"The parkway commemorating the Natchez Trace is a star in the crown of human endeavors. It is a tool of instruction our country can turn to often to gain understanding. There have been many rewards along this journey, a journey that's as much about this country's future as it has been about the past. It offers us time to reflect and realize that the same progress that brought Europeans on board ships to the new lands of the Americas and prompted a new nation to seek convenience along the road to its Natchez frontier, those hopeful steps also drove an ancient people from their homelands.

"And today, we construct mammoth projects, which flow with hope for a grand future, bringing commerce and change to what once seemed a near boundless, flourishing wilderness -- exchanging the order of nature for the order of man.

"The Natchez Trace offers us a picture of change encapsulated within a 450 mile journey through history. It's hopeful, beautiful and at times filled with horror and tragedy.

"You can study it. You can listen to its myriad tales, but nothing compares with a first hand journey up the Trace. So, if you get the chance, I invite you to visit this grand parkway and add your footsteps along "one of the oldest roads in the world," a road through the wilderness.

"I'm Frank Thomas. Thank you for joining me."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"At 4:30 in the afternoon, Saturday June 22, 1996 the National Park Service officially opened the last five miles of the Natchez Trace Parkway in Tennessee. The public along with Vice President Al Gore attended the formal ribbon cutting event near TN Highway 100.

"Following this event there was a parade of antique vehicles to represent each year the Parkway has been under construction. The parade of cars traveled from the Highway 100 terminus down to Highway 96 and assembled for public viewing below the Highway 96 Arch Bridge where there was a concert featuring country music star Amy Grant followed by music from the 101st Airborne Division Military Band.

"During that afternoon beneath the 96 bridge, visitors could see Civil War and frontier-era encampments along with characters dressed in the traditional costumes of Kaintucks and post riders. Throughout the day, prior to the ribbon cutting, hikers, runners and cyclists enjoyed the final section of the parkway making their way down to the events and exhibits below the unique and impressive Highway 96 bridge.

"It was an extremely hot and humid day there near Nashville, but the people gathered to see and be a part of the continuing story of a road that has played such an important role in shaping this great "nation of people."

"Join us next time for the final program in this series when we will complete our journey and take a last look at this outstanding parkway and the people it commemorates. I'm Frank Thomas, your guide along the Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"Our journey along the Natchez Trace Parkway is nearing a close as we get closer to Nashville, Tennessee. Today we are crossing Tennessee Highway 96 where we will see evidence that the story of the Natchez Trace isn't over. Today we look at the Parkway bridge across Tennessee Highway 96.

"This modern bridge across highway 96 was opened to the public June 22, 1996. It is the first segmentally constructed arch bridge in the United States -- a double arch bridge. One arch spans the length of nearly 2 football fields (582'). The entire bridge is 1648 feet long and carries the parkway 155 feet above highway 96.

"The bridge's 3 concrete piers were cast where they stand, but the arches and the super structure were cast off site in a plant under controlled conditions. Some of these segments weigh as much as 55 tons and were hauled to the site and lifted into position by a ground mounted crane. In all there are about 122 arch segments and 196 superstructure segments.

"This new approach to bridge building was designed using computer models, and tests were made throughout construction to check and refine engineering and design techniques.

"Join us next time when we will drive the last 5 miles up the Natchez Trace to its NORTHERN TERMINUS. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"Today on our journey up the Natchez Trace Parkway we are visiting a site called GARRISON CREEK that is just south of Leipers Fork, Tennessee.

"There's a trail used by hikers and horseback riders that connects this site with exhibits at BURNS BRANCH, the OLD TRACE EXHIBIT and the TENNESSEE RIVER DIVIDE along the original Old Natchez Trace and the parkway. All these exhibits pertain to the National Road Era of the Natchez Trace.

"When the old trail first became a national road, the postmaster general wrote the secretary of war asking for the army's help to improve the road. During those days, in 1801 and 1802, the army worked on this section of the road. GARRISON CREEK got its name because the U. S. Soldiers who did the improvements on the NATCHEZ ROAD were garrisoned at this creek.

"Just beyond GARRISON CREEK the Parkway crosses over highway 46 and enters a section of the parkway opened in June of 1993. This is the parkway's high country and the road is very curvy as it winds its way around, in and out of the valleys that are the last steps of our journey.

