MB - a Most Endangered Historic Place Sat, 29 Apr 2000 15:54:32 -0400 From: tom kunesh Moccasin Bend has been nominated to the the National Trust for Historic Preservation's year 2000 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places due to the continued threat of potential development (our local congressman has personally tabled any action on the National Park enacting legislation, thereby exposing the land to municipal development and preventing any federal protection) and the continued loss of the riverbank, already missing 30 feet of shoreline washed away in the past five years alone due to the varying levels of water in the TVA Nickajack Reservoir and increased commercial and recreational traffic on the river. This erosion is especially detrimental to the Native American town sites and burial grounds. We seek your help in submitting more support - more nominations -for its inclusion in the list. "While listing does not ensure the protection of a site or guarantee funding, it has proven to be a powerful tool for raising awareness and rallying resources to save threatened sites. Some key victories include Antietam Battlefield, Block Island's Southeast Light, Montana's Virginia City, Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C., and the last remaining original McDonald's in Downey, Calif. To date, no site named to the list has been lost. " http://www.nthp.org/main/endangered/1999/11most/moreabout.html download a nomination form at: http://www.nthp.org/main/endangered/11most_nomination_form.pdf --- 1999 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. http://www.nthp.org/main/endangered/heritage.html --- http://tps.cr.nps.gov/nhl/detail.cfm?ResourceId=1965&ResourceType=District National Historic Landmarks Moccasin Bend Archeological District Chattanooga, Tennessee County of Hamilton. National Register Number: 86003510 Resource type: District. The threat level was Priority 1 in 1995; Priority 3 in 1996. Certified Local Government: NO NPS Contact: Southeast Support Office. Atlanta Federal Center, 1924 Building, 100 Alabama St. SW, Atlanta GA 30303 , Ph. 404/562-3171 Statement of Significance (as of September 8, 1986): This is the best preserved and most important compact, yet diverse, sample of archeological remains known in the Tennessee River Valley, indicative of Chattanooga's pivotal status in trade, communications, economics, and political importance in the interior Southeast. The site includes evidence of occupation by Native American groups of the Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian periods; because of 16th-century Spanish trade and gift items found there, the site provides significant opportunities to study the early contact period in the Southeast. Also included are Civil War earthworks associated with the battle of Chattanooga. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRIORITY* Emergency indicates that recent catastrophic damage has occurred that requires immediate intervention. Priority 1 (Threatened) indicates NHLs that have suffered, or are in imminent danger of, a severe loss of material integrity. Priority 2 (Watch) indicates NHLs that face impending actions or circumstances that likely will cause a loss of material integrity. Priority 3 (A blank field) indicates there is no known current or potential threat to the landmark. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------