I left Paragould, Arkansas and continued my trek east on US-412. It took me across the southeastern portion of Missouri, known as the boot heel of Missouri. I crossed back over the Mississippi River and again got a view of how low the river was running. US-412 becomes I-155 where it crosses the river and there are two bends in the river on either side of the bridge. Both bends had sand bars that stretched across at least half of the river.
My first stop of the day was at the Parks Cemetery Ridge Confederate Memorial Plaza in Trimble, Tennessee. I had read about a giant Confederate Battle Flag flying along US-51 which is also referred to as the I-69 corridor where a new interstate will ultimately be built linking New Orleans to
Chicago. The flag is 20 foot by 30 foot and sits on top of an 85 foot flagpole.
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| The Road Glide below the hill that serves as the home to the Parks Cemetery Ridge Confederate Memorial Plaza. |
The memorial was developed by the the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV) which is a fraternal
organization dedicated to honoring the Confederate soldiers who served the Confederacy in the war between the states. The park is near the Pierce Cemetery which is the final resting place of eleven Confederate soldiers.
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| Another beautiful day for riding and the hill where the memorial stands was particularly pretty and peaceful. |
The SCV Camp 176 is the organization that developed and maintains the memorial. Their Mission Statement from their Facebook page reads:
The Sons of Confederate Veterans is preserving the history and legacy of these heroes, so future generations can understand the motives that animated the Southern Cause. The citizen-soldiers who fought for the Confederacy personified the best qualities of America. The preservation of liberty and freedom was the motivating factor in the South's decision to fight the Second American Revolution. The tenacity with which Confederate soldiers fought underscored their belief in the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. These attributes are the underpinning of our democratic society and represent the foundation on which this nation was built. Membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans is open to all male descendants of any veteran who served honorably in the Confederate armed forces.
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| The state flags of the eleven states of the Confederacy fly around the memorial, in the order of secession. |
I have spent most of my life living in the deep south. My time in Alabama, Georgia, and Texas alone represent over 40 years of my life and the last six and a half years have been in Virginia, the capital of the Confederacy. So, I think I fully understand the south and the respect for the men who died fighting for the south. But I have to admit, I was slightly uncomfortable at this memorial and I can't really explain why.
I don't consider myself a "cracker" or a redneck, but I do consider myself a southerner. I am proud of my southern roots and have no issue letting people know I'm from the south (just in case my nasally accent doesn't already give that away.) Still, the memorial seemed to have a feel of not letting go of the Civil War and the issues that drove our country to take up arms against each other. I don't necessarily think that's the intent of the memorial, but that sense was there for me just the same.
By most accounts, the southern soldiers did fight with a tenacity that amazed their Union opponents. I think most of my discomfort arises when we try to use "states rights" as the honorable reason for going to war when in reality the right that was being infringed upon was slavery. That feeling makes it difficult to be a southerner who is proud of their southern roots without feeling like you condoned slavery in some way.
Then there's the other side of the coin (and we see it all the time nowadays) that if you allow the government to whittle away at your rights, where does it stop (think about how ridiculous it would have sounded 10 or 15 years ago if someone in government had proposed limited the amount of soda you were allowed to purchase at a theater or convenience store). So, I can understand how 150 years ago the southern states felt like their rights were being deeply violated. Cotton was the only real industry the south had and slave labor was the primary mechanism that drove cotton. So, without slavery, the south's livelihood was threatened.
I get all of that and am certain that had I been a young man in 1861 that I too would have took up arms in support of the Confederacy. But, with hindsight and the understanding of the past 150 years, I realize I would have really been fighting to allow one of the worst aspects of American history to continue and I think that's where the conflicted feelings come into it. Still, I was really glad I stopped at this memorial. I took something away from the visit that is as hard to explain as most of this whole section of the blog has been. Don't worry if you are confused reading it, because I was confused writing it.
On a lighter note, I grabbed a breakfast burrito and a small coffee (having learned my lesson in Elkins, WV about large coffees a few days before) at McDonalds in Fulton, Kentucky. I made another quick gas stop in Murray, Kentucky, home of the Murray State Racers. Then, I headed for another of my planned stops, Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area (NRA).