"Join us next time as we cross the first segmentally constructed arch bridge in the United States at Tennessee Highway 96. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"James Robertson and John Donelson, who lead settlement parties from Fort Patrick Henry to the Salt Lick where the Old Natchez Trace crossed the Cumberland River, are known as the co-founders of Nashville, which was the new name given to Fort Nashborough in 1784.

"Robertson later became known as the 'Father of Tennessee.'

"As a young man Andrew Jackson rode into the town in 1788, and had a great effect upon Nashville, and Tennessee and the building of the new nation along its frontier. His exploits along the Natchez Trace were many. We know of his famous trip down the Trace to marry Rachel Donelson Robards outside of Natchez. She was the daughter of John Donelson who brought the flotilla of boats to the great bend of the Cumberland River. Jackson's plantation home, the Hermitage, is a few miles east of Nashville.

"Nashville has been the capitol of Tennessee since 1843, and though you may know it today as the 'Country Music Capitol of the World' it also carries the nickname of the 'Athens of the South' because of its numerous institutions of higher education plus its many buildings designed in the classical Greek style. There's even a replica of the Parthenon standing in Centennial Park.

"Join us next time when we visit GARRISON CREEK. I'm Frank Thomas, your guide along the Natchez Trace, a road through the wilderness."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"On our Journey up the Natchez Trace we are getting close to what was the destination for many who traveled along this road so many years ago -- Nashville, Tennessee.

"In 1775, at the Treaty of Sycamore Shoals, Richard Henderson, a North Carolina businessman, purchased from the Cherokee Indians, lands in the great bend of the Cumberland River. He called this land west of the Appalachian Mountains, Transylvania and advertised for settlers to journey to a site where this old Indian trail joined the Cumberland River; the site of a salt lick, where a much older trading post had been, a site that we know today as Nashville, Tennessee.

"James Robertson and John Donelson were chosen to lead two settlement parties from Fort Patrick Henry in what is now northeastern Tennessee. Robertson lead the men and boys of the party overland with livestock. They arrived at the site of the Big Salt Lick on Christmas Day in 1779 and crossed a frozen Cumberland River to begin building Fort Nashborough.

"Donelson lead a flotilla of boats down the Tennessee River, and up the Ohio and Cumberland Rivers to join Robertson's settlement party on April 24, 1780... their journey was a hard one, troubled by bad weather, disease and hostile Indians.

"Join us on our next program when we will look further at the history of Nashville, Tennessee. I'm Frank Thomas, your guide along the Natchez Trace, a road through the wilderness."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"On our journey up the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez to Nashville we are well up into Tennessee, and today we cross the TENNESSEE VALLEY DIVIDE. We have been riding along the highest elevation on the entire Natchez Trace, which is right at 1000 feet above sea level. The Tennessee Valley Divide is a watershed, part of a ridge that divides central Tennessee. Streams and creeks south of here flow into the Duck River and the Tennessee River, but to the north water flows down to the Cumberland River. It's on the banks of the Cumberland that the City of Nashville was built.

"Early travelers on foot and horseback would have been more conscious of these changes in elevation than we are today riding on a paved road, in motorized and climate controlled vehicles, and they would have noticed the directions that the streams flowed. The reason this watershed was important to travelers was because when Tennessee became a state in 1796, this ridge marked the boundary between the United States and the Chickasaw Indian Nation. This watershed marked the edge of the frontier.

"It was in 1805 that the Chickasaw began to surrender land south of the divide.

"Join us next time when we will take a look at some of the early history of Nashville, Tennessee. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com

"We are making our way up the Natchez Trace Parkway from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee and today we are west of Columbia, Tennessee at a site called the WATER VALLEY OVERLOOK.

"This exit takes travelers 3 tenths of a mile, high up to a hilltop overlooking a quiet valley. It's a pastoral scene of farmlands, ponds and country roads. There's a picnic table there for those who care to stay for awhile.

"The ten miles or so north of this overlook is the highest section along the entire Natchez Trace. The following RoadMusic® piece titled THE JOURNEY was written to accompany this drive along the parkway.

(PIANO INTERLUDE)

THE JOURNEY

"Join us next time when we will cross the Tennessee Valley Divide. For Natchez Trace a road through the wilderness, I'm Frank Thomas."

For more about Natchez Trace: A Road Through the Wilderness, visit eddieandfrank.com