Public invited to Moccasin Bend public hearing on Thursday
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) — The public is invited to attend a public hearing discussing the past, present and future of the Moccasin Bend National Archeological District.
The public hearing will take place on Thursday, April 11, from 5 to 7 p.m. It will be located at the Skyline Loft at Ruby Falls.
Hosts of the event include:
- National Park Partners
- National Park Service
- Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly
- Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp
Those who attend this free event will learn about the archaeological and Indigenous history of Moccasin Bend. Guests will also learn about the preservation efforts of the area and current threats to its resources.
After presentations, guests can also ask questions and make comments about the usage of this land.
Park Historian Jim Ogden and Superintendent Brad Bennett, with the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park, will speak at the event. Other speakers will include historian and archaeologist Jay Mills, Moccasin Bend Task force members, former City Councilwoman Sally Robinson and Chair Rick Montague, and former Congressman Zach Wamp. Former Congressman Wamp also authored the 2003 legislation that created the Moccasin Bend National Archaeological District.
Additionally, event hosts will provide cocktail-style food and drinks.
While the event is free, space is limited and guests must register in advance.
Courtesy: National Park Partners
National Park Partners (NPP) said it launched its “Save the Bend, Again” campaign in August. This followed the State of Tennessee proposing the construction of a new modern mental health facility. That facility would be located within the National Historic Landmark boundary on Moccasin Bend.
According to NPP, this proposal “defies prior commitments from State officials to relocate their campus off of this nationally significant and culturally sensitive land when the time came to build a replacement facility. The decision was made behind closed doors with no public input or involvement of other stakeholders like the National Park Service of the 23 American Indian Tribes with Moccasin Bend ancestry.”
They also said the Tribal Council of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians passed a resolution opposing this construction.
