McMinn Summer 2015

SUMMER 2015

Ghost Towns And RailRoads Adventure Awaits On the L&N “Old Line”

The Plight Of The Honeybees

The Best Of Lakeside Dining Mayfield’s Visitor Center Fantastic Flavors, Amazing Numbers!

Farms Bank on Farm Credit Mid-America Written By Phil Roulier

F

arm Credit Mid-America understands the business of farm loans and has been servicing farmers and their families for years. They specialize in all types of financing, from property, home construction to equipment loans. There are many advantages to Farm Credit, primarily the fact that you’ll never have to deal with the big name banks.

As representative Todd explains, “The banks just don’t understand the business of farming. We understand what it means to own land, equipment and livestock.

That’s what makes us different and what has brought us success.” This attention to detail and understanding is not the only reason Farm Credit Mid-America has been successful. At the core of it all, it's the folks who work there. Each loan officer sits down with the client and listens intently to the story that each of us has to tell. They then offer incredibly personal customer

service and make it a point to create a plan that works around your financial situation.

“We look after the little guy, and we pride ourselves on doing the little things that the big banks just can’t do.”

Another point of pride for the folks over at Farm Credit Mid-America is that in all their years of business, they have never once sold a loan. All finances are completed within the company, so you have peace of mind knowing that your loan will remain with a singular party that cares.

Farm Credit Mid-America has had an incredible retention rate, some spanning over three generations of satisfied customers. Recently, they have begun implementation of The Heritage Program, which offers financial incentives to customers who have been with them for over 50 years. Farm Credit Mid-America

retains business through generations because they understand farming. Here you will find no 1-800 number to dial, no frustrating conversation with some nameless bank agent you’ve never met, but rather a human being you know by name and trust.

Chad Reese of the Reese Family Tree Farm agrees. After years of having variable rates on his home and farm that most financial institutions offer on homes with large acreage, he was very happy to obtain a long-term fixed rate. “The process was fast, easy and saved our family significantly in our monthly savings. Most importantly, I was impressed with how much the entire staff at Farm Credit took an interest in our family personally and worked so hard to help come up with long-term solutions to the success of our business.”

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24Heritage Living Plight Of The Honeybees

School

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The Golden Girls Of Niota

Contents features

Sounds Of Summer

26

30With Healthcare A Heart

47

The Anderson Home A Home Filled With Love

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20

Good Cooking Runs In The Family

10

The Englewood Textile Museum Houses Town’s History

The Best Of Lakeside Dining

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Mayfield’s Visitor Center Fantastic Flavors, Amazing Numbers!

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Annual Sales Fund “More Than Just A Library”

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departments 4

Letter From The Editor

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Farm Credit Mid-America

Chris Hari

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Sweet Soles

46

Raid On Starr Mountain

Ghost Towns And Railroad

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34

The Swingin’ Midway Drive-In

McMinn Life PUBLISHER

The Bingham Group President Lisa Atkins Bingham Local Editor Chris Hari

Letter from the Editor Summertime, with its sunny days and warm nights, is wonderful for relaxing, but there is also so much to do in our county during this season.

This year, I discovered what fun country horse shows are in McMinn and Monroe Counties. There are a variety of entertaining opportunities going on this summer, some of which are shared in this issue of McMinn Life. Pack up the kids and enjoy a movie at the Mid-Way Drive-In Theatre located between Athens and Etowah. It’s not everywhere that outdoor movies are available anymore.

Ride the Overhill’s Hiwassee Railway Excursion up into the mountains and learn from your train conductor about the ghost towns that centered around the building of the original railroad. That fascinating story is included in this issue.

Plan to attend as many of the Sounds of Summer free concerts as you can every Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Market Park Pavilion.

Attend one of the Heritage Saturday School classes at the Living Heritage Museum and learn many different crafts and information about our county. Within these pages, visit the very unique home of Gail and Claude Anderson in the beautiful Englewood countryside.

On a serious note, learn from our gardening expert, Gayle Fisher, about the plight of bees and how you can help.

