TUSCUMBIA – This past week was a big one for the Natchez Trace Parkway Association. Part of a continuing effort, the War 0f 1812 Bicentennial celebration centered around the events near the historical Colbert’s Ferry Site and Park on the Trace near Cherokee, Alabama.
This was the second time that a commemorative dinner was held at Tuscumbia’s Roundhouse for the Trace Association members and guests. Many of the attendees wore recreated costumes from the period. With just a small touch of eye-squinting and imagination, an observer could look around the room and see European settlers, members of the United States military forces, and American Indians… all gathered together in one room. The only thing that was probably different last Friday, from what would have been the situation a hundred and eighty-odd years ago, is that the room was filled with folks who genuinely enjoyed each other’s company!
The dinner, expertly prepared by Nickie Campbell, was the fare that one would have eaten in the day. It was excellent!
The highlight of the evening came after dinner. It was a performance of an Indian Council that might have been held by the Great Shawnee Chief Tecumseh with local Chief’s representatives of the tribes from here in the South. (The issue was, what should the tribes do with regard to the Europeans who were assimilating on Indian lands. Fight? Cooperate? Tecumseh came to Colbert’s Ferry on a small keelboat, to convince the local leaders to join the fight. His idea was to create an independent Native American nation east of the Mississippi under British protection. It didn’t work out and Tecumseh boarded his boat, never to return to the South.) This performance was also presented all three days of the Colbert Ferry park event.
The Quad-Cities Daily was on hand Friday to record the evening in EVENT PHOTOS. They capture the attendees at the dinner and some of the Indian Council re-enactment. Make yourself a print! Please remember, NO COMMERCIAL USES PLEASE.
