Fun Times In North Jackson
By Sherri Blevins
Enjoy fun times in North Jackson. The North Jackson area
offers plenty of opportunities for family fun and journies through history
starting Friday, September 20, and ending Sunday, September 22, 2019. The City of Stevenson’s Second Annual Fall
Festival, the Fort Harker Encampment of Troops and Living History Event, and
Bridgeport’s 26th Annual Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle
Ride all are available this weekend.
Help the citizens of Stevenson revive and renew historical
downtown Stevenson by participating in the Second Annual Fall Festival. Arts, crafts, food, lemon-ade, antiques, and
music will fill Main Street in Stevenson starting at 9:00 am Saturday,
September 21, 2019. Don’t miss out on
the opportunity to share this day with your family.
On September 20 the encampment of troops will take place at
Fort Harker, located in Stevenson, Alabama. Fort Harker was built to defend a strategic
position captured by Union troops in northeastern Alabama. Situated atop a hill
east of the town of Stevenson, it was constructed in the summer of 1862 by
soldiers and freed slaves of the Army of the Cumberland, commanded by Union
General William Rosecrans. Stevenson was located at the junction for the Memphis and Charleston Railroad and
the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad. The location of the fort placed it within
firing range of the town, railroads, supply
depots, and warehouses.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Harker_%28Alabama%29?fbclid=IwAR1jr8zWeaK6Kl0KHFdVZkHXauxiDk6IexIZmUI9UsuzYEycj6pfRWvD9LM
– cite_note-depot-1
In addition to Fort Harker, the Union Army
established a hospital and
a refugee
camp in the town. The
Union position would prevent Confederate troops from using the railroads in
defense of Chattanooga and secure critical supply lines for the Army of the
Cumberland. The 63rd Ohio
Volunteer Infantry will participate in this event. On Saturday, September 21, visitors can view a
true living history of the life of a civil war soldier
Exciting things are happening in Bridgeport as
well. The 26th Annual Trail of Tears
Commemorative Motorcycle Ride welcomes the community to their kickoff party
featuring the band Exile on Friday, September 20. The event opens at 12:00 noon
where guests will enjoy food, vendors, door prizes, and bounce houses all lined
up on Alabama Street in Bridgeport,
Alabama. Friday’s schedule is as follows:
3:00 PM – Bikers arrive from Cherokee Indian
Reservation, North Carolina
3:15 PM – Welcome/Honor Guard
4:00 PM – Stillbrook Concert
5:00 PM – Break
5:15 PM – Stillbrook Concert
6:15 PM – Break/Dance Music
8:00 PM – Exile Concert
On Saturday morning, Bikers will organize from downtown
Alabama Ave to 7th Street to Hwy 72 for the ride to Huntsville and
on to Waterloo. Bridgeport Lions Club
will host a “send-off” breakfast that morning starting at 6:00 am downtown. For more information call: 678-743-3868.
