Historical marker located near Alabama's bloodiest Civil War battle site

Historical marker in downtown Elkmont, Ala.

This week’s featured historical marker is the “ELKMONT, ALABAMA / TENN. & ALA. CENTRAL RAILROAD” marker in Limestone County, Ala. The marker is located at the intersection of Upper Fort Hampton Road and Sandlin Road in downtown Elkmont.

This historical marker was erected by the Elkmont Town Council and Limestone County Historical Society in 2005. There’s text on both sides of this marker, and both sides are unique. What follows is the complete text from the marker.

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“ELKMONT, ALABAMA: The earliest settlers to this area moved across the Chickasaw boundary before 1810 and established the Sims and New Garden settlements. The area came to be known as Elkmont, for the once abundant elk, the Elk River and the ‘mount’ on which it sat. It began to flourish with the completion of the Tennessee and Alabama Central Railroad in 1859. The name of the Fort Hampton post office, established in 1859, was changed to Elkmont in 1866. Elkmont grew to be a commerce center for North Limestone County and was incorporated on March 28, 1873. The first high school in Limestone County was established here in 1912. Today, Elkmont’s converted railroad bed welcomes visitors to connect with the past as it passes through a Civil War battle site to the south and a covered bridge to the north.”

“TENN. & ALA. CENTRAL RAILROAD: The Tennessee & Alabama Central Railroad reached Elkmont in the fall of 1859. By 1862, the Union army controlled North Alabama and the railroad, an important supply line from Nashville to Chattanooga and Atlanta. 1.1 miles south of this spot is the site of one of the bloodiest land battles in Alabama at Sulphur Creek Trestle, part of the Sept. 1864 raids of C.S.A. General N.B. Forrest. The rail line became the Nashville & Decatur Railroad in 1866. The Louisville & Nashville Railroad had control by 1871, and in 1887, built the existing depot. The L&N served this area many years, brining perishable goods, mail, providing transportation and export of cotton. L&N became part of the seaboard system in 1982. The line was abandoned in April 1986.”

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I encountered this historical marker during a trip to Elkmont last Thursday when my brother-in-law and I visited the small town to hike 10-2-mile long Richard Martin Trail. The trail is a rails-to-trails project that opened to hikers, cyclists and horseback riders in October 2008. It ends about five miles north of Elkmont at the Tennessee line in the small town of Veto, Ala. On the hike north of Elkmont, you’ll encounter the covered bridge mentioned on the marker above. Hiking south will bring you to the Sulpher Creek Trestle battle site.

If you ever find yourself in Elkmont, be sure to visit the Belle Chevre, goat cheese maker with its headquarters in Elkmont. In addition to its cheese creamery, you’ll also find the Belle Chevre Cheese Shop & Tasting Room, which opened in an Elkmont store front in April 2013. My brother-in-law stopped in for a bite to eat and it was mighty tasty.

In the end, visit this site next Wednesday to learn about another historical marker. I’m also taking suggestions from the reading audience, so if you know of an interesting historical marker that you’d like me to feature, let me know in the comments section below.