Thank you for your support of McMinn Life magazine. I appreciate any help with stories, advertisers or events to make this magazine the one people look to for information that is solely about McMinn County and its people, places and events.

Call me at (423) 435-1650, or email me at chari@binghamgroup.com.

Graphic Designers Ben Grace Dustin Hayes Abby Swabe Contributing Writers Mark Cochran Nancy Dalton Anne Davis Robert Duncan Gayle Fisher Chris Hari Phil Roulier Contributing Photographers Mark Cochran Nancy Dalton Rose Dia-Bare Dylan Dobbs Ben Gibson Bruce Hari Chris Hari Halea Lingerfelt Copy Editor Jennifer Porterfield Web Melissa Hitt Advertising Sales Mignonne Alman Tel: 865.523.5999 mignonne@binghamgroup.com Chris Hari Tel: 423.435.1650 chari@binghamgroup.com Subscription or Editorial Inquiries Tel: 865.523.5999 Fax: 865.523.0999 www.mcminnlifemagazine.com The Bingham Group, Inc. 11921 Kingston Pike, Suite 201 Knoxville, Tennessee 37934 www.binghamgroup.com www.mcminnlifemagazine.com

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McMINN LIFE SUMMER 2015

The Tsali Notch Vineyard is the perfect place to host your wedding or special event. Enjoy sweeping views of the Cherokee National Forest and Great Smoky Mountains. Create memories to last a lifetime! Call or visit us today to make a reservation for your special event.

Come partake in Sweetwater’s National Muscadine Festival! Featuring Tsali Notch’s local grown Muscadine grapes, the festival is perfect for all ages. Try our locally made jellies, butters and chowchow relishes. Don’t forget to also try our signature wines in our tasting room! This year we are featuring our new Rosé wine, called French Broad.

The Plight of the Honeybee Written By Gayle Fisher

L

et us start with a little American bee history. As English and Spanish

settlers came to North America, they brought with them their native honeybees Apis mellifera mellifera and Apis mellifera iberica, respectively. As Europeans colonized and spread across our continent, Native Americans recognized the “white man’s fly”, or the honeybee. These imported bees would precede settlers as this introduced species outpaced the Europeans in their colonization of the continent. So, honeybees are not native to North America, and honeybees are the only genus of bees that produce combs of harvestable honey.

Today, we are having trouble in paradise.

Our bees are sick, wild bees (which number almost 4,000 different species) as well as hived honeybees. The Bee Informed Partnership, a consortium of universities and research laboratories, questioned 5,000 beekeepers. They reported losing 42.1

Gayle Fisher.

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percent of their colonies in the 12-month period that ended in April. That is well above the 34.2 percent loss reported for the same period in 2013 and 2014, and it is the second-highest loss recorded since year-round surveys began in 2010.

Bees are vital because without them, pollination of some crops doesn’t occur.

Estimates are that over 240,000 species of the world’s flowering plants rely on animal pollinators. Bees work tirelessly to provide us with our food. In recent years, it has become apparent that all bees, not just the honeybee, are under threat.

We as individual gardeners can decide which flowers to grow for pollen and nectar that will feed bees and help them to increase their numbers. Today the private garden is a better place than the countryside for wildlife, since much agricultural land is now devoid of the diversity of flowers that existed previously.

Scientists in the field think that insects need as much variety in their food as we do to get all the trace minerals and vitamins to keep them healthy.

More and more gardeners are anxious to do their part to help the bees by adding

to the shrinking inventory of flower-rich habitat in their area. In return, the bees will pollinate your flowers, providing a bountiful harvest of fruits, seeds and vegetables as well as the joy of you getting to watch them up close. You don’t have to be a beekeeper to enjoy bees.

Actions that we can do to help the bee plight: Rethink your lawn. Replace part or all of your lawn grass with flowering plants, which provides food and habitat for bees and other wildlife. I know you think grass is easier, but just give a corner up to flowers.

Select single flower tops such as daisies and marigolds, rather than double flower tops such as double impatiens. Doubleheaded flowers look showy but produce much less nectar and make it much more difficult for bees to access pollen.

