Reconstruction Project of the Historic Valve House Trail
Geography students from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) participated in ongoing research at Radnor Lake State Natural Area (RLSNA). MTSU has been involved in several research efforts at Radnor over the past decade or so. These efforts include recording and preserving oral histories/geographies of the lake area, historical field work including the documentation of historic farmsteads and settlement patterns and developing historic trails such as the Historic Valve House Trail. On Saturday January 30th geography students under the direction of Dr. Doug Heffington began clean-up operations preparing for the reconstruction of the historic valve house. The valve house recently fully collapsed after years of water and ice damage. MTSU students are engaged in cleaning and prepping the valve, stabilizing the valve box and maintaining the connected drainage system. The field activities provide the students first-hand experience in gathering geographical, historical and archeological data dealing with the L & N industrial complex at Radnor. This historic archeological site (40DV635) dating to the early 1900s is the very reason for existence of Radnor Lake and its complete story has yet to be told. MTSU geography students will gather additional information to complete the story. On this workday, MTSU geography students participating in this season’s field work include Heather Allen, Dan Phannamvong, Victoria Sullivan, Jennifer Grissom, Ashley Smith, Devin Rossell and Aaron Carson. This field work could not be possible without the aid and assistance of the Ranger Staff and the Friends of Radnor Lake. Special thanks to Friends of Radnor Lake for providing breakfast and lunch for this field day!
We are thankful for this continued partnership between MTSU, Radnor Lake State Natural Area and Friends of Radnor Lake over the past 13 years in our continued efforts to improve upon our preservation efforts and interpretation of the historical significance of the L&N Railroad’s history at the natural area.