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Fort Donelson National Battlefield

4.5 (22 reviews)
Closed 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

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John B.

I've seen quite a few Civil War sites, but I underestimated this one. The partially reconstructed fort sits with a rather lovely view over a river (one apparently deeper than it was at the time of the various battles due to subsequent building of dams downstream). Multiple sites offer additional historic perspective, and the tour would take a while if you visit all of them. I already put myself behind schedule by staying an hour and a half or so. My experience would not be entirely typical, as when I was there some Civil War re-enactors had traveled in from various other states to set up what appeared to be a working camp and to give a presentation on how the artillery worked. Still, even without that, the site had plenty to offer in terms of aesthetics and history, and nearby creeks looked worth exploring. No charge to visit anything here as far as I could tell.

Placard and fighting positions overlooking the Cumberland River
Dave B.

Came here with my team of active duty Soldiers from Fort Campbell and had an official guided tour. If you come on your own, it's a driving tour that is well marked. The tourists/ visited center is closed for renovation, and the temporary one has a bathroom but doesn't open until 9am. There are placards well places around the National Park and the grounds are well kept. Saw one flying Bald Eagle and several deer.

Confederate Memorial
Kevin B.

We love visiting National Parks and we got to come here today. The park is fairly small and the visitor's center is being renovated, so there's just a small temporary visitor's center there now. The park is designed where you can drive through and stop at the highlights or you can hike through it (two different 3-4 mile trails). It was 90 degrees today and sunny so we opted to drive and stop instead of hike. The battlefield is well kept, but there's very little actually remaining from that time aside from numerous cannons. There are many informational plaques present so it does help you imagine how things were actually set up for the battle. There's also a National Cemetery and a separate hotel (Dover Hotel) where the confederates surrendered. The cemetery is very well-maintained and informative, but much of the information at the Union Hotel was not present; there were books missing throughout the displays at the Union Hotel that we assumed were removed due to Covid. There was also a section that was closed as it looked like they just didn't have enough people to staff that area. This is a nice National Park to visit if you're in the area and you can go through the park in about 1 hr to 1.5 hr.

Great Parkjob by employees of the park. Good thing they have a giant park logo on the side so we know who doesnt care for the handicapped
Joe S.

Educational battlefield, but hard to enjoy when the park employees take their government issued truck and trailer and block the available handicapped parking spaces in an area.

Will A.

Fort Donelson National Park is a historic place where a couple significant Civil War Battles were fought and where both Confederate and Union forces were headquartered during the war. Just as General Grant was convinced it was time for him to surrender, the Confederate Generals (who didn't understand that they had won the battle) sent their emissary to Grant to discuss the terms of their surrender. They rest is history. And that is what is so cool about places like Ft. Donelson. It is a driving tour with stops for photos and hiking and plaques telling you what happened there and who did it. If you are even close to this place, please give it a look and learn a bit about the history and sacrifices of the brave men who fought and died here.

Guns overlooking the river.
David M.

Nice Battlefield alongside the river with a National Cemetery nearby. Many very large cannon entrenched as well as earthworks from the war.

Michael D.

Great small national battlefield park. Can be walked or driven. Friendly staff and great views of the Cumberland. Easily marked to interpret the battle. Visitor Center is being updated.

This is a horrible picture. Much better in person.

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10 months ago

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3 years ago

Very lovely park. The park ranger was very helpful and guiding me to the historical places.

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

A great, beautiful place to give your kiddos a history lesson and nice little walking trail.

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Fort Donelson National Battlefield

Review Highlights - Fort Donelson National Battlefield

there isn't a LOT there, but the museum is cool and the battlefield makes you really wonder about the tactics and logistics of the civil war.

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Dover Hotel

Dover Hotel

5.0(1 review)
0.6 mi

This is a self guided tour with an informative video on Fort Donelson and the surrender. Even…read morethough it's very small, it is very informative. Loved the view of the river from the house. The Dover Hotel (Surrender House): Famous for being the location of Confederate General Simon Buckner's surrender to Union General Ulysses S. Grant on February 16, 1862, ending the fighting at Fort Donelson. The hotel was built between 1851-1853. In early 1862, it became the headquarters for General Buckner, 1 of 3 Confederate generals at Fort Donelson at the time. He was, however, the only general remaining at the time of surrender. Confederate generals Buckner, John Bell Floyd, and Gideon Pillow met at the nearby Rice House (no longer standing) around 1:30 AM on the 16th to discuss what to do after the Confederates had failed to escape to Nashville earlier on the 15th. Floyd, who was first in charge, didn't want to be captured (Floyd was a former Secretary of War under James Buchanon, and was under indictment for conspiracy and fraud), so he turned command over to Pillow. Pillow didn't want to be captured either so he turned his command over to Buckner. Both men then snuck away before sunrise. Floyd and two regiments of infantry escaped on a steamship, and Pillow left by himself in a small boat. With Floyd and Pillow gone, Brigadier General Simon Bolivar Buckner was left in command and had the unenviable task of negotiating surrender terms with Grant. But when Buckner asked for terms, Grant's reply was that "no terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." Buckner with little choice reluctantly accepted. On February 16th, Grant arrived at Buckner's headquarters at the Dover Hotel. Buckner surrendered Fort Donelson and its approximately 13,000 defenders to U.S. Grant, who earned the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. After the battle, Union troops used the hotel as a hospital. Beyond the war, it changed ownership many times. By the late 1920s the structure was in poor condition and slated to be torn down. However, local citizens wanted to preserve it for historical purposes, and the Fort Donelson House Historical Association was formed. After a restoration project, the building, now called the Fort Donelson House, opened to the public in 1930. It was donated to Fort Donelson National Battlefield in 1959. It is the only original structure standing today where a Civil War surrender took place.

