Horseshoe Bend National Military Park

Horseshoe Bend National Military Park preserves the site on the Tallapoosa River where, in the final conflict of the Creek War of 1813-14, General Andrew Jackson defeated the Red Stick Creeks led by Menawa. Congress authorized the park in 1956, and President Dwight Eisenhower proclaimed it on August 11, 1959. It covers 2,040 acres and is managed by the National Park Service near Alexander City.[1]

Historical background

The battle ended organised resistance in the Creek War, in which Jackson’s forces defeated the Red Stick faction of the Muscogee (Creek) people led by Menawa. The conflict shaped later land cessions and the opening of Alabama to settlement; see also Muscogee (Creek) People in Alabama.[1]

The park

The park was authorized in 1956 and proclaimed in 1959. The visitor centre was dedicated on March 27, 1964, with an auditorium showing a 23-minute orientation film and a museum on the Creek War and the Muscogee Nation in Alabama. A three-mile auto tour road through the battlefield was built in 1965, and a 2.8-mile nature trail loops through the grounds. A living-history event in March marks the battle’s anniversary and a free symposium is held each August. The park is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, closed on federal holidays, with free admission.[1]

The Battle of Horseshoe Bend

On March 27, 1814, Andrew Jackson’s Tennessee militia, together with the 39th U.S. Infantry and Cherokee and Lower Creek allies, defeated the Upper Creek Red Sticks on the Tallapoosa River. Sources describe it as the penultimate battle of the Creek War. More than 800 Upper Creek warriors died, the largest loss of life for Native Americans in a single battle in United States history.[3]

Aftermath

The victory broke the power of the Creek Nation. Under the Treaty of Fort Jackson, signed August 9, 1814, the Creeks ceded about 23 million acres in Alabama and Georgia to the United States.[3]

The park today

The National Park Service manages the 2,040-acre park in Tallapoosa County. Congress established it on July 25, 1956, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966 (reference 66000060). Visitation was about 28,600 in 2020.[3]

FAQs

When was the Battle of Horseshoe Bend? In March 1814, ending the Creek War.

How big is the park? 2,040 acres.

Is admission charged? No.

Sources

1. Encyclopedia of Alabama: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
2. National Park Service: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park
3. Wikipedia: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 10, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue