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Tennessee State Parks officials will hold an open meeting Nov. 6 at 5:30 p.m. to hear public comments on a proposed new bridge for Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park.

The proposed bridge would be for vehicles and pedestrians and would replace a current bridge at the park. The new bridge would allow access to the recreational vehicle campground from the park’s main entrance. The meeting will be at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza at 1329 McArthur St. in Manchester. Anyone may attend, and comments on the proposal are welcome. The public may also make comments online at https://www.tn.gov/environment/parks-conservation/ppp.html until Nov. 15.

“We encourage anyone interested to attend the meeting to learn more about the proposed project and provide input,” said Mike Robertson, director of operations for Tennessee State Parks. “We always want to improve visitor experience at the park, and understanding the perspectives of our guests is critical to success.”

Old Stone Fort State Archaeological Park, on land once used by Native Americans as a ceremonial gathering place, attracts many history enthusiasts. The park features a main hiking trail that follows the wall of Old Stone Fort. Visitors can learn about the park on a hike with 12 interpretive panels. The park also has waterfalls, a museum, and displays of prehistoric Native American replicas. 

A group of concerned citizens have organized into the Save Our Old Stone Fort Bridge group in an effort to try and save the historic 1906 Pratt truss bridge spanning the Little Duck River within the park.