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Dover Hotel
Dover Hotel
Dover Hotel

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Bell Witch Cave

Bell Witch Cave

3.3(72 reviews)
44.2 mi

I have always been interested in the paranormal. Guess it's because my mom died when I was 10, and…read moreI longed for signs and connections. I have many years of unusual spiritual experiences. And have been drawn here, because of its dramatic history. A bit of history, On a secluded farm about 30 minutes from Clarksville, in Adams, Tennessee, lies the Bell Family Farm and the Bell Witch Cave. One of the most documented cases of a haunting in American history, most people have heard the story of the Bell Witch. From 1817 to 1821, a man named John Bell and his family were harassed by a mysterious and invisible spirit now known as the Bell Witch. According to the legend, the witch had the ability to speak, shapeshift, and be in multiple places at once. Former president Andrew Jackson was quoted as saying "I had rather face the entire British Army than to spend another night with the Bell Witch" after he and some of his troops spent a night at the Bell's farm. The tour is good, the area and history draw you in. I felt sadness, and history, energy lingering. There are books, movies, songs about this family, and scientific research. There are paranormal tours, and more for your enjoyment of the unknown!

We did the lantern tour last night with Autumn as our guide. She did an amazing job and was very…read morepatient and understanding with our small group. She took her time, gave us great historical information. The cave is a challenge ( wear good shoes ) but so worth seeing such a beautiful natural historical place. The family is doing a fantastic job at keeping this alive!! I hope to return again one day!! So much to see!! Thank You again, Autumn, for a great experience!!

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Bell Witch Cave
Bell Witch Cave
Bell Witch Cave

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Ghost Ballet for East Bank Machineworks

Ghost Ballet for East Bank Machineworks

4.6(5 reviews)
64.1 miDowntown

This is a cool piece of art and great for photo ops…read more We came here to get on our cruise and came across this gem Ghost Ballet, is a public art installation and modern sculpture at the east bank of the Cumberland River between Nissan Stadium and the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge in Nashville, Tennessee. It was designed by Alice Aycock

When I virtually walked Nashville, Tennessee through the live streams that would connect me to…read moreMusic City U.S.A., before our vacation there, I would see this very unique landmark at the easternmost fringes of Broadway. It is unique in that it looks like towering fragments of twisted red roller coaster tracks towering above a historic strip of honkey tonk. Throughout my pre-Nashville virtual walks through live streams, I would see "Ghost Ballet" when walking virtually East on Broadway and at the start of a virtual walk along the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Eighteen years after this Alice Aycock work of art was completed in 2007, we got to see it when we vacationed in Nashville from June 23 to June 29, 2025. In similar fashion to the live streams that I virtually walked, my eyes took it in when they looked east on Broadway. In actuality, "Ghost Ballet" is on the East bank of the Cumberland River horizontal to Broadway. Broadway concludes at the Riverfront Park which fronts the Cumberland River in Downtown Nashville. This is where I spent several minutes looking across the Cumberland River at a vista where "Ghost Ballet" visually dances between Nissan Stadium and the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. When I write "visually dances," I describe some of the meaning of the artwork that looks like twisted roller coaster tracks. According to Wikipedia, Alice Aycock,who created it was attentive to the way it changes shapes the way the person moves around it from the numerous viewing points in Downtown. This movement reminded her of dance movements, hence the name of "Ghost Ballet." When I looked across the Cumberland River at "Ghost Ballet,"was I looking at the remnants of a riverside theme park?" In actuality the red twisted metal is actually railroad-like red twisted twisted that pay tribute to the railroad heritage along the Cumberland River. The Cumberland River with "Ghost Ballet" as the centerpiece made for some camera candy. The vintage point from Riverfront Park is a prime Nashville photo spot. I also took in a higher elevation view of the"Ghost Ballet " from the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. Standing at 100 feet tall and 100 feet wide, from viewing it on the higher elevation of the bridge, it appeared that I was looking straight at it instead of below. Come to think of it, this might of made for a Four Star roller coaster. In conclusion, I rate "Ghost Ballet" Four Stars for being a very visually appealing work of public art and a landmark.

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Ghost Ballet for East Bank Machineworks
Ghost Ballet for East Bank Machineworks
Ghost Ballet for East Bank Machineworks

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Fort Donelson National Battlefield - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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