Hardeman County High Point Trip Report
Date: November 4, 2000
Author: Ken Oeser
Today, we completed the third highpoint area to finish the county. We hit the first 2 areas on October 14
and 15, so each area was visited on a different day.
For the northern area, follow Newcastle/Middleburg Road from Highway 18 south of Bolivar about 2.5
miles to the gravel road heading north to the highpoint area. There is a new house up the drive on the
left. Ask permission here to proceed to the old house further up the road, past the barns. The higher area
is not very visible from the first house due to the barns. The highest area seems to be just to the left side
of the old house.
For BM Hickory, we accessed it from the gravel drive (Bud and Charlene? Lax) shown on the topo
heading from the north to the highpoint area. Just south of Hickory Valley, turn west on Ames Road,
drive about 0.7 mile to the driveway on the left at the road split. The drive now ends at two houses, where
a lady in the newer home said her husband owns the highpoint and gave us permission. This drive doesn't
go to the highpoint area as shown on the topo. We then hiked across harvested soybean fields to a dirt
road that leads to the highpoint area. We had to go through one gate to go up the hill, then another on the
left at the top to access the highest area, which seems to be just before a fence line in the field 100 yards
east. The benchmark lies at the north edge of this field, imbedded in a concrete plug now unearthed and
lying on its side.
For the southern area, we parked at a gate on Old Grand Junction Road, just north of the area and hiked
south through a field to the area. The owner lives on the east side of Highway 368, in the first white
house north of Old Grand Junction Road, and his name is Sherman Howard (or Howard Sherman).
Locals gave us his name and said he is very nice, but he was not home. Hearing that he is nice, and the
gate being unposted, we returned and hiked up. I would recommend asking permission since he lives so
close to the turnoff from the highway.