National Register of Historic Places

Cumberland Mountain Tunnel

Cowan, Franklin County, Tennessee
Listed
August 21, 1977
Type
Structure
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
77001270

About this property

The Cowan Tunnel, or Cumberland Mountain Tunnel, is a railroad tunnel near Cowan, Tennessee. The tunnel was built by the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad Company and was completed in 1852 with the tracks laid in 1853 with a total length of 2,200 ft (670 m). The strategically important tunnel, part of the rail linkage between the Midwestern United States and the Southeastern United States, played a vital role during the American Civil War. It was considered a major engineering feat at the time. It is still operational and owned by CSX Railroad. The tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977.

Location

Cowan, Franklin County, Tennessee
35.15331, -85.97597

Categories

INDUSTRYMILITARYENGINEERINGLAW
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Cowan Depot
Industrial
2.1 mi
Haynes House
Industrial
6.7 mi
Sewanee Fire Lookout Tower
Industrial
6.8 mi
Estill-Fite House
Early Republic
7.9 mi
Franklin County Jail
Industrial
7.9 mi

Questions about this property

When was Cumberland Mountain Tunnel listed on the National Register?

Cumberland Mountain Tunnel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1977.

What type of historic resource is Cumberland Mountain Tunnel?

Cumberland Mountain Tunnel is classified as a structure in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Cumberland Mountain Tunnel?

The period of significance for Cumberland Mountain Tunnel is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Cumberland Mountain Tunnel?

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