Kimball: River Views, Park Trails and History

Kimball brings together riverside scenery and a tangible local history. At Kimball Park, walking trails meet the Tennessee River, and the historic Burns Island can be seen from there. Other points of interest include Cumberland View Cemetery and a town plan from 1890 modeled on Colorado Springs. Nature and history sit side by side, offering different possible focuses for your stay.

Walking Trails, the River and Burns Island

Kimball Park has walking trails and borders the Tennessee River. The historic Burns Island can also be seen from there. These are different but closely connected impressions of the park: the trails add an active element to your stay, while the river and island shape the view of the landscape. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, the park offers a tangible starting point for planning your time in Kimball. You can consider the walking trails and island views together, rather than treating nature as an abstract item on your itinerary. At the same time, the park remains a distinct part of the townscape; Kimball’s historical points of interest offer a different focus.

A Cemetery Connected to the Scopes Trial

One historical trail leads to Cumberland View Cemetery. Judge John Tate Raulston, who presided over the 1925 Scopes Trial, is buried there. The cemetery thus connects a place in Kimball with a person who shaped this court case. A section of the historic stone wall that once surrounded the grounds also remains by the entrance. Two points of interest bring the history to life: Raulston’s burial site and a surviving piece of the former enclosure. This offers a different focus from the park and river: here, local and trial history take center stage, rather than the landscape.

The 1890 Town Plan

The town’s origins also offer a tangible way to explore its history. Kimball’s town plan from 1890 was modeled on Colorado Springs and included wide boulevards and parks. The design thus combines a named model with two clear elements of urban planning. When the town was named, Kimball was intended to replace the former name, Wallview, for the new town. Together, these details tell the story of early ideas for Kimball: from town planning to the choice of name. For visitors interested in urban history, this perspective complements the cemetery’s history with another layer—not the story of an individual, but the planning and naming of the town.

Getting Here and Choosing Where to Stay

Exits 152 and 155 are important for getting here: they provide Kimball with good access to Interstate 24. The town also offers good access to the Sequatchie Valley National Scenic Byway. These are different points to consider when planning your trip: the exits relate to the Interstate connection, while the byway provides access to a scenic route. If you’re considering Kimball as a travel destination, you can weigh these factors alongside your local interests—park and riverside scenery on one hand, history and road connections on the other. When looking for a vacation rental in Kimball, it makes sense to start by considering which of these facets you’d like to shape your stay.

Discover more destinations: Monteagle.

See the regional travel overview: Marion County.