Old Fort Park and Golf Course facts for kids

Old Fort Park and Golf Course is a big park and public golf course in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. It covers about 50 acres.

The main entrance to Old Fort Park.

This park is special because it includes Fortress Rosecrans, a huge fort from the American Civil War. It also has paths that connect to the city's Greenway system. The park is surrounded by two rivers, the West Fork of the Stones River and Lytle Creek. A small stream called Springs Branch also runs through it.

Old Fort Park: A Fun Place to Visit

The land for Old Fort Park was once a private farm. The City of Murfreesboro bought it in 1965. The park officially opened on October 29, 1977.

This park is about 50 acres (20 hectares) in size. It has three picnic areas, two playgrounds, and two baseball fields. There are also eight tennis courts and lots of open green spaces. In 2010, the city started a big project to improve the park's waterways and protect its natural areas. This project cost $330,000.

In October 2013, the city began building a new indoor tennis center. This project cost $3.7 million. It was a partnership with Middle Tennessee State University. The center has eight new tennis courts. It is open to the public and also serves as the home for the university's tennis teams.

Kids' Castle: A Giant Playground

The main playground at the park is called "Kids' Castle." It was built in 1995 where an older playground used to be. The first Castle was made of wood. In 2012, it was rebuilt using new, strong materials. This update cost $300,000. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation helped pay for part of the new Castle.

Fortress Rosecrans: A Civil War Giant

Fortress Rosecrans is a massive fortification made of earth. It was built in 1863 during the American Civil War. Union General James Morton led its construction. The fort was named after William Rosecrans, who was a commander in the Union Army.

This was the largest fort built during the Civil War. It covered about 255 acres (103 hectares). Its outer walls stretched for about 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers)!

The fort was built after the Battle of Stones River. It originally had eight smaller forts called lunettes, four strongholds called redoubts, a sawmill, and places to store supplies and house soldiers. Fortress Rosecrans was built near the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad and two main roads. This made it a very important place for the Union Army to get supplies. By June 1863, about 2,394 soldiers were stationed there. By October, the 22nd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment was also there.

How the Fort Was Built

About 4,000 people helped build the fort. Many of them were African-Americans. The fort's walls were very tall, usually 10 to 15 feet (3 to 4.5 meters) high. They were also very thick, about 25 feet (7.6 meters) wide at the bottom. The walls were made of packed earth with wooden planks to make them stronger. A 10-foot (3 meter) deep ditch was dug in front of the walls. This ditch was filled with sharpened sticks to stop enemy attacks.

Fortress Rosecrans Today

The fortress was never directly attacked during the Civil War. Over time, much of it was lost due to new buildings and development. Of its original 14,000 feet (4,267 meters) of earthworks, only about 3,000 feet (914 meters) remain today. These remaining parts make up the "Fortress Rosecrans" section of the park. Only one of the four inner strongholds, Redoubt Brannan, still exists. However, Redoubt Brannan is outside the park's boundaries.

The fort's remains are located between the park's tennis courts and the golf course. There are special walking paths and boardwalks that go through the remaining parts of the fort. Along these paths, you can find signs with facts, diagrams, and quotes about how the fort was built and its history. The park's "Fortress Rosecrans" trailhead for the Greenway is also located here.

Old Fort Golf Club: Hit the Greens!

The Old Fort Golf Club was started by the City of Murfreesboro in 1985. It was designed by Leon Howard and Denis Griffiths. This golf course has 18 holes. It is 6,859 yards long, and a good score for the course is 72 (this is called "Par").

The golf club has two large putting and chipping greens, each about 8,000 square feet. There is also a clubhouse. If you want to learn golf, you can take classes for beginners or more advanced players. Private lessons are also available with a professional golf instructor from the PGA.

There are three golf groups at the Club: the Men's Golf Association, the Ladies' Golf Association, and the Senior League.

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