Cerro Gordo, Tennessee

35°18′13″N 88°10′50″W / 35.30361°N 88.18056°W / 35.30361; -88.18056CountryUnited StatesStateTennesseeCountyHardinElevation407 ft (124 m)Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST)) • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)Area code731GNIS feature ID1305836^[1]

Cerro Gordo is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Tennessee. Cerro Gordo is located on the east bank of the Tennessee River, north of Savannah. It is most notable as the May 1816 landing site of the Hardin Expedition. Cerro Gordo is Spanish for large hill.

The Hardin Expedition

Twenty-six settlers, in two parties, struck out from Knoxville in late spring of 1816 bound for the general area which would eventually become Savannah. The first party came by boat, landing in May at "the easteward curve" of the Tennessee River.^[2] at Cerro Gordo. The second, and larger party, had traversed overland and suffered many delays. This second party was led by Joseph Hardin, Jr., son of Col. Joseph Hardin who had, before his death, accumulated several land grants to the area as rewards for his Revolutionary service. Joseph, Jr., as well as his brother, James Hardin (founder of the rival settlement of Hardinville, at modern-day Old Town, located on Hardin's Creek), executed land grants^[3] in the area. Both had fought alongside their father in the war and had been likewise rewarded with land patents.^[4]

Additional settlers from the initial expedition were dispatched almost immediately to establish a nearby community downriver at Saltillo.

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