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| The bridge over Kentucky Lake on US-68/KY-80 that passes through the Land Between The Lakes NRA. |
When the Cumberland and Tennessee Rivers were dammed to create Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, an inland peninsula was formed. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy designated the peninsula Land Between The Lakes National Recreation Area in an effort to demonstrate how an area with limited timber, agricultural, and industrial resources could be converted into a recreation asset that would stimulate economic growth in the region. The LBL is the centerpiece of the region's tourism industry. LBL is nestled in western Kentucky and Tennessee and covers more than 170,000 acres and 300 miles of undeveloped shoreline.
This is pure speculation on my part, but if I had to guess, JFK must have owed a senator from Tennessee or Kentucky a favor.
Prepare yourself for a slight tangent here. I'm going off in a new educational direction that will have you wondering, "What in the hell is he talking about?" But, bear with me and maybe it will make sense at the end.
Most of you have heard of the Continental Divide (a.k.a the Great Divide) that splits the North America and runs through the Rocky Mountains. In the U.S. this represents the divide between the flow of water with everything west of the Great Divide running to the Pacific Ocean and everything east of that divide flowing to the Gulf of Mexico, with much of it running through the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
But, there's a lesser known divide called the Eastern Continental Divide that runs through the Appalachian Mountains and divides the flow of water for much of the eastern U.S. The Eastern Continental Divide runs southwest from about the New York/Pennsylvania state line in central PA, to northern Georgia where it makes a hard turn to the south and more or less splits the Florida peninsula right down the middle. Everything west of the Eastern Continental Divide flows west to the Gulf of Mexico, again much of it through the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers, while everything east flows toward the Atlantic Ocean through various watersheds like the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.
Sorry for the hydrological divide lesson, but my point was (assuming I had one) that the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers flow from east to west and eventually turn north into Kentucky, where they flow into the Ohio River. It's on this northern stretch that these rivers are used to form Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley and give us the Land Between the Lakes. Having grown up in south Alabama, rivers flowing north just kind of freak me out. It's my problem, not yours.
On with the ride story and sorry for the tangent...I'll try to stay on point for the remainder of this post.
I made an attempt to go see King Arthur's Round Table at the Literary Park in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. It looked like it would be a cool stop with a big round stone table in the park as well as a sword stuck in a stone off to the side. I did see it, but strangely enough, there didn't seem to be any parking nearby. As best as I could tell, the nearest parking was in the lots at the Hopkinsville Community College and I assumed that would probably require a permit. Plus, there were workers around the table, so I decided it wasn't worth the long walk only to find out the best picture I could take would include the city work truck in the background. I kept riding instead. If you really need to see a picture of it, you can go to the Roadside America site at: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/12607
About 10 miles east of Hopkinsville sits another monument associated with the Civil War. The Jefferson Davis Monument State Historic Site is a Kentucky State Park at the birthplace of Jefferson Davis in Elkton, KY. Davis was the president of the Confederate States of America. The park is located along US-68 and includes a 351-foot tall concrete obelisk.
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| The base of the Jefferson Davis Monument was constructed of limestone quarried from the site. The concrete walls are 8.5 feet thick at the base and taper to 2.5 feet thick at the top. |
The monument is the tallest unreinforced concrete structure in the world meaning no steel or rebar was used to reinforce the concrete. As one pour was completed, large chunks of limestone were left projecting up to connect it to the next pour above. It is also the tallest concrete obelisk in the world since all of the taller obelisks are constructed with blocks of stone. It is the third tallest obelisk in the world (behind the San Jacinto Monument, 567 feet 3 3/4 inches, and the Washington Monument, 555 feet 5 1/8 inches).
I passed through Bowling Green, Kentucky on my way to Oklahoma and decided then that I needed to make a point to pass back through on my way home. I knew the National Corvette Museum was in town, but one of the things that caught my eye the first time through was the Historic Railpark and Train Museum. What caught my eye was the historic train sitting alongside the museum.
The train includes a 1953 796 E-8 locomotive, a 1921 Railroad Post Office car, a 1921 Diner car, a 1953 Pullman sleeper, a 1911 Presidential Office Car, as well as the typical red caboose.
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| The 1953 796 E-8 locomotive painted in the Louisville and Nashville colors at the Historic Railpark and Train Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. |
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| The National Corvette Museum on the northeast side of Bowling Green. |
As it turned out, I was less than 140 miles from where I would spend the night when I was sitting in the parking lot of the Corvette Museum. I didn't know it at the time and was planning to go farther, but as usual, my plans changed on the fly.
I left Bowling Green and made my way east across southern Kentucky on the Louie B. Nunn Cumberland Parkway. This is another one of those great parkways across Kentucky. This one was named for the 52nd governor of Kentucky.
