Date Visited: 4/5/2019
Born on August 18, 1774 near Charlottesville, VA, Meriwether Lewis is probably best known for being the primary leader of the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition to Oregon.
But Meriwether Lewis was an accomplished man, having served as a U.S. Army Captain, private secretary to President Thomas Jefferson, and at the time of his death, Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory.
While serving as governor, Lewis found himself caught up in an financial scandal. In an effort clear his name he left New Orleans and headed up the trace toward Washington D.C.
On the night of October 11, 1809, at the age of 35, while staying at Grinder’s Stand he died from a gunshot wound while lying in bed. The death was ruled a suicide, but was later refuted by a friend.
The monument you see above was erected over his gravesite by the state of Tennessee in 1848. What appears to be a break at the top of the monument was designed to mark a life cut short.
Attempts by family descendants to exhume the body and put the mystery surrounding his death to rest have been denied by the National Park Service.
The cabin you see here is not the original building where Lewis died, but a replica designed to show the typical construction of the time and has been erected at the approximate site of Grinder’s Stand.
Inside you will find a detailed account of Lewis’ life, as well as a history of the Natchez Trace and the surrounding area.
There are several markers and informational signs along the paths near and around the monument. History buffs can spend a lot of time here reading all of the information in the visitor center as well as the stone inscriptions and information signs.
This is a favorite stop along the parkway with today’s travelers, not only because of the monument, but because it is the last (going north on the trace) of the three free campgrounds provided by the National Park Service.
Make a mental note here that on the way to the campground we passed a solo female hiker who looked vaguely familiar. She raised her stick to say hello and we’ll tell you more about that story next week.
Unlike at the Jeff Busby campground, we had better luck securing our spot for the night.
The campsites were slopped, but due to the interior design of our SUV we prefer a downward sloping campsite to level out our bed.
The campground is open (or at least was when we visited) so there is no privacy between the campsites. The bathrooms were clean, but without showers.
We were parked next to the camp host, so everyone around us was on their best behavior, which made for a wonderfully peaceful night. We had dinner, listened to the owls in the distance, and settled in for the night.
In the morning we would spend our last day taking in the roadside sites along the trace. We would see a beautiful waterfall and meet a most interesting solo female hiker who has become my silent hero. But more on that later.
Until then…
Meriwether Lewis National Monument & Campground Natchez Trace Pkwy. Hohenwald, TN 38462 662-680-4025 800-305-7417 Official Website GPS: 35.5225, -87.456
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