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December 24, 2005
Holiday Hike in District 8: Audubon Acres
The famous naturalist John Muir said that "in every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." That was certainly my experience yesterday, Dec. 23, as I walked some four miles within a wildwood sanctuary called Audubon Acres in District 8. I received a holiday gift of natural beauty as I came across the gorgeous display of shelf lichen seen above. The Acres is also called The Elise Chapin Wildlife Sanctuary. The family of the celebrated local naturalist and writer Robert Sparks Walker owned the farm, but in 1945 Elise Chapin purchased the land and presented it to the Chattanooga Audubon Society as a gift.
Before telling you the story of my hike, let me wish everyone of you Happy Holidays! And I hope this story adds to your holiday cheer.
At Audubon Acres I was joined by my uncle William Adkins who is a naturalist, my friend Dr. Olin Ivey who is a deep ecologist, and Ken Dubke who is Chattanooga's best known bird expert. We trekked across the South Chickamauga Creek, then paralleled it until reaching Little Owl Village.
I call the walk a "Holiday Hike" because I usually take a series of walks and hikes in winter around Christmas Day or Winter Solstice. Along the way on this hike, I observed several feather piles (one, two, three), probably the leftovers of a hungry hawk. Obviously, the hawks have been busy and there should be "good pickins" here.
Most of the trees were winter bare, like this barky hackberry tree. Not the evergreen pine and the privet, and of course then there's one other~the beechnut tree, with its coppery foliage persisting into December. Near the creek suspension bridge stands a water oak that is forked at its base with two thick trunks emerging, a tree that Robert Sparks Walker I'm sure knew well. Both this tree and another water oak nearby have seen many floods. Speaking of floods, the river cane shoots up here and there, a bamboo-like reed of the American wetlands. Rusting and rotting, the old suspension bridge rests near the water.
These woods and this creek stand as testament of a more rustic time in the late 1800s to early 1900s. Going even further back to the mid-1700s, the Spring Frog Cabin reminds us of the Cherokee. Evidently while the Chickamauga Cherokees first settled along South Chickamauga Creek, the cabin was built. Audubon Acres claims that "over the years, Cherokee and white settlers who farmed the property had modified the cabin. The cabin has been restored and is furnished to depict the typical 19th century pioneer home." The cabin was also the birthplace of Robert Sparks Walker.
Near the cabin is Robert Sparks Walker's gravestone which memorializes the famous naturalist and writer. The stone is shaped like an arrowhead.
Near the old cabin and the grave, the old Atlantic and Western line remains, and still the railroad track awaits another train. Trains come pretty regularly too. Across the tracks and adjacent to the visitor center, you can find a memorial stone to "Lil" Dubke, the deceased wife of Ken Dubke. His wife "Lil" Dubke was the heart and soul of Audubon Acres twenty years ago.
The spirit of history here combined with a touch of wild wood and water make my visits to Audubon Acres one of the more spiritually fulfilling and naturally uplifting experiences I have in District 8. I encourage you to visit District 8's woodland sanctuary. Call the visitor center at 892-1499.
| By wjbailes | 03:27 PM
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Comments
It is amazing how many little jewels sit in our back yards. I am taken by the main photo of the tree which reminds me of the layers of life and where we are today.
Wished I could have been there!
Posted by: Dan Bailes at December 25, 2005 11:54 AM
Will sent this on to me and I'm very impressed. Best of luck. Wish I could vote for you.
Posted by: Mary Thorman at December 27, 2005 10:03 PM
