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A Tennessee state park takes pains to go back to its genuine roots.
Jackie Fischer honed her skills as a historic interpreter at Virginia’s Wilderness Road State Park, about 10 miles east of the Cumberland Gap.
But since 2016, Fischer has helped change the name of what was once called “Davy Crockett Birthplace State Historic Park.” That Limestone landmark is now “David Crockett”—what Fischer, the park manager, says is a better reflection of the Tennessee congressman and American folk hero (1786-1836), whose legend was cemented, rightly or wrongly, as “Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier” in movies and television.
“During Crockett’s lifetime, he really was not called ‘Davy,’” says Fischer, 62. “That was a Disney thing, and it was sort of a derogatory term for him in congress.”
Fischer has done more than turn “Davy” into “David.” She also relocated a replica cabin away from the river at the park, owing to its lack of authenticity. That cabin contains concrete and milled lumber.
“It’s really hard as an interpreter to say, ‘Yes, this represents David Crockett’s cabin.’”
In its place, just above the banks of the Nolichucky River, park officials are developing a new and ever-evolving interpretive area—even to the point of moving a popular picnic shelter.
“We decided to honor the integrity of David Crockett by reclaiming it as a historic site,” Fischer says. “The Crocketts were very poor. They didn’t own the land. And we’ve been building—or re-creating—a farmstead that we feel more accurately represents Crockett’s era.”
The farmstead includes a crude log cabin and a barn plus pens for horses, mud-wallowing American guinea hogs and heirloom chickens. “We have all 18th-century breeds,” Fischer says with a smile.
“I have set my authenticity bar high,” says Fischer. “We want to try to create a really nice image that when folks come onto the farmstead, they get a really nice glimpse of 18th century life.”
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The story above appears in our Nov./Dec. 2018 issue.
