Proclamation 3308—Establishing the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park

Whereas the battle of Horseshoe Bend, fought on March 27, 1814, on the Tallapoosa River in Alabama, resulted in a decisive victory for the forces of General Andrew Jackson over a strong body of Creek Indians and broke the power of the Creek Confederacy; and

Whereas this significant historic event on the Indian border opened the way for settlement in Alabama and other parts of the old Southwest; and

Whereas section 1 of an act approved July 25, 1956 (70 Stat. 651), provides that when not less than five hundred acres of non-Federal lands (together with improvements thereon), known as the Horseshoe Bend Battle Ground, shall have been acquired and transferred free and clear of all encumbrances to the United States without expense to the Federal Government, such area shall be dedicated and set apart as the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park; and

Whereas section 2 of that act authorizes and directs the Secretary of the Interior to make an examination of the Horseshoe Bend Battle Ground with a view to determining the area or areas thereof deemed desirable for inclusion in the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park; and

Whereas the Secretary of the Interior on June 11, 1957, approved a map showing an area of 2,040 acres on the Horseshoe Bend Battle Ground as being desirable for inclusion in the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, and such land was donated to, and accepted on behalf of, the United States of America on April 24, 1959; and

Whereas the requirements of sections 1 and 2 of the act of July 25, 1956 (70 Stat. 651), have been fully complied with:

Now, Therefore, I, Dwight D. Eisenhower, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by section 4 of the above-mentioned act of July 25, 1956, do hereby dedicate and set aside the following-described lands in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, as the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park:

Northeast quarter (NE 1/4), northeast quarter of northwest quarter (NE 1/4 of NW 1/4), northeast quarter of southeast quarter (NE 1/4 of SE 1/4), fractions A, B, C and E of section 15; fractions B, D, and E of section 22; all in township 23 north, range 23 east; also one-half acre known as the Ferry Landing on the south side of the Tallapoosa River in said section 15, more particularly described as follows: Commence at the southwest corner of section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; thence south 89 degrees 00 minutes east 1968 feet to a point; thence north 1 degree 00 minutes west 1267 feet to a point on the southerly bank of the Tallapoosa River and the point of beginning of the parcel herein intended to be described; thence south 52 degrees 00 minutes west 147.6 feet to a point; thence north 38 degrees 00 minutes west 147.6 feet to a point; thence north 52 degrees 00 minutes east 147.6 feet to a point on the southerly bank of the said river; thence upstream along the southerly bank of the river south 38 degrees 00 minutes east 147.6 feet to the point of beginning, and being situated in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; also a parcel of land known as Miller's Island in the Tallapoosa River just south of the river bridge more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the southwest corner of said section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; thence south 89 degrees 00 minutes east 2605 feet to a point on the west bank of said island, which is the point of beginning; hence north 5 degrees 00 minutes east 220 feet to a point; thence north 8 degrees 00 minutes west 510 feet to a point; thence north 82 degrees 00 minutes east 350 feet to a point; thence north 55 degrees 30 minutes east 75 feet to a point; thence north 82 degrees 00 minutes east 115 feet to a point; thence south 17 degrees 00 minutes east 330 feet to a point; thence south 8 degrees 00 minutes east 270 feet to a point; thence south 77 degrees 45 minutes west 270 feet to a point; thence south 59 degrees 35 minutes west 160 feet to a point; thence south 36 degrees 06 minutes west 650 feet to a point; thence north 5 degrees 00 minutes east 530 feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.11 acres, more or less, and being situated in sections 15 and 22, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Less and except 5.1 acres in said section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, previously conveyed by Nora E. Miller to Horseshoe Bend Battle Park Commission, described as follows: Beginning at a point which is 13 chains and 51 links south 75 degrees 30 minutes west of a point on the west line of section 14, township 23 north, range 23 east, which is 69 chains south of the northwest corner of said section 14; thence west 8 chains and 50 links, thence south 6 chains, thence east 8 chains and 50 links thence north 6 chains to the point of beginning.

The above described lands contain 560.66 acres, more or less.

Section 14, township 23 north, range 23 east; west half of northwest quarter and northeast quarter of northwest quarter of section 23, township 23 north, range 23 east; section 15 and section 22, township 23 north, range 23 east, less and except the following described parts of said sections 15 and 22, township 23 north, range 23 east, known as Alabama Power Company lands, described as follows: Northeast quarter (NE 1/4), northeast quarter of northwest quarter (NE 1/4 of NW 1/4), northeast quarter of southeast quarter (NE 1/4 of SE 1/ 4), fractions A, B, C and E of section 15; fractions B, D, and E of section 22; all in township 23 north, range 23 east; also one-half acre known as the Ferry Landing on the south side of the Tallapoosa River in section 15, more particularly described as follows: Commence at the southwest corner of section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; thence south 89 degrees 00 minutes east 1968 feet to a point; thence north 1 degree 00 minutes west 1267 feet to a point on the southerly bank of the Tallapoosa River and the point of beginning of the parcel herein intended to be described; thence south 52 degrees 00 minutes west 147.6 feet to a point; thence north 38 degrees 00 minutes west 147.6 feet to a point; thence north 52 degrees 00 minutes east 147.6 feet to a point on the southerly bank of said river; thence upstream along the southerly bank of the river south 38 degrees 00 minutes east 147.6 feet to the point of beginning, and being situated in the east half of the southwest quarter of section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; also a parcel of land known as Miller's Island in the Tallapoosa River just south of the river bridge more particularly described as follows: Commencing at the southwest corner of said section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama; thence south 89 degrees 00 minutes east 2605 feet to a point on the west bank of said island, which is the point of beginning; thence north 5 degrees 00 minutes east 220 feet to a point; thence north 8 degrees 00 minutes west 510 feet to a point; thence north 82 degrees 00 minutes east 350 feet to a point; thence north 55 degrees 30 minutes east 75 feet to a point; thence north 82 degrees 00 minutes east 115 feet to a point; thence south 17 degrees 00 minutes east 330 feet to a point; thence south 8 degrees 00 minutes east 270 feet to a point; thence south 77 degrees 45 minutes west 270 feet to a point; thence south 59 degrees 35 minutes west 160 feet to a point; thence south 36 degrees 06 minutes west 650 feet to a point; thence north 5 degrees 00 minutes east 530 feet to the point of beginning, containing 14.11 acres, more or less, and being situated in sections 15 and 22, township 23 north, range 23 east, Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Less and except 5.1 acres in said section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east, previously conveyed by Nora E. Miller to Horseshoe Bend Battle Park Commission, described as follows: Beginning at a point which is 13 chains and 51 links south 75 degrees, 30 minutes west of a point on the west line of section 14, township 23 north, range 23 east, which is 69 chains south of the northwest corner of said section 14; thence west 8 chains and 50 links, thence south 6 chains, thence east 8 chains and 50 links, thence north 6 chains to the point of beginning. Said 5.1-acre exception in said section 15 has heretofore been conveyed to the United States of America by patent from the State of Alabama.

The above-described lands contain 1,474.24 acres, more or less.

Beginning at a point which is 13 chains and 51 links south 75 degrees 30 minutes west of a point on the west line of section 14 which is 69 chains south of the northwest corner of section 14, thence west 8 chains and 50 links, thence south 6 chains, thence east 8 chains, and 50 links, thence north 6 chains to the point of beginning, the said land lying and being in section 15, township 23 north, range 23 east.

The above-described lands contain 5.1 acres, more or less.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this eleventh day of August in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and eighty-fourth.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

By the President:

DOUGLAS DILLON,

Acting Secretary of State.