Cooler weather, campfires, storytelling, roasting marshmallows – a chance to snuggle down under blankets – all these are pleasant happenings in the fall and are part of Edgar Evins State Park’s 5th Annual History Hayride, on Center Hill Lake Saturday, October 16. There are still a number of seats available!
This is a wholesome, family-oriented event rather than a Halloween ride although one of the new characters will be a gravedigger from the 1930s when bodies were exhumed from existing cemeteries to be reinterred during the construction of Center Hill Reservoir. Some of the other characters will include an area moonshiner, a local foxhunter, and the Revolutionary War veteran who founded the town of Liberty. Back by popular demand will be Elizabeth Dale, the lovely daughter of the founder of Liberty who later became known as “The Black Widow of Hazel Green.”
Click here to listen to Park Manager Carl Halfacre talk about the History Hayride
As many as nine wagon loads will leave at 30-minute intervals from the park’s office at the observation tower. The ride will take approximately 90 minutes to make a complete circuit, stopping at several scenes where costumed re-enactors will present historical sketches.
Hosted by the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park, this event is an opportunity to learn about the history of the park and the area, while enjoying fresh air and spectacular lake and hillside scenic views. Reserve your spot now as this event sells out quickly! Admission is $10 per person, with all proceeds benefiting the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park whose efforts help improve and preserve the park. Light refreshments also will be served, including marshmallows – and it is recommended you BYOB (Bring Your Own Blanket) and dress warmly in layers. Phone the park office for reservations: (931) 858-2446 or toll free at (800) 250-8619.
Edgar Evins State Park is located on the shores of Center Hill Lake in the steep, hilly Eastern Highland Rim. The 6,000-acre park provides excellent recreational opportunities and accommodations on one of the most beautiful reservoirs in Tennessee. Wildlife is abundant, including three different owl species, numerous hawks and wintering bald eagles as well as the rare Cerulean Warbler – a summer resident of the park’s mixed hardwood forests, which include stands of Tulip Poplar, Oak, Hickory, Buckeye and Wild Cherry. The park was dedicated in 1975 and named for James Edgar Evins, a DeKalb County businessman and mayor of nearby Smithville. As a two-term state senator, Evins was instrumental in the development of Center Hill Dam and Reservoir. For more information about the History Hayride, please call (800) 250-8619. Additional information about the park can be found at www.tnstateparks.com/EdgarEvins.
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