This Geocache is part of an annual Geocache Challenge put on by the Heritage Program at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area as part of our outreach to the public, to get people to explore their forest and their history, and to share the unique heritage of the families from Between the Rivers.
This Geocache is part of the “2023 Land Between the Lakes Heritage Geocache Challenge: Communities Between the Rivers”. There are 6 geocaches placed across Land Between the Lakes related to the history of some of the historic communities. If you locate each geocache, and collect a numbered aluminum tree tag from each cache, you can turn them in at the Golden Pond Visitor Center for one of 100 Challenge Coins created for this event.
The Geocache is a 6” x 6” orange watertight plastic box marked “Heritage Geocache” on the top. The geocache is placed between rocks not too far from the water's edge.
A a half mile hike through the woods is required to reach this geocache. It could also be reached by boat.
The Montt / Woodson Chapel Community
Montt was located in Lyon County near the Cumberland River and the Woodson Chapel Church. It was a thriving community that benefited from the timber industry as well as local farming. One aspect of the timber industry was the manufacture of handles for broad axes. Albert Murray, a local resident, made and sold them for 50 cents each, often to local hardware stores that kept them in stock.
The post office was called Montt, probably after the first postmaster, but most residents referred to the community as Woodson Chapel, named after Reverend W.W. Woodson, the pastor of the original church. This original church was built of logs and had puncheon seats, a split log with legs and the flat side up to sit on and no back. Like many early community churches, this one also doubled as the school until one was built much later.
Woodson Chapel School
Montt, or Woodson Chapel as it was commonly referred to, eventually built a school, which was well attended by the early 20th century.In 1935, Kentucky law required school districts to have at least 50 pupils or close so all of Lyon County merged into one district and drastically reorganized. By 1937, Fulton's school was eliminated and the students transferred to either Sardis or Woodson. Continued decreases in population caused the Woodson Chapel School to close as well. You may have noticed the school foundation near the cemetery before you set out for this cache!
After the Civil War and after the Iron Industry closed, many of the wood cutters and charcoal burners that worked for the iron industry became subsistence farmers. But dark tobacco continued to be a major cash crop in the region, though it required a great deal of labor in it's production and preparation for market.Some cotton was produced in the area, but never enough to warrant the establishment of a plantation type economy seen elsewhere in the south.Instead, wheat and corn were favored. Particularly after the introduction of farm machinery like threshers and tractors in the early 20th century.
Respect the Resources
As you hiked out to this geocache, you no doubt
recognized the old homesites and perhaps had the chance
to see abandoned farm machinery like that shown above.
At most homesites, the foundation stones still outline the
structures, allowing us to see the literal footprint of a
home or barn. Sometimes there's even a porch left
complete with front steps.
Please pack out whatever you packed in and think of the
folks that once worked and lived here in the Land Between
the Rivers!