Plan for blooms and nectar season-round.

Plant at least three different types of flowers to ensure blooms through as many seasons as possible, thus providing bees with a constant source of food.

For example: Crocus, hyacinth, borage, calendula and wild lilac provide enticing spring blooms.

Bees feast on cosmos, bee balm, echinacea, snapdragons, foxglove and hosta in the summer.

Pictured above are hyacinth flowers, a great food source for bees during the spring.

For fall, try zinnias, sedum, asters, witch hazel and goldenrod. They are late bloomers that will tempt foragers.

Native shrub choices include blueberry bushes, elderberry (Sambucus), summersweet, (Clethra alnifolia), witch-alder, meadowsweet (Spirea), and native honeysuckle (Lonicera). Be sure not to plant the invasive Asian honeysuckle.

Create a “bee bath”. Bees need a place to get fresh and enjoy clean water. Fill a shallow container of water with pebbles or twigs for the bees to land on while drinking. Make sure to maintain the container full of fresh water to ensure that they know they can return to the same spot every day. I had never thought about bees and water.

Bee balm (left) and goldenrod (right) are two sources of nector for bees during the summer and fall seasons.

Other good flower choices for the bees are sunflowers, marigolds, primulas, Rudbeckia, cornflowers, lavender, bluebells, hellebores, clematis, mint, rosemary, thyme, thrift, Sweet Williams, poppies, verbena (roadside), ageratum and globe thistle.

So get out there and plant some flowers and flowering shrubs. The bees, me and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (the composer of “Flight of the Bumblebee”) will thank you for it!

Herbs like mint, rosemary, thyme (pictured above) and others are also good sources of food for bees and a great addition to any garden.

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The Englewood Textile Museum Houses Town’s History Written & Photographed By Mark Cochran

n the mid-1850s, a small mill village known as Eureka Cotton Mills sprang up along the banks of the Chestuee Creek in eastern McMinn County. In the 1890s, Nannie Chesnutt, the sister of Eureka Cotton Mill owner Sallie Brient, suggested that the town be renamed “Englewood” because the rolling hills surrounding the community reminded her of the “forests of Englewood” referenced in Robin Hood. The name change would prove to be fitting for the close-knit hamlet as over the next 120 years the small East Tennessee town would write a distinctive

and eclectic history that would rival any fictional story.

Englewood’s history contains both heroes and heroines. The town’s legends are made up of courageous entrepreneurs who put it all on the line to make better lives for their families, rugged individuals who believed in hard work and self-reliance, bold citizens who demanded reform, brave patriots who fought for freedom and many inimitable characters who were simply one-of-a-kind. One such individual was

Howard Goodin, who made national news and even earned a record in the World Almanac by sitting in a tree for forty-five days without coming down.

Another groundbreaker was Mary Ellen “Ma” Brendle who, in 1940, was Englewood’s, and perhaps Tennessee’s, first female mayor. She pledged to end the town’s staggering debt and fulfilled her campaign promise by the close of her term. Astor Bloom also left his mark. As a wealthy railroad investor, Astor left a sizeable fund to the Town of Englewood when he died in 1944

The Englewood Textile Museum is located at 109 N Niota Rd, Englewood, TN and is open Monday-Friday from 11am-5pm and Saturday from 10am-4pm.

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to provide clothing for needy children each Christmas. The fund is still clothing children to this day, and in keeping with Astor’s wishes, each article of clothing given away has a card in memory of his mother that reads “By Martha A. Bloom, in Jesus Name”.

These stories and many more pieces of Englewood’s remarkable history are housed in the Englewood Textile Museum. Founded by the Community Action Group of Englewood in 1994, the institution originally focused solely on Englewood’s textile industry and the strong, independent women who were at its core. While much emphasis remains on textiles and how the industry shaped the town, CAGE has expanded the museum’s scope to include the histories of Englewood’s businesses, churches and the former Englewood High School. The museum has been expanded three times and now includes “The Chesnutt House”, which is the only remaining home of Englewood’s earliest textile mill owners and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The Chesnutt House displays exhibits on local war heroes, the town’s founding families and wedding dresses throughout the twentieth century.

