Tishomingo State Park
Tishomingo State Park | |
 Bridge over Bear Creek in Tishomingo State Park | |
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| Nearest city | Tishomingo, Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Area | 590 acres (240 ha) |
| Built | 1936 |
| Architectural style | Other, Rustic |
| MPS | State Parks in Mississippi built by the CCC MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 98000275[1] |
| Added to NRHP | March 26, 1998 |
Tishomingo State Park is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Tishomingo, Mississippi, north of Tupelo. Activities in the park include canoeing, rock climbing, fishing and hiking.[2]
Geography
The park pays tribute to Tishomingo County's remarkable geography of massive rock formations, found here and in the immediately surrounding areas but nowhere else in Mississippi.[3] The steep cliffs and abundant carboniferous limestone outcrops represent the southwestern extremity of the Southern Appalachian Plateau.
Indigenous History
The park is named for one of the last great Chickasaw leaders, Chief Tishu Miko, born not far from here in Lee County, Mississippi c1735.[4] Modern Chickasaw occasionally make pilgrimage to the park to visit the areas where the famous Chief fished and hunted.[5]
Chief Tishomingo (the modern form of his name) served a brilliant career in the US Military, distinguishing himself in such actions as the Battle of Fallen Timbers, the Red Stick Rebellion and the War of 1812. His influence became powerful and extended into Washington, DC. He was a principal signatory of Treaties of 1816 and 1818, as well as the Treaty of Pontotoc in 1832 (negotiated with Andrew Jackson but never ratified by Congress). Under heavy political pressure, he signed the 1837 Treaty of Doaksville. This document compelled the removal of the last Chickasaw from this area to the Indian Territory in Oklahoma, albeit under somewhat less devastating terms than were suffered by other Native American tribes.[6] It is believed that Chief Tishomingo succumbed to small pox at the advanced age of 104, near Little Rock on the Trail of Tears. His burial site is unknown.
The park's importance to Native American history extends well beyond the historical Chickasaw Nation, as archaeological excavations confirm the presence of Paleo Indians in the area now encompassed by the park as early as 7000 B.C.[7]
Park History
The park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Many of the original facilities are extant, including trails, picnic tables, campgrounds, Haynes Lake, cabins and even a fishing pond used by the CCC workers.
Attractions
Tishomingo Park offers visitors seven hiking trails that range in length from ¾ to 3 miles and in difficulty from easy to moderate.[8] The trails feature beautiful scenery, including natural springs, waterfalls, rocky creeks and streams, cliffs, rock walls and huge outcrops.[9] The terrain suggests mountains, and indeed this is a part of the Appalachian range, but the hills here are no higher than about 660 feet.[10] Rock climbing, which requires a helmet and a free permit (available at the park office), is a popular activity on the trails, particularly at the formation known as Jean's Overhang.[11] Bear Creek is encountered at a number of points by the trail system, and can itself be explored by canoe on one of the float trips offered here.
Three popular disc golf courses are available, and an Olympic-sized outdoor swimming pool is open most of the year. The park provides a number of lodging options including primitive and improved tent campsites, full RV hookups and furnished cabins.
The Natchez Trace Parkway, a scenic road operated by the National Park Service and commemorating the historic Natchez Trace, runs directly through the park.
Nearby Tishomingo County, Mississippi attractions include the popular skiing and boating destination Bay Springs Lake, Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam, Woodall Mountain, J.P. Coleman State Park and Pickwick Lake.
See also
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ Tishomingo State Park' at MS Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks website, retrieved 23 October 2011.
- ^ Congressional Edition, Volume 5020', page 156, retrieved 19 Jan 2012.
- ^ Chickasaw Nation Hall of Fame, retrieved 31 Oct 2012.
- ^ "Find your fun at Tishomingo State Park" Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, retrieved 10 Nov 2012
- ^ Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma State University retrieved 31 Oct 2012
- ^ MS Dept of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, retrieved 31 Oct 2012.
- ^ Tishomingo Hiking Brochure, MS Dept. of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, retrieved 23 Oct 2011.
- ^ "Tishomingo State Park offers climbing, canoeing, hiking" Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal of Tupelo, retrieved 10 Nov 2012
- ^ "Find your fun at Tishomingo State Park" Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, retrieved 10 Nov 2012
- ^ Mississippi State Park Hiking Trails, Mississippi Hills National Historic Area, retrieved 31 Oct 2012.
External links
- Tishomingo State Park - Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks website
- OutdoorPlaces.com
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34°36′18″N 88°11′25″W / 34.60500°N 88.19028°W
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