On the south side of State Route 57 East, near the intersection of SR 22, a weathered historical marker denotes the Battle of Shiloh. Taking place April 6-7, 1862, the engagement also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was one of the Civil War’s major early battles.
Visit the Shiloh National Military Park, just north in the town of Shiloh, and you’ll find fascinating exhibits recounting the days when musket fire and cannon blasts shook the landscape — a fitting metaphor to the thunderous strikes and explosive power of feisty largemouth and smallmouth bass abounding in nearby Pickwick Lake, Tennessee.
Stretching 52.7 miles and covering approximately 43,000 acres, with islands, bluffs, creeks, ledges, docks and shallow cover, the lake is an absolute treasure. With multiple B.A.S.S. events to its credit, Pickwick offers incredible habitat diversity with healthy populations of largemouth and smallmouth, along with whopper catfish, tasty crappie, panfish galore and plenty of striped, spotted and white bass.
This magnificent Tennessee Valley Authority reservoir has long enjoyed a national reputation as a stellar fishery and Hardin County Tourism Director Beth Pippin points to the convenient access via Pickwick Landing State Park, along with a delightful bouquet of historical and cultural elements found at the lake’s Hardin County commencement.
“Our biggest draws are Pickwick Landing State Park and Shiloh National Military Park; we’re blessed to have a national park and a state park,” Pippin said. “The Tennessee River runs right down the middle of the county and while we attract a lot of people for (vacations), we also attract a lot of people looking to relocate. They want that waterfront and we have river on both sides, plus the big lake.”
A little background
First settled in 1815 by Colonel Joseph Hardin, the county bears the name of the Assemblyman for the North Carolina Colony who fought in the Tryon County militia during the Revolutionary War. After the war, Hardin was a co-founder and second Speaker of the House for the State of Franklin; and an Assemblyman in the Southwest Territory before its statehood as Tennessee.
Today’s Hardin County includes the incorporated cities of Savannah, Crump and Saltillo; along with communities such as Pickwick, Walnut Grove and Burnt Church.
Significantly impacting Hardin’s prominence was the 1938 completion of Pickwick Dam. Taking its name from a local post office — originally inspired by Charles Dickens’ first novel, The Pickwick Papers — the dam and its impoundment were created during Roosevelt’s New Deal Era, which spawned the Tennessee Valley Authority. With the dam operational, Pickwick became one of the nation’s first all-electric cities.
Interesting tidbit: In 1969, the TVA transferred the land that housed the dam’s construction workers to the state of Tennessee to create the Pickwick Landing State Park. A recent $11 million dollar renovation project updated and elevated several elements of the property. To learn more about the $11 million dollar renovation click here!
Did you know?
- The Tennessee River flows north through Hardin County.
- Country music star and Darrel Worley lives on a farm in Savannah an his foundation built the local Cancer Treatment Center. Worley presents a free Labor Day concert on Pickwick Pickwick.
- During the Battle of Shiloh, Ulysses S. Grant’s headquarters were located in Savannah at the Cherry Mansion. This private residence hosts the annual “General’s Breakfast,” with actors portraying Grant and other period characters.
- Hardin County is a major proponent of Retire Tennessee, a program aimed at attracting retirees to the area’s comfortable lifestyle.
Get in step
For the health and wellness of locals and visitors, Hardin County Tourism has partnered with Tennessee Department of Economic Development and the Governor’s Three Star Program to create the Fit as a Fiddle. Giving a nod to the region’s musical heritage, the self-guided hiking program offers incentives to anyone willing to visit Hardin County’s diverse parks and communities on foot.
The requirements are simple: Just hike five or more of the 13 featured trails, fill out a trail log (brochure available online) and return it to the Tennessee River Museum at 495 Main Street, Savannah, TN with selfie documentation and receive an award.
Rich with history, culture, recreation and sweet southern ambiance, Hardin County’s well worth a visit. Whether it’s reeling in another keeper, learning about Tennessee River Valley history at the Tennessee River Museum, reflecting on valor and sacrifice at the Savannah Veterans Memorial Park, or relaxing in the tranquility of Pickwick Landing State Park’s butterfly garden, there’s something special for all.
To learn more about this enchanting destination, visit www.TourHardinCounty.org.