CASCADE HIGH School’s annual Wartrace Horse Show fundraiser, hosted on August 6, 2022, was a success. The show is special every year, but one thing that makes it incredibly unique this year is that it was the show’s 116th anniversary.
Cascade High School’s football program supports the show by putting out chairs, working concession stands, and working at the gate, among many other things. The students and staff have played a pivotal role in the success of the horse show.
Cascade High School’s football coach, Jake Tyre, is a member of the East Bedford Civic Club that helps support the Cascade schools and the local area.
He said, “It was one of the best shows we’ve had in a while.”
Tyre said that one thing that makes the show special is that it has been a special part of the community for many years.
“Walking horse industry is ingrained in our community. We’re just trying to make the show better and know that the money generated here is coming back to the school to help the students out.” Over 30 classes in the show included amateur riders on 3-year-old mares, and the 3-year-old stallion Rider’s Cup.
According to the Wartrace Chamber of Commerce, “Wartrace” was once the name of a trail for the Cherokee Indians. General Andrew Jackson carved “This is War Trail Creek” into a beech tree near the stream, in 1813.
The rolling green hills of Wartrace are home to the famous Strolling Jim. Jim won the first world championship and paved the way for riders, across Tennessee, to compete.
After he passed away in 1957, he was buried on the grounds of the Walking Horse Hotel, which was also the place he called “home.”
The town held its first Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration on September 7, 1939. The Late Henry Davis was a native of Wartrace, TN, and the mastermind behind the famous celebration. The town is also known for its rich Civil War history and the American railroad. During the Civil War, Confederate Corporal Commander William J Hardee completed much of his work at what is now known as Beechwood Farm.
The Civil War was a significant moment in American history, and the plantation played a substantial role in its history. The plantation, initially built for Colonel Andrew Erwin, Jr. and his family in 1826, served as a safe and entertaining space for the community and Confederate officers.
The historic town of Wartrace is known for its rich Civil War history, but it’s also known for its history in education. The historical 19th-century school building was built with handmade bricks from a kiln on the beautiful Wartrace Creek. The building was torn down in the 1800s, but its history and legacy remained. The hand-made bricks used to build the historical building were used to create three residences on College Street. Students from states like Oklahoma stayed in Wartrace boarding houses while attending school.
The Cascade schools continue to celebrate the town’s educational history annually. The legacy of Strolling Jim continues. GN