Those visiting the Englewood Textile Museum will find themselves immersed in the history of a proud people. The accounts they hear will be those of good times and bad, of overcoming great odds and of triumph and defeat. They will experience the story of small-town America, the story of Englewood.

The Chesnutt House, which is a part of the National Register of Historic Places and now is a part of the Englewood Textile Museum

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Ghost Towns and Railroads

Adventure awaits on the L&N “Old Line”

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host towns and old railroads go hand in hand in our Southern folklore. The L&N “Old Line” that travels from Etowah, TN, to Copperhill, TN, is no different than the rest of the South. There are three ghost towns along the tracks that are now travelled by the Hiwassee River Railroad, a division of the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

As our train proceeds in a southward direction from our departure point near the Hiwassee-Ocoee State Park, also known as Gee Creek Park, our first ghost town is just past the community of Reliance. At the 346.5 Mile Post where Lost Creek flows into the Hiwassee River is the old town of Probst, TN. Probst was reportedly named for the Secretary of the Prendergast Lumber Co., William S. Probst.

Written By Robert Duncan

Probst was a thriving sawmill community with a general store and several residences.

It also had a railroad siding that would hold 43 rail cars. In addition, at one time there was a logging railroad that wound its way back into the forest that would bring large trees to the sawmill for cutting.

The sawmill and logging operations were conducted by the Prendergast Lumber Co., who, in its heyday, employed around 200 folks. It is possible that some of the wood for structures and crossties along the railroad were cut and processed in Probst. Eventually all the useful timber was cut, and timber operations ceased in the mid 1920s. The town gradually faded into obscurity. The only reminder of Probst now is a large open field on the west side of the RR tracks immediately past the bridge over Lost Creek. That area is the last of the privately owned land before we enter the Cherokee National Forest.

A little under 9 miles further south at the

355.0 mile post is the ghost town of McFarland, TN. McFarland was founded as a railroad town when the section houses were built there. Section houses were the buildings used to house and store supplies for the “Section Gang”.

The Section Gang got their name because they were the group of track workers who were responsible for the repair and maintenance of a certain section of track. The Section Gang based in McFarland was responsible for the section of track between Etowah and Copperhill. McFarland was roughly at a halfway point between those towns, so they were stationed there. Men assigned to the section gang received permission from the railroad to build houses in McFarland and some moved their families there. There was a small depot and a railroad hotel in McFarland also, as it was a crew change point for the L&N. There was also a general store with a

Remaining 2015 Schedule 20 July

Sue Culverhouse (Jim Moore)“Robert Penn ‘Red’ Warren”

17 August

Taylor Emery (Barbara Wilbur)“Henry Livingstone/ Pro Golf in Clarksville”

21 September County Mayor Jim Durrett (Kurt Bryant) “Ringgold Mill” 19 October

William T. Turner (Billyfrank Morrison) “The Ties That Bind Montgomery/Christian Counties”

16 November

Dr. Phil Kemmerly (Joe Flippo) “Tunnels and Sinkholes in Clarksville”

TBA December Christmas Program (Bill Morris, Joe Filippo, Kurt Bryant) post office in it and the one-room Butler School. There was a house track on the west side with a water tank to top off thirsty steam locomotives and a passing track on the east side of the main line for low priority trains to wait on passengers or high priority freight trains.

Two things doomed McFarland to extinction. First, the L&N Railroad reconsidered how they ran the work crews. Instead of having Section Gangs assigned to one place, they made them mobile by creating work trains. These trains would be based out of large terminals such as Atlanta or Knoxville.

The section houses were shut down, and several employees moved to the larger cities to stay with the work trains. A little after that, the railroads switched from steam locomotives to diesel locomotives, and there became no need to stop in McFarland to take on water. The trains quit stopping in McFarland, and the town faded away. Its last inhabitant passed away there in 1951. It is now used as a campsite occasionally for hunters and trout fishermen.

