LCTHF Tour of Cumberland Gap and Historic Sites

LCTHF Annual Meeting 2024

Post Trip to the Cumberland Gap and Historic Sites

Sept. 26-28, 2024

Trip requires a minimum of 25 people.

Outline and Itinerary

Thursday, Sept. 26:

9 AM Board Buses for Trip. The first leg of the trip will take us into Stuarts Draft, a heavily Mennonite community in August County, to visit the birthplace of John Coulter. Leaving John Coulter’s birthplace, we will continue on to the Cyrus McCormick Farm, known originally as Walnut Grove in Steele’s Tavern, located on the border of Augusta and Rockbridge Counties. Here McCormick invented the reaper in the blacksmith shop, which is still standing in what is now known as “A Virginia Agricultural Station.” From McCormick Farm we will travel onto Natural Bridge, a 200’ natural arch that is on the National Register of Historic Places.

11 AM We will depart Natural Bridge for Botetourt County and Fincastle. Fincastle was the home of Julia Hancock where she was raised in Santillane and married to William Clark in January of 1808. We will be able to view the marriage license of William Clark and Judith (Julia) Hancock if the courthouse records can be accessed. The records are in a temporary building while the courthouse is being renovated. We will enjoy lunch in Fincastle before traveling onto Montgomery County and her burial site at Fotheringay. Her parents moved to Fotheringay after a devastating fire at Santilane.

2:30 PM We will continue down Rt. 11, “the Wilderness Road,” to Abingdon, and check in at the Country Inn and Suites.

5:15 PM We will leave for dinner at “The Tavern,” (choice of 3 entrees), an 1779 historic tavern where it is believed both Meriwether Lewis and William Clark stayed while traveling back and forth from Missouri.

7 PM. We will depart the Tavern and head to the Barter Theatre for a performance of “The Play That Goes Wrong,” returning to our hotel by 10 PM.

Friday, Sept.27:

9:00 AM Board Buses for trip to the Veterans’ Memorial Park, which commemorated the Return trip where Native American guests and members of the expedition stayed in Washington County. We will then travel onto Walnut Grove, home of Robert Preston. It is the oldest home in Washington County, built in 1790, and Robert’s son John hosted William Clark there in 1809.

10:30 AM Continue on Buses to lunch at Haymaker Farms Restaurant and then onto historic Martin’s Station Historic State Park, which was constructed on land that was on a well-trod Native American trail, the Alantowamiowee Trail. We will tour the fort and the buildings and exhibits on it.

3:30 PM Board the buses for the Cumberland Gap. Check into our motel.

6:30 PM Dinner at Pine Mountain State Park in the Cumberland Gap State Park.

Saturday, Sept. 28

Breakfast at the Hotel

Hike through the Cumberland Gap (Optional)

10:30 AM Board Buses for stop at NOAA Medallion erected to commemorate Meriwether Lewis’ survey off Rt. US58 at the Wilderness Campground at the Cumberland Gap. He was extremely accurate in this survey. We will then continue on to Marion, VA for lunch at Macado’s.

1:30 PM Board Buses for stop at Ingles Ferry and Ingles settlement on the New River near Radford. It was the site where Mary Ingles was kidnapped by the Shawnee Indians and where William Clark crossed the river at least 5 times.

4:00 PM Return to Charlottesville.

Host or Publisher Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center