The Call of the trail in the Picturesque Cumberlands

As we continue our 1940’s tour of the Upper Cumberlands, let’s think about the natural beauty that surrounds us and the draw that has always been to tourists.  I have written here about Monterey’s history as a resort town.  And I suppose when I think about the early part of the twentieth century, when the plateau was less populated and less modernized, I fail to imagine residents seeking outdoor recreation.  That’s a silly assumption.

The March of Progress publication places great importance on the natural beauty of the mountain, and the public’s desire to enjoy it.  Early in the book, the area recreational parks are presented.  Today, we may take for granted the number of choices we have to fish, picnic or hike in a well-maintained, public park.  But in 1940, these parks were a pretty new concept.

Seven specific parks are mentioned: Fall Creek Falls, Cumberland State Park, Pickett State Park, Standing Stone State Park, Morgan State Forest and The Rock Island Area.  Except for Rock Island, all of these parks came into existence in the 1930’s with most being built using the labor of the Civilian Conservation Corps.  A recreational area in Rock Island grew up around a private hydroelectric dam built on the Caney Fork River in 1917.  That park wasn’t formally established until 1969 which explains our historic document referring to it only as an area.  By including this sectionin their book, we see the pride citizens already had in the wilderness’ beauty.  And, we can see that they already knew tourism was an industry that needed to be tapped.

The facing page of the park details is a collage of equine adventures.  I am fascinated to see this because horseback riding has grown to be such a big attraction.  While I grew up loving horses and riding and everything associated with the two, the attraction seems to have really grown up in the county over the past twenty years.  Certainly the improvements to the Big South Fork River and Recreational Area in the 1980's offered a huge boost.  Then, others who were passionate about those big ole’ loving horses opened other stables with riding trails and the trailers started rolling in.  Well, those stable managers might correct me that it took just a bit more work than that, but can you imagine how happy the developers of the magazine would be to see the lines of horse trailers on a holiday weekend?

It is a short part of the book, but nestled between the beckoning calls of Livingston and Gainsboro, the reader of this document could have easily imagined the rest and relaxation he could enjoy on our “magnificent sweep of mountain”.

Jamestown, Tennessee “The Obedstown of the Gilded Age"

Northup Falls; You can still hike to it: Scott at Backwoods Adventures knew just where the trailhead is located.

Our tour of the Upper Cumberland begins this week in the Fentress County-seat, Jamestown.  We may be starting in the center of the touring area, but remember I was prompted to write this after the Highway 127 sale which of course originated in Jamestown.

In reading more carefully the six page article in the 1940’s era “March of Progress” publication, Jamestown is presented largely as an industrial opportunity.  Sure, there is a casual mention that Jamestown is located “upon the exact spot of an old Cherokee camp bearing the name of ‘Sand Springs’.”  And there is a quick history of the town.

According to this publication the first deed for land in the county was issued in 1800 to Alvin C. York’s great-great-great grandfather, Conrad Pile, a close personal friend of Davey Crockett.  It is also proudly noted that Pile and Crockett hunted the area woodland together.  Historical note is given to Mark Twain’s father who contracted the first courthouse and acquired about 100,000 acres of virgin forest to ensure, “my heirs are secure”.  However, the parents of the famous writer left Jamestown for Missouri just three months before Samuel Clemens was born.  And of course no historical account of Fentress County would fail to mention Sergeant Alvin C. York, the hero of World War I – of course this publication refers to that great conflict as the World War.

Today we might write such an article with an eye toward tourism and therefore focus on the history and activities of the area.  While this article certainly details the rustic beauty the Jamestown area has to offer, it is clearly geared toward the industrialist.  The sections on oil, gas and coal are downright technical as they discuss the type of coal, the era in which each of the resources would have developed and comparison of production across the region. 

If you know much about Fentress County history at all, you know a little about coal’s importance.  This document cites Tennessee’s 1939 production as 5.2 million tons.  That’s one-third of what West Virginia produced in 2002.  The difference between coal production then and now is phenomenal – in 1939 miners wearing carbide lights largely chipped away at coal seams with sharp picks whereas today’s mines have heavy drilling equipment.  Of course the Wilder mines had electricity even before TVA strung power lines across the mountains for they were creating their own power in a steam plant.  Therefore those “big mines” as we often refer to them, benefitted from the automation electricity afforded.  So I’m pretty impressed that seventy-five years ago Tennessee’s coal production was even worth comparing to a modern mine.