Exactly 5 more miles south, we arrive at our third and last ghost town, the old town of Apalachia, TN, at the 360.0 milepost. Apalachia Station was developed to interchange lumber and wood chemicals here for transport throughout the nation. The original siding was resurrected for operations of the Hiwassee River RR and can hold approximately 40 cars. They often used the siding to hold cars loaded with iron ore on the occasions they were shipping iron ore, often called Calcine, out of Copperhill. There was a ferry operated by the Prince family at Apalachia that traversed the Hiwassee River and met a road that continued on to Tellico Plains.

A road on the RR track side of the river came in from Copperhill. There was also a water tank for the steam locomotives; the evidence can still be seen, as the concrete footings are still in the ground on the west side of the tracks.

Billyfrank Morrison Programs Committee Chairman

Apalachia was also where a pusher locomotive would stand by to couple up to the rear of heavy trains and push them up the mountain through the

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Hiwassee Loop. Pusher locomotives were replaced by diesel powered locomotives.

Train crews would simply add more diesel locomotives in Etowah for the the trip up Bald Mountain. Eventually the ferry was replaced by an overhead tram system, but then the flow of the river was restricted by the building of the Apalachia Dam in 1943. When the TN Hwy 68 bridge was constructed, the tram became obsolete. Just

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like in McFarland, the railroad switched from steam to diesel locomotives, so no trains stopped anymore to take on water, and the town faded into obscurity.

ghost towns, you can hear the shrill whistle of a steam powered train echoing through the mountains. It’s hard to blame that on the bears!

No ghost trains have been seen by any of our crews at the Hiwassee River RR, but some of the old timers that worked that line back in the L&N days told us that on a cold, moonless night in and one of those three

More information about not only our ghost towns but other history of communities along our railroad can be found in books by Thurman Parish, “Mountain Memories” and “The Old Home Place”.

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The Anderson Home A Home Filled With Love Written By Chris Hari | Photography By Bruce Hari

T

he Anderson home is one of the most interesting homes in Englewood, filled with family, love and so much history! There is a story in every room and a story to accompany most of the furnishings, doors and fireplaces.

The furnishings that weren’t handmade

by Claude are mostly from the Andersons’ antique business. Many old Athens families are represented by the furniture in the Anderson home. Most of the doors in the house came from the old Madisonville train depot. The bricks in the home came from eight fireplaces in the home where Claude was raised (after the house burned down). The stones used on the exterior of the home were carried down from Starr Mountain.

Claude and Gail Anderson were born and raised in McMinn County. They married young and spent 20 years living all over the United States while Claude was an airplane electrician in the Air Force. Claude served in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, so during this time, they lived overseas and, for quite a while, in Okinawa.

When the tour of duty was over, Claude landed a job in the Athens Post Office, and the Andersons returned to their roots.

They found an original one-room cabin that they wanted. Unfortunately, it was on someone else’s farm. Eventually, the Andersons purchased 22 acres and were able to purchase the cabin and move it to their land.

Springbrook’s Member-Guest Tournament in the summer, and the 3-man shot in the fall. Claude passed his love of the sport to his children and even some of the grandchildren.

One room with an attic loft wasn’t big enough for their family of two boys and two girls. So they added on a kitchen, bath and upstairs bedrooms. Later, a large family room and downstairs apartment were added. Most all of the work was done by the Andersons, their children and even some of the grandchildren. A lot of work and a lot of love went into their “work in progress”.

The house on 22 acres became the kind of home grandkids came to spend the summer at for weeks on end.

Now, the entire family – four children, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren – gathers twice a year at the homestead. Both occasions center around golf:

Gail Anderson is one of the most active women in Englewood. She is very involved in Community Action Group of Englewood (C.A.G.E.) and the Englewood Textile Museum. First and foremost, though, Gail is a mom. It came as no surprise when she was named Mother of the Year at the 2015 Athens Chamber Banquet...except to Gail – she was totally floored. She thought she was asked to attend to receive an award for C.A.G.E.!

A visit to the Anderson residence is proof positive that the right person received this honor. The home permeates a sense of love and family from every nook and cranny.

