For a time, the quiet waters of Reelfoot Lake reflected more than cypress trees, flooded timber, and West Tennessee sky.

They reflected fear.

In the early 1900s, conflict over land, access, ownership, and outside control erupted around Reelfoot Lake. What began as a fight over the future of the lake became one of the darkest and most dramatic chapters in Tennessee history.

Armed men moved through the night. Threats became violence. Homes, families, and communities were pulled into a struggle that blurred the line between local resistance and terror.

In this episode, we trace the story of the Night Riders of Reelfoot Lake: the roots of the conflict, the people caught in it, the violence that shocked Tennessee, and the way this story lived on in memory, history, and even early motion pictures.

Because at Reelfoot Lake, history does not always rise gently from the water.

Sometimes, it comes in the dark.

📚 Sources

Vanderwood, P. J. (2003). Night riders of Reelfoot Lake.

Franko, A. M. (2000). The night riders of Reelfoot Lake. Lake County Historical Society. Original articles written in 1953.

Hayes, D. G. (2017). The historic Reelfoot Lake region: The night riders of Reelfoot Lake.

Reelfoot Lake State Park Museum. (2026, April 28). Interpretive panels reviewed by author.

Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). The Night Riders of Reelfoot Lake. https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/

Carey, B. (2017, March). Reelfoot Lake and its dark history of night riders. The Tennessee Magazine.

Caldwell, R. H. (2005). Reelfoot Lake remembered.

Tennessee Secretary of State. (2023–2024). Tennessee Blue Book.

Find a Grave. (n.d.). Robert Zachary Taylor. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/60374168/robert_zachary-taylor

Bagnall, N. H. (1996). On shaky ground: The New Madrid earthquakes of 1811–1812.

Meador, M. (n.d.). The truth is not always in black or white: Facts and fictions surrounding the David Walker family lynchings.

🎙️ Credits

Hosted by Big John Summers
Produced by Summers Media Enterprises

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Old Stone Fort has stood on this bluff above the Duck River for nearly two thousand years.

Massive walls of stone and earth stretch across a natural peninsula, enclosing nearly fifty acres. To early settlers, it looked unmistakable—a fortress. A place built for defense. A place of war.

But it wasn’t.

In this episode, we walk through the long story of Old Stone Fort—from early speculation and 19th-century investigation to the archaeological work that reshaped our understanding of the site. Along the way, we explore how this place was built, how it changed over time, and what it may have meant to the people who returned here generation after generation.

We also examine the layers that came later—the mills, the industry, and the transformation of the landscape—before returning to the central question that still lingers:

If it wasn’t a fort…what was it?

🎧 Bonus Content

A full-length interview with Keith Wimberley, manager of Old Stone Fort State Park, is available for premium supporters on Patreon.

Faulkner, C. H. (1968). The Old Stone Fort: Exploring an Archaeological Mystery. University of Tennessee Press.

Davenport, S., & Gibson, J. (2023). The Duck River: A river like no other. The Tennessee Conservationist.

Mayo, B. (2019, November 6). Old Stone Fort: A solstice ceremonial site surrounded by river waterfalls. Murfreesboro Pulse.

Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Coffee County.

Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park.

Tennessee Historical Commission. (n.d.). Historical Marker 2E 29: Manchester.

Tennessee History for Kids. (n.d.). Old Stone Fort.

Wimberley, K. (2026, April 7). Personal interview.

L’Amour, L. (1985). Jubal Sackett. Bantam Books.

Interpretive materials and video presentation, Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park museum.

Hosted by Big John Summers
Produced by Summers Media Enterprises

Music by Big John Summers

Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional content, including on-location videos and historical insights.

Support the show on Patreon for:

• Early access to episodes
• Ad-free listening
• Exclusive bonus content, including full-length interviews

🎧 Support the show on Patreon (early access, bonus content, interviews):
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🧢 Merch & Apparel:
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📘 Follow on Facebook:
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Love what you're hearing? Hate what you're hearing? Either way, we'd love to hear what you think!

Support the show by subscribing to Patreon!

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If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.

The 1899 University of the South (Sewanee) Tigers football team is one of the most remarkable stories in the history of college athletics. In a single six-day stretch, this team traveled by train across the South and defeated five opponents—shutting out each one—without the benefits enjoyed by modern teams. It’s a story of endurance, discipline, and a level of toughness that’s hard to fully appreciate today. And that was only part of the season…

In this episode, we walk through that legendary run—game by game—and place it in the broader context of the sport at the turn of the 20th century.

Sources

Jetmundsen, N., Jr., & Fecteau, K. D. (2024). Unrivaled: Sewanee 1899. Shakerag Hollow Press.

New Sewanee. (n.d.). History of the Domain and University heritage.

Register, W. (2016). Remembering ninety-nine iron: A historical perspective on the legendary football team that won five games in six days. Sewanee perspectives: On the history of the University of the South (2nd ed., pp. 345–404). The University of the South.

Sewanee Athletics. (2021). Sewanee traditions: The 1899 team.
https://sewaneetigers.com/sports/2021/4/28/sewanee-traditions-1899Team.aspx

Sewanee Athletics. (n.d.). Sewanee Athletics Hall of Fame.
https://sewaneetigers.com/honors/sewanee-athletics-hall-of-fame

University of the South. (2024). Sewanee Athletics celebrates 2024 Hall of Fame inductees.
Sewanee 1899 Project. (2024). Unsung hero: Cal Burrows.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). College football.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). University of the South.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Leonidas Polk.
Tennessee Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Luke Lea.
Jetmundsen, N., Jr. (2026, April 8). Personal interview.

Credits:

Hosted by Big John Summers
Produced by Summers Media Enterprises

Music by Big John Summers

Follow & Support:

Follow The Tennessee History Nerd on Facebook, Instagram, and X for additional content, including on-location videos and historical insights.

Support the show on Patreon for:

• Early access to episodes
• Ad-free listening
• Exclusive bonus content, including full-length interviews

🎧 Bonus Content

A full-length interview with Norman Jetmundsen, author of UNRIVALED: SEWANEE 1899, is available for premium supporters on Patreon.

🔗 Links

🎧 Support the show on Patreon (early access, bonus content, interviews):
https://www.patreon.com/summersmediaenterprises

🧢 Merch & Apparel:
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Love what you're hearing? Hate what you're hearing? Either way, we'd love to hear what you think!

Support the show by subscribing to Patreon!

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Advertise with us! John.summers@summersmediaenterprises.com

Check out merchandise from The Tennessee History Nerd. www.summersmediaenterprises.com/merch

Subscribe to Patreon Patreon.com/summersmediaenterprises

If you enjoyed this episode, follow the show, share it with someone who loves history, and leave a review—it helps more folks discover the stories of the Volunteer State.