Passenger Creek facts for kids
Passenger Creek, once known as Parsons Creek, is a small waterway in Montgomery County, Tennessee, United States. It starts near Sango, Tennessee, and flows northwest. Eventually, it joins the Red River, which passes through Port Royal, Tennessee, and is east of Clarksville, Tennessee. This creek winds its way through both farm areas and quiet country neighborhoods.
What is Passenger Creek?
Passenger Creek is an important part of the local landscape. It helps carry water from the surrounding land into larger rivers. The creek's journey ends when it flows into the Red River. The Red River then continues its path to the Cumberland River.
The Great Flood of 2010
In May 2010, a very big flood hit the Clarksville, Tennessee, area. This event is often called the "Great Flood of 2010." During this time, Passenger Creek rose much higher than usual.
The land around Adams and Clarksville has many large hills but only a few creeks and rivers. When heavy rain falls, the water collects at the bottom of these hills. Then, it rushes into the few creeks that are there, like Passenger Creek. Because a large area feeds water into these small creeks, the water levels can rise very quickly and much higher than people might expect.
This is what happened in 2010. Passenger Creek, along with a smaller creek called Coon Creek, poured a lot of water into the Red River. The Red River then flowed into the Cumberland River. This caused a lot of damage, especially along Riverside Drive in Clarksville. The flood caused over $36 million in damages in Montgomery County.
Passenger Creek and the Trail of Tears
Passenger Creek has a connection to an important part of American history. In 1838, many Native American people were forced to leave their homes. This difficult journey is known as the "Trail of Tears."
One of the main routes for this journey, called the "Northern Route," went right through Port Royal, Tennessee. This is exactly where Passenger Creek meets the Red River. People have found arrowheads and other handmade stone tools in this area. It is possible that Native Americans and the U.S. soldiers guiding them might have camped along Passenger Creek as they traveled west. This creek would have been a good place to rest and find water during their long journey.
