Tennessee State Library and Archives
Tennessee Outdoors: Parks, Conservation, and Wildlife
 
Intro Conservation Wildlife Recreation Parks

 

Montgomery Bell State Park

 

Map of Montgomery Bell State Park

Map of Montgomery Bell State Park

January 15, 1935

Archives Map Collection

 

 

Montgomery Bell

Montgomery Bell (1769-1855)

Library Picture Collection

Montgomery Bell State Park encompasses more than 3,700 acres in Dickson County, which is located in Middle Tennessee. It was built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression.

The park’s namesake, known as "Tennessee’s First Iron Master," was a wealthy industrialist — some say the richest in the South before the Civil War — who owned hundreds of slaves (he emancipated most of them by the time he died in 1855). His iron furnaces produced farms tools that were used throughout the South and cannonballs for Andrew Jackson’s armies during the War of 1812.

The land the park occupies is also known as the birthplace of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

 

Dogwood trees in Montgomery Bell State Park

Dogwood trees in Montgomery Bell State Park

April 15, 1938

RG 82, Department of Conservation Photograph Collection

 

Entrance to Montgomery Bell State Park

Entrance to Montgomery Bell State Park

May 1, 1951

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Cabin at Montgomery Bell State Park

Cabin at Montgomery Bell State Park

June 12, 1938

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Montgomery Bell Inn

Montgomery Bell Inn
Montgomery Bell State Park

May 2, 1951

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Girl Scout camper

Girl Scouts camper, Nancy Griffin of Nashville,
writing home from camp
Montgomery Bell State Park

July 19, 1950

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Fishing at Montgomery Bell State Park

Fishing at
Montgomery Bell State Park

July 29, 1938

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Canoeing demontration

Canoeing demonstration for Girl Scouts campers
Montgomery Bell State Park

August 1, 1946

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Lifeguard at Montgomery Bell State Park

Lifeguard at Montgomery Bell State Park

July 29, 1938

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

Fish caught at Montgomery Bell State Park

Fish caught at Montgomery Bell State Park

August 1, 1947

RG 82, Department of Conservation
Photograph Collection

 

Purple Iris

Purple iris at Montgomery Bell State Park

April 11, 1953

RG 82, Department of Conservation Photograph Collection

 

 

 

 

Section researched and written by Susan Gordon, Archivist.

 

 

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