Cox Nick Cox Emily Phillips Kim Phillips Tallen Roldan Hannah Sellers Holley Smith Nathan Smith Other volunteers included: Charles Cox Lisa Cox Kaylin McCabe Carol Moore Barry Thacker, PE	L to R: Nathan Smith, Nick Cox, Charles Cox & Lisa Cox Charles Cox and sons Nick and Nathan, along with Nathan Smith removed trees that opened up the view from Militia Hill into the town of Coal Creek
View from Militia Hill into the town of Coal Creek	Successfully mulched area!





Beautiful finished product!
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