The story turns to the nearby community of Allardt where Mr. Max Colditz had been keeping climatic records for fifty years.  Using his data, the writer was proud to report that Fentress County enjoyed consistent rainfall throughout the year.  Mr. Colditz summarized the Plateau’s conditions as, “the winters are mild.  There is never a winter month that has not some days in which children can play in the sunshine outdoors.  The summers are pleasant, the heat never oppressive and most always a breeze.” 

Of final note from this article is the presence of the railroad.  I really wish it had given more details but simply mentions that the Oneida and Western Railroad has an eastern terminus in Oneida, Tennessee and that its daily passenger service “penetrates what was formerly called the ‘Wilderness Country’.”  I suppose that passenger service could get you anywhere in the country if you changed trains enough, but I would have loved to hear what direct points could be reached from Jamestown.

It’s hard to read this sort of article without looking through my twenty-first century lenses.  However, I find it a fascinating view of history for it’s not someone’s perception of what folks were thinking about our county before World War II, but it was written by contemporaries of the time.  This had to have been written in the height of The Great Depression and I know folks in Fentress County, and all over the Cumberland Plateau, were suffering.  However, there is so much hope in this article.  It isn’t a plea for someone to bail them out; they aren’t looking for outsiders to bring charity to this poor Appalachian community.  In fact, here we have a group promoting the great beauty and resources of the land and people, and I found it thoroughly refreshing to read.

I will try to make readable pictures of the actual pages of this article and post them on Pinterest if you would be interested in reading them.

The Upper Cumberlands of Tennessee

I mentioned last week that we’d begin a tour of the small towns dotted across the Cumberland Plateau and today I’d like to introduce this series with a booklet that was produced many years ago for the purpose of promoting those towns.

The booklet is entitled, The March of Progress in the Upper Cumberlands of Tennessee.  It is undated and appears to have never intended to be a series, nor is there a copyright date.  However, there are clues to its age. 

On the back of the front cover it introduces and salutes the Honorable Cordell Hull, Secretary of State.  He served in that office 1933 through 1944. 

In an article about area dams and lakes, reference is made to a report “which is expected late in 1941”. 

The few photos in the book that include automobiles show at the latest 1940’s models.

Finally, no mention is made of World War II, nor of the many soldiers that haled from the Upper Cumberlands.

All of these hints seem to point to a publication of the early 1940’s 

An awful lot has changed on the plateau in three-quarters of a century; this shows a little snapshot of the best the area had to offer in that day.  And it’s a beautiful picture.  More than a dozen towns are highlighted from McMinnville to Jamestown with special articles for the Tennessee Central Railway, The Tennessee Walking Horse and Tennessee Polytechnic Institute as well as other noteworthy institutions. 

Perhaps the most intriguing part is the community spirit that this document communicates.  All of these small towns have clearly worked together, contributing information and financing in hopes they will be rediscovered.  The introduction actually asserts that all of America is being rediscovered by the tourist traveler newly equipped with the automobile.

I want to share the final paragraph of the introduction:

Here in the Upper Cumberlands, we have resources:  We have intelligent manpower; we have rich soils; we have vast timber lands; we have unmeasured mineral resources; we have charming scenery; we have a delightful and livable climate.  We have a section whose scenic grandeur is surpassed only by the chivalry and heroism of her sons and daughters.  This publication is dedicated to the worthy task of heralding to the whole world the story of the Upper Cumberlands.  It is devoutly hoped that the effort may prove to be a graphic and ripping statement, succinctly and reliably presented in a sympathetic and enthusiastic mood by picture and story.

Wow.  I read that and I can’t help but think how similar was their purpose to my own.  Sure, they were aiming to recruit business, industry, and tourism while I simply intend to share the history and beauty of my home. 

As we’ve just finished the big Highway 127 sale and lots of folks have visited the plateau who may never have been here before, this seems the perfect time to explore all of these little towns.  I’m really excited to share them with you as they were seventy-five years ago.