Before the construction of Interstate 24 in the 1960’s and 1970’s, the roads around the Medical Center Parkway and Fortress Blvd. interchange looked very different. In fact, those two roads didn’t even exist until much later as large farms populated the area.
Wilkinson Pike itself was drastically changed by the highway plans. If we go all the way back to the 1860’s, Wilkinson’s Pike was a dirt road that ran west from the Nashville Pike near its crossing of the Stones River. Although the road now ends at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce building, imagine the road running through I-24 and connecting to what is now known as Manson Pike in the area where it crosses Overall Creek. From the wooden bridge over the creek, Wilkinson’s Pike continued west to Wilkinson’s Crossroads, where current Blackman Road intersects Wilkinson in the Blackman community. From there, Wilkinson continued west to the Almaville Community along what is now Burnt Knob Road. After taking a brief jog, you could take another dirt road called Bole Jacks Road to the Nolensville Pike just north of Triune.
Although these roadways have new names applied over the years, the historical roadbeds are still a major part of the history in the 1860’s. It all starts with General William Rosecrans’ plan to advance his army from Nashville to face the enemy in Murfreesboro. His three corps were given different routes to take with different objectives. For Major General Alexander McCook and his Right Wing, his troops marched through Nolensville to Triune trying to locate the large Confederate corps under Lt. Gen William Hardee.
Once it was determined that Hardee had withdrawn, McCook on December 29th marched his troops towards Murfreesboro along Bole Jacks Road. At Wilkinson’s Crossroads, McCook met resistance from the Confederates in a skirmish. After dispatching the enemy, McCook camped overnight at the crossroads while also securing the bridge at Overall Creek. On December 30th, McCook’s army had a major fight near Gresham Lane (see related article) as he took position opposite of the Confederate’s Left Flank.
Although the skirmish at Wilkinson’s Crossroads became just a footnote in the Battle of Stones River Campaign, Wilkinson’s Pike played a more important role two years later. In a fight eventually called The Battle of Cedars (or The Third Battle of Murfreesboro), General Nathan Bedford Forrest brings his forces to Murfreesboro. This battle occurs after the Battle of Franklin from December 5 through 7, 1864 while they were preparing to attack Nashville. Although Forrest’s initial objective was to damage the railroad line, he turned his attention to capturing the major Union supply depot at Fortress Rosecrans.
In the area where the historic Wilkinson’s Pike crosses Overall Creek to the current site of the Chamber of Commerce building, Forrest’s troops met a force of Union troops dispatched from the fortress under the command of Major General Robert Milroy. In what many consider the worst defeat of Forrest’s command, the smaller Union forces were able to repel the attack at Overall Creek and the surrounding lands near the roadway. Although the Battle of the Cedars is often overlooked, it kept the Union supply lines to General Sherman in Georgia intact while providing a demoralizing blow to the Confederates as they faced their efforts to take Nashville.
- by Thomas Zei
Wilkinson Pike itself was drastically changed by the highway plans. If we go all the way back to the 1860’s, Wilkinson’s Pike was a dirt road that ran west from the Nashville Pike near its crossing of the Stones River. Although the road now ends at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce building, imagine the road running through I-24 and connecting to what is now known as Manson Pike in the area where it crosses Overall Creek. From the wooden bridge over the creek, Wilkinson’s Pike continued west to Wilkinson’s Crossroads, where current Blackman Road intersects Wilkinson in the Blackman community. From there, Wilkinson continued west to the Almaville Community along what is now Burnt Knob Road. After taking a brief jog, you could take another dirt road called Bole Jacks Road to the Nolensville Pike just north of Triune.
Although these roadways have new names applied over the years, the historical roadbeds are still a major part of the history in the 1860’s. It all starts with General William Rosecrans’ plan to advance his army from Nashville to face the enemy in Murfreesboro. His three corps were given different routes to take with different objectives. For Major General Alexander McCook and his Right Wing, his troops marched through Nolensville to Triune trying to locate the large Confederate corps under Lt. Gen William Hardee.
Once it was determined that Hardee had withdrawn, McCook on December 29th marched his troops towards Murfreesboro along Bole Jacks Road. At Wilkinson’s Crossroads, McCook met resistance from the Confederates in a skirmish. After dispatching the enemy, McCook camped overnight at the crossroads while also securing the bridge at Overall Creek. On December 30th, McCook’s army had a major fight near Gresham Lane (see related article) as he took position opposite of the Confederate’s Left Flank.
Although the skirmish at Wilkinson’s Crossroads became just a footnote in the Battle of Stones River Campaign, Wilkinson’s Pike played a more important role two years later. In a fight eventually called The Battle of Cedars (or The Third Battle of Murfreesboro), General Nathan Bedford Forrest brings his forces to Murfreesboro. This battle occurs after the Battle of Franklin from December 5 through 7, 1864 while they were preparing to attack Nashville. Although Forrest’s initial objective was to damage the railroad line, he turned his attention to capturing the major Union supply depot at Fortress Rosecrans.
In the area where the historic Wilkinson’s Pike crosses Overall Creek to the current site of the Chamber of Commerce building, Forrest’s troops met a force of Union troops dispatched from the fortress under the command of Major General Robert Milroy. In what many consider the worst defeat of Forrest’s command, the smaller Union forces were able to repel the attack at Overall Creek and the surrounding lands near the roadway. Although the Battle of the Cedars is often overlooked, it kept the Union supply lines to General Sherman in Georgia intact while providing a demoralizing blow to the Confederates as they faced their efforts to take Nashville.
- by Thomas Zei