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Wartrace, like Bell Buckle, is a Bedford
County town made by the railroad. Established in 1852
on the Nashville and Chattanooga road, the small
community quickly became a brisk center of trade and
local manufacturing, rapidly outdistancing its rival,
Fairfield. As well, in typical nineteenth-century
fashion, the town became a small center of refinement.
The Wartrace Academy (no longer exists) was established
in 1860, while private citizens associated with the
railroad built a number of gracious homes at the end of
the 19th century, many of which endure to
this day. After the war the town would become vital to
the development of the walking horse industry, claiming
the title “Cradle of the Walking Horse.”
During the Tullahoma Campaign, Wartrace
served as headquarters for Confederate Lieutenant
General William J. Hardee’s Corps of the Army of
Tennessee (division commander Patrick Cleburne also had
his headquarters here, while two of his brigades were
stationed near the town). However, only two buildings
in Wartrace date from the period. Although cavalry
engagements occurred here during the campaign, the true
importance of the town is that from here General Hardee
controlled the entire right of Bragg’s line, and it was
this same right flank that Union general Rosecrans
turned on his way to Manchester.
The town center that faces the depot is
an Historic District on the National Register. All of
the buildings, except the Chockley Inn, date from the
early 20th century.
Historic and Historical Civil War Resources:
Chockley Tavern
– An 1850s tavern, inn, and stagecoach stop, the
Chockley House was a meeting place for Confederate
officers in the area, including Patrick Cleburne. It is
here that Cleburne was thought to have first pushed his
idea of enlisting slaves in the army, a plea firmly
rejected. Currently, the house is being restored.
Sims-Maxwell House
– Built in 1854, sits above town and is not part of the
Historic District.
Wartrace Redoubt
– The archaeological remains of a redoubt sit atop a
hill overlooking the town.
Wartrace/Shelbyville Railroad Spur
– Built in 1852, an eight-mile railroad spur to
Shelbyville begins almost in the middle of town. Tours
to Wartrace from Shelbyville take place via rail in the
summer on the Walking Horse and Eastern Railroad Train.
Bell
Buckle, Fairfield,
Beech Grove,
Wartrace,
Shelbyville,
Tullahoma,
Manchester,
Estill Springs/Allisonia,
Decherd,
Winchester,
Cowan, Sewanee |