I continued on KY-80 until I reached London. Here I made a stop at the Old Town Grill and helped myself to a couple of cold Bud Lights. While sitting at the bar at Old Town Grill I decided to take a look at the map and determine how much farther I wanted to ride before dark. I was guessing I had another hour and a half, but when I looked at the map, things didn't look that promising for motels down the road. I did a couple of searches on the phone to see what I could find and ultimately came to the conclusion that I should just park it and call it a day in London.
The Budget Host Westgate Inn and R.V. Camp was right across the street and had a vacancy, so that's where I decided to spend the night. After checking in, I made a marvelous discovery. They had one of those massaging beds. 15 minutes for 25 cents. I actually didn't try it out, but it was a surprise to see the little slot for your quarters on the side of the bed.
I slept in a little the next morning and it turned out to be a good thing. The day started out cool and the fog was pretty thick as a I rode through the hills and mountains of eastern Kentucky. My ride out of London was on the Hal Rogers Parkway. As best as I can tell, this one is named for a U.S. Representative from Kentucky who played a prominent role in getting the tolls lifted off the Kentucky parkways. I think he is still in Congress (another one of those career politicians that I can't stand). The Hal Rogers Parkway is the only parkway in the state of Kentucky that is almost exclusively two-lanes. However, they do have truck lanes on the hills that allow you plenty of opportunities to get around slower traffic.
I had breakfast at a Bob Evans Restaurant (biscuits and gravy, baby!!!) near Pikeville, Kentucky. My primary destination today was Matewan, West Virginia. I've been trying to find an excuse to visit Matewan for a while. It's home to a couple of significant events in history. First, it's the area where the Hatfields and McCoys carried out their family feud for almost 30 years (1863–1891). Second, it was the site of the Matewan Massacre in 1920 during the West Virginia Coal Wars that centered around a dispute between coal companies and miners.
I had a keen interest in both events and decided I had to make a stop in Matewan this time around. Matewan is a town in far southwestern West Virginia on the Kentucky border. The state border is defined by the Tug Fork River that runs along the edge of town from the northwest to the southeast. The most prominent feature in town, if you don't count the railroad, is the flood wall that runs the entire length of town with huge flood doors that cross over the roads and railroad.
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| The white area you see to the left of town is the flood wall that runs the length of town. The river side of the wall contains etchings that depict the regions cultural and industrial history. |
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| One of the huge flood doors that stretches across the railroad tracks to protect the town of Matewan. |
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| There was even a mini Statue of Liberty at the end of Main Street in Matewan right across from the Blue Goose Saloon and Inn. It was too early in the day to make a stop at the saloon, but maybe next time. |
I passed Randolph McCoy's homestead on the Kentucky side of the river as I approached Matewan. That got my history juices flowing. Unfortunately, most of the roads in the area are two-lane and don't have a shoulder, so unless you know exactly where you are going, there's no pulling off real quick and getting a picture. I had to settle for knowing I'd be dismounting in Matewan and get my picture opportunities there.
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| The Welcome to Matewan, WV etching on the flood wall as you enter town. |
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| Obviously, coal is a major industry in the area as is the railroad and timber. |
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| Matewan came to stop shortly after I arrived as a coal laden train made its way through town. |
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| Actually, Anse Hatfield (of the feud fame) made his living in timber and was one of the more well off familes in the area. |
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| One set of flood doors where pedestrians can access the river from town. |
I know you are probably more interested in the Hatfields and McCoys, but bear with me again while I tell you a little bit about the Matewan Massacre. In 1920, the coal miners in the area were organizing a union. Of course the coal companies didn't want unions and they were trying everything they could to intimidate the miners. One of their tactics was to evict families of coal miners who were living at the mountain coal camp, just outside of Matewan.
The Stone Mountain Coal Corporation hired their own enforcers, the Baldwin-Felts Detective Agency, to evict the miners and their families from the company owned houses. Baldwin-Felts had a reputation for being ruthless and brutal. The sheriff in town was Sid Hatfield (a decent of the feuding Hatfields). Long story short, the sheriff, his deputy and the mayor of Matewan met the Baldwin-Felts detectives at the train station and tried to negotiate a peaceful settlement that would prevent the eviction of the miners. Instead, the lead detective, Albert Felts, served Hatfield with a warrant and tried to arrest Hatfield (the warrant turned out to be fraudulent).
