Mousetail Landing Highlights

As the story goes, Charles Frederick Gotthart moved into the area in the early 1800s and purchased 5,000 acres from a railroad tax auction for $17.61½. Gotthart started a large tannery on what is now the north end of the park, located along the southern shore of Lick Creek, and used tannic acid from oak tree bark to tan hides into leather. During the Civil War era, one of Gotthart’s outbuildings used to store the uncured hides caught fire. Due to the mass exodus of rats fleeing the fire, the landing was given the moniker of “Rat Tail Landing.” 

Three men, Conder, Smith, and McDonald, moved into the area, and started a smaller tannery, a general store, and a post office along the shore of the Tennessee River just south of Gotthart’s landing shortly after the fire. Due to the proximity to Rat Tail Landing and the smaller size of the new landing, it was given the name “Mousetail Landing.” Mousetail Landing became a major shipping point for goods along the Tennessee River and hosted a post office, a general store, a large warehouse, and several homesteads.  

The park itself was officially established in 1979, preserving this unique history and providing a space for recreation and conservation. While many historical structures have faded with time, visitors can still find foundational stones at the original landing site and remnants of old homesteads scattered throughout the park's backcountry. These remnants serve as a reminder of the people who once lived and worked along the Tennessee River, relying on its resources for their livelihoods.