Visitors will be taken back to the earliest days of Port Royal by hearing a first hand account by long hunter and settler John Montgomery. They will then continue on their journey through time by meeting various residents from the 1830’s through the 1920’s, all have their unique stories to tell. Afterwards there will be hot apple cider, and other refreshments, as well as a bonfire to huddle around and swap stories with present day locals! The event is free and open to the public. This is the perfect fall evening outing for the whole family.

A tour listens to one of the re-enactors tell his tale

Located in Adams, Port Royal was the site of one of the earliest colonial communities and trading posts in Middle Tennessee.  It was first settled in the early 1780s, and also served as a Longhunter camp as early as 1775. The town of Port Royal was founded in 1797 and rose to great prominence in the early part of the 19th century because of its strategic location at the head of navigation on the Red River, serving all of northern Middle Tennessee and South Central Kentucky. Port Royal became the only stop in Tennessee on the “Great Western Road” stagecoach line between Nashville, Tennessee, and Golconda, Illinois, and served as such until the 20th century. In 1977, the state of Tennessee received the deed to 26 acres of land at Port Royal and designated it a State Historic Park in 1978.

Port Royal State Park is the second Tennessee State Park to be named an official site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail, joining Red Clay State Historic Park in Bradley County.   This park is a satellite of Dunbar Cave State Park.  For more information about the park, please visit www.tnstateparks.com/PortRoyal.

For more information or questions about this event and the park please contact Port Royal State Historic Area at 931-358-9696

Photo Gallery

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The chant begins and the drums follow, dancers enter the circle clad in bright colors, with open honest faces. They circle around once, twice, three times each dancer projecting their own clearly palpable welter of emotions. They exit the circle and the crowd gathers around them, it is a celebration. Welcome to the 12th annual Clarksville Native Cultural Circle Intertribal Powwow.

The Powwow showcases the culture, heritage, and traditions of all Native Americans. This years powwow is being held on October 10th and 11th . Located on Highway 238 in Port Royal, just past Port Royal State Park. The festivities start around 9:00 am on Saturday, and 10:00 am on Sunday. The Grand Entry which officially opens each day begins around Noon.

Everyone is welcome, it does not matter if you are a Native American or not! Being your family out and share in the fellowship that is such a huge part of Native American culture. Let the tranquility of the powwow grounds refresh your spirit.

One of the many traditional dances from the 2008 NCC Intertribal Powwow

NCC 2008 Powwow Head Lady Loretta Howard

The Head lady this year is Jill Smith, the head man is Chris Crosby. Faron Weeks is the Master of Ceremony. Charles Page is serving as the Head Vet. Shawn Longfeather is the arena master. This year’s Powwow Princess is Christa Koontz. The host drum is The White Horse Singers from Alabama. This year the guest drum is Southern Echo which hales from East Tennessee.

Traditional dances are part and parcel to powwows, there will be special children’s and young peoples dances as well. Scheduled performers include the Hui Hawaii O Tenesi Hawaiian Civic Club, a storyteller and flute players. Like all festivals, vendors will be on hand, however Native vendors at powwows offer only authentic Native American jewelry, arts and crafts and clothing. There will also be vendors offering food and beverages for sale. The Host Drum, The White Horse Singers have their first Album available on CD for purchase.

Members of the Hui Hawaii O Tenesi Hawaiian Civic Club perform at the 2008 NCC Powwow

There is a small admission fee: Adults are 5$; Active duty military- with ID, and children, 15 years of age and under, are admitted free; Senior citizens 65 and older pay only $2. there is no charge for parking. Proceeds from the Powwow are used to purchase Native American textbooks which are donated to area school libraries. The NCC is an charitable education non-profit organization. Charitable donations are appreciated, and are tax deductible. Visitors are reminded to wear comfortable shoes, bring a lawn chair and wear sun cover and sunscreen.

NCC Trail of Tears Memorial Walk

Be sure to come out early on Saturday October 10th, and take part in the 3rd Annual NCC trail of Tears Memorial Walk which will begin at 10:00am. The walk remembers the forced removal of the native tribes from their homelands to the Indian Territory in what became the State of Oklahoma. Diary records of the removal mentioned Port Royal, the last stop before leaving Tennessee, as an encampment site where the Cherokee stayed to re-supply, grind corn and rest. Hundreds of Cherokee died during their trip west, and thousands more perished as a consequence of relocation.

Schedule of Events

A small note these times are approximate. Native Americans typically operate on what is jokingly known as “Native American Standard time,” which basically means “it happens, when it happens”.

Saturday

• Gates open – 9 a.m.
• Port Royal Memorial Trail of Tears Walk – 10 a.m.
• Welcome – 12 p.m.
• Grand Entry – 12 p.m.
• Posting the colors and Flag Song
• Demonstrations, dancing, and storytelling
• Retiring of the colors
• Activities end at 6 p.m.
• Dinner for Drums, Dancers, Vendors, and Staff

Sunday

• Gates open – 10 a.m.
• Welcome – 12:30 p.m.
• Grand Entry – 1 p.m.
• Posting the colors and Flag Song
• Demonstrations, dancing, and storytelling
• Retiring of the colors
• Activities end at 5 p.m.

Sponsors are appreciated

The Native Cultural Circle wishes to thank all of their sponsors again this year for their support in the festival booklet. Individuals, organizations and local businesses are encouraged to show their support for this local cultural celebration. Super 8 Motel, Huntco Drive and M.L.K. Pky, just left from I-24 Exit 11, is serving as honorary guest hotel.

For more info, email inquiries to: or .

The Trail of Tears Commemorative Day will lead off the Native Cultural Circle’s annual Inter-Tribal PowWow. The Port Royal site is the only remaining uncovered segment of the original trail in Tennessee.

October 11 and 12th. Mark your calendars. The second weekend of October is just around the corner. That means the Native Cultural Circle’s Inter-Tribal PowWow is here. Every year the group hosts the annual two-day powwow as a means of educating the general public about Tennessee’s native peoples traditions, culture and customs.

Clarksville is blessed, in that the powwow site has truly historic significance, because it is staged adjacent to last remaining uncovered segment of the Trail of Tears in Tennessee. The land is included in the Port Royal State Historic Park, where the quiet beauty of the area is well suited to the occasion.

This year’s PowWow will feature traditional songs and dance; host drum is the White Horse Singers, along with 18 vendors, a silent auction, and native grown organic popcorn. All drums and the general public are welcome.

Last year, a commemorative walk celebrated the National Parks Service designating the trail segment as an authentic Trail of Tears site. Over 100 native people turned out for the walk, many wearing native regalia. State and local government officials spoke at the observance acknowledging the solemnity of the occasion and its truthful place in American history. Park Ranger David Britton greeted Native American leaders and elders, exchanged flags and read a state proclamation. Representatives from the Tennessee Indian Commission and Montgomery County government also participated in the ceremony.

Port Royal Park Ranger David Britton

Park Ranger David Britton announced Wednesday that the National Parks Service has now designated Port Royal State Park as an official Trail of Tears Historic Park. For this year’s powwow celebration, on Saturday, October 11th, at 10 AM, there will be a re-enactment of the march through the town of Port Royal. There will also be re-enactments of 1830’s domestic skills and medicine. Visitors will be able to sample the foods the Native Americans were actually provided during their encampment. Additionally, guided historical tours throughout the park will be conducted and there will be exhibits on the Trail of Tears and the Town of Port Royal. When visitors have completed their tour of the park, they are encouraged to come over to the Inter-Tribal Powwow Grounds and continue their discovery of Tennessee’s Native peoples culture.

For more information on the Trail of Tears Commemorative Day, contact Port Royal State Park Office, 931-358-9696. The park office is located at 3300 Old Clarksville-Springfield Road.

Native Americans arrive at Port Royal (2007 Festival photo)

The Trail of Tears Commemorative Walk will again be part of the Clarksville Native Cultural Circle’s Inter-Tribal Pow Wow. The pow wow, held annually on the second weekend in October, takes place at compound grounds in Port Royal. Native American heritage, culture, traditions and music are acknowledged in this local cultural celebration. Young and old, native and non-native are all welcome at this Clarksville community event.

Final preparations are underway for the Pow Wow. This Native American culture and fellowship event offers the general public an opportunity for education about Native American heritage, culture, customs, music, traditions and history. Traditional regalia, music and dances celebrating that history and heritage are part and parcel to pow wows.

Like all festivals, vendors will offer refreshments. There will be food centered around Native American dietary customs. Also, vendors will offer authentic arts and crafts, as well as clothing, jewelry and artifacts for sale.

The NCC is an historical education non-profit organization and receives no government financial support for staging this event. All funding is the result of the group’s members seeking sponsors, donations and contributions, which are appreciated and tax deductible. Sponsor opportunities are available. Individuals, organizations and local businesses are encouraged to show their support for this local cultural celebration.

Proceeds from the Pow-Wow are used to purchase Native American textbooks which are donated to area school libraries. Submit email requests for sponsorship forms to: . All forms must be returned no later than September 20th.

Wounded Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is common in North America and can be found along water habitats such as fresh and salt-water marshes, rivers, swamps, flooded meadows, lake edges, and shorelines. Their diet consists of small fish, which they spear with their long sharp beak. They are amazing creatures, able to fly at great speed from the air to the water to spear fish with powerful force.

The first time I saw one of them was beside a small creek. When it flew out in front of me up in the air screeching with its hoarse croaking squawk, I thought I had seen a long lost prehistoric pterodactyl! This bird looks tiny but is very large when in flight.

Walden’s Puddle is a wildlife refuge and rehabilitation center in Joelton,Tennessee, that takes in wildlife creatures that have been injured and helps them heal and be safely re-released into the wild. As interesting as this was to see, it was very sad to see such a magnificent creature slightly askew inside this box. However, even though it was still in the box, Elle-girl and I kept our distance. For this is a wild creature that does not understand the situation that it has been placed in.

Great Blue heron in flight

It was at this moment the lady that had brought this bird decided that his neck looked uncomfortable inside this box and decided to scoop him up like you would a small puppy so he could re adjust. Before I could warn her that she shouldn’t move him, it was too late. As she was holding him he raised his long neck focused on her face and struck her in the eye with his sharp beak.

She was stunned and tried to assure her children that were with her that she was okay, and then her eye began to bleed.

I took her inside the office at that time, where David began to administer First Aide. After cleaning the area and providing her with an eye patch he calmly instructed her to please go straight to the ER. He later explained to me that she had a small hole puncture the size of a nail in her eyeball, and would likely have severe trauma to her sight.

In the end, Walden’s Puddle was unable to contact us in time, for it was the weekend, and the Heron, did not make it through the day.

Heron, close-up

To my readers, especially those of you living near bodies of water, please, please, please, if you come in contact with an injured wild animal, birds included, do not move it. Try to contact the proper officials. Look online for a wildlife rehabilitation center near you to contact in case of something like this. A State Park, especially a Historic State Park, is not the one to handle such a situation. Though it might seem like the right thing to do, it is not. If you cannot find someone to properly remove the animal, as hard as this might sound, you should just let nature take its course.

The woman who was injured reported back to us that her vision was fine, but the bird did in fact peck a piece of her eyeball out, thankfully it missed the pupil.

Where wildlife animals are concerned please be careful!