This drive through history (The Lost State of Franklin Historical Loop) embraces the story of a tumultuous period, but the author has skilllully organized the complexity of events so that each occurrence and its proper chronological order is easily understood. Anchoring her tour to existing historical sites and following a timeline chart that goes "from wilderness to statehood," Stahl guides us through the years and presents the changing scenes. With her compact and easy-to-use guidebook in hand, each site becomes another stage, and the drama unfolds as she describes the selling and cast of characters. It was an incredible training ground for leadership as the area progressed through a remarkable twenty-seven years of prestatchood history. During this fact-filled tour of what has been called "the cradle of Tennessee," you will enjoy learning about the area"s exciting and unusual history. At the same time you will gain flindamental knowledge of the pioneering individuak who shared in the years of struggle and then, fmally, in the joy of birth when Tennessee became the nation"s sixteenth state.