Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park Now Protects Region’s Heritage
In May, Tennessee State Parks and partners officially dedicated Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park. Now the third archaeological park in Tennessee’s state park system, it preserves more than 5,000 years of human history alongside critical cultural and natural resources.
Warren County, Tennessee (May 2026)—Perched atop the rolling valleys of Warren County, Tennessee, Cardwell Mountain is one of the most important intact portions of the Cumberland Plateau. After years of work by partnering organizations, this layered capsule of human history has now been dedicated as Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park, marking pivotal historic, cultural, and natural conservation for the region.
In March 2021, TennGreen Land Conservancy (TennGreen), The Conservation Fund (TCF), and The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee (TNC) joined together to acquire 534 acres that would become Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park. This represented the first joint acquisition of the three nonprofits and built a framework for continued collaborative conservation efforts across Tennessee.
Initially, Cardwell Mountain was listed for sale to the public and placed at significant risk. TennGreen, TNC, and TCF quickly acquired the property and held it until the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) was ready for transfer. Since then, TDEC has been working diligently to ensure the site’s irreplaceable archaeological and geological resources remain protected. Congruently, work on the state park began, which was dedicated in May of 2026.
“We are proud to have played a key role, in partnership with TNC, TCF, and the State of Tennessee to protect Cardwell Mountain,” said Christie Henderson, Deputy Director of TennGreen Land Conservancy. “By safeguarding these irreplaceable cultural and historical resources, we are helping ensure that all the layered stories, history, and meanings that define our region are preserved and accessible in perpetuity.”
Prior to European colonization of North America, this region of Tennessee was home to Indigenous peoples who lived, built, cultivated, hunted, and moved through the landscape for millennia. Archaeological research has identified a complex cultural landscape with evidence of Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippian period occupations—spanning thousands of years of human activity.
The most prominent landmark protected by the park is an earthen monument constructed approximately 1,000 years ago.
‘Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park represents a lasting commitment to preserving Tennessee’s irreplaceable archaeological heritage’
“Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park represents a lasting commitment to preserving Tennessee’s irreplaceable archaeological heritage, safeguarding places that hold deep historical and cultural significance. This new park will create meaningful educational opportunities, while also honoring Cardwell Mountain as a local landmark and the enduring importance of ancestral places to Indigenous communities,” said Phil Hodge, State Archaeologist and Director, TDEC.
The area around Cardwell Mountain was also part of major travel routes used by Indigenous American groups and later by European settlers. During The Trail of Tears, the mountain and its surroundings witnessed the forced removal of Cherokee families, leaving a somber chapter in American history etched into the soil and memory of the land.
In the centuries after, Cardwell Mountain was tilled, farmed, and homesteaded by Euro-Americans, carrying the site’s legacy into modern times. With archaeological evidence of these eras preserved, the new state park marks the creation of a premiere educational destination for the historic and cultural heritage of the region.
‘Conservation ensures these stories and resources will be preserved and shared with the public for generations to come’
“We are honored to help protect Cardwell Mountain and see it recognized as a state archaeological park,” said Gabby Lynch, Director of Land for The Nature Conservancy in Tennessee. “This landscape holds extraordinary cultural, archaeological and natural value, and its permanent conservation ensures these stories and resources will be preserved and shared with the public for generations to come.”
Archaeological sites like those at Cardwell Mountain are irreplaceable windows into the human past. Once disturbed, developed, or destroyed, the stories they hold are lost forever. Preservation successes such as Cardwell Mountain State Archaeological Park must remain scientific and cultural priorities in kind.
“The Conservation Fund is proud to have partnered with TennGreen and The Nature Conservancy to protect Cardwell Mountain, an extraordinary landscape where natural beauty and thousands of years of human history converge,” Zachary Lesch-Huie, Tennessee state director for The Conservation Fund, added. “By working together, we were able to act quickly to secure this irreplaceable site and ensure its stories, cultural significance, and ecological value are preserved for future generations.”
TennGreen, TCF, and TNC are deeply grateful to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation for their continued stewardship and dedication to preserving our natural, cultural, and historical resources.
About TennGreen
TennGreen Land Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit and the oldest accredited statewide land conservancy in Tennessee. TennGreen’s mission is to conserve land where people and nature can thrive. Through sound science and partnerships, TennGreen identifies and conserves land across Tennessee for wildlife corridors, critical habitat, and public benefit. TennGreen protects, cares for, and connects people with Tennessee’s natural world by providing meaningful outdoor experiences, establishing conservation easements, supporting restoration efforts, and acquiring (or assisting in the acquisition of) privately held land.
ABOUT THE CONSERVATION FUND
The Conservation Fund protects the land that sustains us all. We are in the business of conservation, creating innovative solutions that drive nature-based action in all 50 states for climate protection, vibrant communities and sustainable economies. We apply effective strategies, efficient financing approaches and enduring government, community and private partnerships to protect millions of acres of America’s natural land, cultural sites, recreation areas and working forests and farms.
ABOUT THE NATURE CONSERVANCY
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more resilient. The Nature Conservancy is working to make a lasting difference around the world in 83 countries and territories (39 by direct conservation impact and 44 through partners) through a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners.