It is still unknown who fired the first shot that hit the mayor, but Hatfield shot Felts next. After the detective and mayor fell wounded, Hatfield kept firing, but Felts' brother, Lee escaped. Lee Felts took shelter in the Matewan Post Office, and Hatfield eventually found him there and shot him. When the shooting finally stopped, the townspeople came out, many were wounded. There were casualties on both sides. Seven Baldwin-Felts Detectives were killed, including brothers Albert and Lee Felts. One more detective had been wounded. Two miners were killed. The wounded mayor was dying, and four other bystanders had been wounded. The date was May 19, 1920.
The Governor of West Virginia ordered the state police force to take control of Matewan. Hatfield and his men cooperated. When the miners' union went on another strike on July 1st widespread violence erupted. Railroad cars were blown up, and strikers were beaten and left to die by the side of the road. Tom Felts, the last remaining Felts brother, had revenge on his mind. When the charges against Hatfield, and 22 other people, for the murder of Albert Felts were dismissed, Baldwin-Felts detectives assassinated Hatfield and his deputy Ed Chambers on August 1, 1921, on the steps of the McDowell County Courthouse.
Less than a month later, miners from the state gathered in Charleston, WV. They were even more determined to organize the southern coal fields, and began the march to Logan County. Thousands of miners joined them along the way, culminating in what was to become known as the Battle of Blair Mountain.
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| This panel along the flood wall in Matewan represents the Battle of Matewan, a.k.a. the Matewan Massacre. |
Now on to the more interesting tale of the Hatfields and McCoys. Matewan is basically in the center of the Hatfield and McCoy territory. Many of the resulting casualties of the feud occurred in the area surrounding Matewan and Matewan is home to the trail heads for the Hatfield-McCoy Trails for ATV and dirt bike riders.
I'm not going to give you all of the nitty-gritty details on the feud, but suffice it to say that the Hatfields and McCoys didn't like each other much. If you want the details in an entertaining fashion, I recommend you watch the recent mini-series on the History Channel that starred Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton as Anse Hatfield and Randolph McCoy, respectively.
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| The section of the flood wall for the Hatfields. |
I did pass the site of the PawPaw Tree Incident where the Hatfields killed three of the McCoy brothers, Tolbert, Pharmer, and Bud, in what they deemed as justice for the killing of Ellison Hatfield in 1882. Ellison was stabbed 26 times and finished off with a shot during an election day fight that took place in Kentucky. The McCoy brothers were initially arrested and were taken to Pikeville for trial. However, Anse Hatfield organized a posse and intercepted the constables and their McCoy prisoners before they reached Pikeville. The McCoys were taken by force to West Virginia to await the fate of mortally wounded Ellison Hatfield, and when Ellison finally died from his injuries, the McCoys brothers were themselves murdered in turn. They were tied to pawpaw bushes and each was shot numerous times.
The feud reached its peak during the 1888 New Year's Night Massacre. Several members of the Hatfield clan surrounded the McCoy cabin and opened fire on the sleeping family. The cabin was set on fire in an effort to drive Randolph McCoy into the open. He escaped by making a break for it, but two of his children were murdered, and his wife was beaten and left for dead.
I also passed by the Hatfield Cemetery where Anse Hatfield is buried. It was another of those locations on a two-lane road that popped up before I could prepare for a stop, so I missed it.
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| The McCoys flood wall panel. |
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| The corner of McCoy Alley and Hatfield Street in Matewan, WV. |
I missed just enough of the Hatfield-McCoy sites that I need to make a trip back and spend a weekend in Matewan. At least, that's what I keep telling myself anyway.
After my visit to Matewan, I had a 100 miles or so of West Virginia roads that ran along rivers and streams and made for a nice ride. Once I got to Beckley, West Virginia, it was interstates all the way home. I did sneak in one last stop to see the sign for the Greenbrier Ghost. In case you can't read the writing on the sign, here's the story:
Zona Hester Shue died in 1987. Her death was thought to be of natural causes until her mother began to be visited by Zona's ghost. Zona described to her mother how she was killed by her husband Edward. They ultimately exhumed Zona's body and an autopsy confirmed that she was indeed murdered. As a result, Edward was found guilty of murder and sentenced to the state prison. This is the only known case where testimony from a ghost helped convict a murderer.
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| The Greenbrier Ghost sign near the Sam Black United Methodist Church in Smoot, WV. |
- 724 miles day 1
- 650 miles day 2
- 469 miles day 3
- 425 miles day 4
- 540 miles day 5
- 2808 total miles
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