Old Stone Fort
Mill in an Ancient Fort
State: Tennessee
County: Coffee County
Founded: 1850
Abandoned: 1890s
Peak Population: 200
In the 1850s, entrepreneurs built a paper mill inside the walls of a 2,000-year-old Native American ceremonial site. The mill village grew, then faded when business moved elsewhere. Today, Old Stone Fort State Park preserves both the ancient enclosure and the ruins of the 19th-century village.
Ancient Site
The 'fort' is actually a 2,000-year-old ceremonial enclosure built by Middle Woodland peoples. Walls and ditches enclose 50 acres between two forks of the Duck River.
Mill Era
A paper mill, cotton gin, and other industries operated here in the mid-1800s. When they closed, the workers left.
Timeline
- 100 CE - Ancient Construction Native Americans built the enclosure
- 1850 - Mill Village Industrial operations began
- 1890s - Abandoned Mills closed
- 1966 - State Park Park established
Plan Your Visit
Best Time: Spring for waterfalls
Difficulty: Easy
Time Needed: 2 hours
Quick Facts
- Ancient walls are over 2,000 years old
- Combines prehistoric and 19th-century ruins
- Beautiful waterfalls nearby
Location
Address: Old Stone Fort State Park, Manchester, TN
Coordinates: 35.4753, -86.0969