Claude and Gail Anderson 16

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The Anderson home kitchen was one of the first rooms that was added on to the original cabin. The bricks used came from Claude’s childhood home. All of the furnishings were either built by Claude himself or came from the Anderson’s antique business.

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Mayfield’s Visitor Center…

Fantastic Flavors, Amazing Numbers!

Written By Chris Hari Photography By Bruce Hari

What do Hip Hip Hop, Death by Chocolate, UT Blast and Chocolate Covered Cherry have in common? They are just four of over 1,400 milkshake “concoctions” available at Mayfield’s Visitor Center. The ice cream parlor has had customers visit from every state in the Union and many countries in the World. The dipping parlor offers handdipped ice cream, sundaes to die for and seasonal and newly released flavors not available in stores. Local residents receive $.50 off cones or ice cream and $1.00 off shakes and sundaes…so be sure to tell the server that you are from McMinn County!

The Center celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. Since it opened, more than one million –1,000,000– visitors have

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come to taste the legendary ice cream.

A porch full of rocking chairs and a patio with plenty of wrought iron tables and chairs invite visitors to enjoy a little people watching while they slowly savor their ice cream. Parents and grandparents can relax while children entertain themselves by climbing the cow statue, coloring at the “coloring station” or trying their hand at milking a life-size cow. The Visitor’s Center also has gift shopping with t-shirts, cards, unique dairy items and toys for children of all ages.

More than 20,000 cows housed at local dairy farms and a co-op of farms are milked twice a day to provide milk for the Athens plant. The plant offers tours for the public to see the cleanliness, dedication and extra steps taken to produce the famous milk in the yellow jug and ice cream that has been declared to be “The World’s Best Ice Cream ” by Time Magazine. By the way, about the yellow jug – it protects milk from UV rays in the stores, which can

cause it to lose 20 percent of its vitamins and minerals, and it also preserves the great taste. Because of this protection, milk in the yellow jug has 5-7 days longer shelf life than milk in clear jugs.

School groups from as far away as Florida, senior groups, motorcycle groups, summer camp kids and thousands of families tour the plant each year. Many stay the night, to the delight of local hotels, restaurants and stores. Each tour is topped off with a serving of delicious hand-dipped ice cream for every participant. Groups of ten or more please call (423) 649-2653 and let us know you’re coming so you won’t have to wait. Individuals or small groups can just show up.

Flavors like Hip Hip Hop, Death by Chocolate, UT Blast and Chocolate Covered Cherry may change as seasons change, but one thing NEVER changes… you will probably never taste better ice cream! Visit Mayfield’s Visitor Center at 4 Mayfield Lane, Athens, Tennessee.

At the Athens Plant, tours are offered to the public to see what it takes to create Mayfield’s “World’s Best Ice Cream” and famous milk. At the visitor center, children can try milking a life-sized cow or climbing the cow statue while those of all ages can savor the taste of sundaes, milkshakes and hand-dipped ice cream, making Mayfield’s Visitor Center memorable for all.

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Good Cooking Runs in the Family Written & Photographed By Chris Hari. Recipe Photos Compliments of Daily Post-Athenian.

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to come over when the vegetables are ripe. Often fresh veggies don’t make it to the house. Says Cabrina, age 16, “We just pick and eat them right there.”

Summer has always been her favorite season, because she loves to garden and have fresh vegetables and herbs with her meals. What is left over gets frozen, canned or dried. Her grandchildren love

Pris spent years as a Certified Diabetes Educator, instructing patients on nutrition and balancing carbs, meats and fat to create healthy meals. That experience combined with knowledge from the Food Network on using herbs, lemon juice and other natural ingredients to season, make her meals hard to beat. She also has a knack for putting things together to make original recipes, or recreate recipes from something she has eaten in a restaurant.

ris Cornwall is a great cook. So was her mother, and so were her grandmothers. One grandmother was a true “scratch” cook, the other loved to try new recipes. She is a true combination of the two. Pris’ mom was also a great cook but worked full-time, so by the age of 15, cooking the family meals was up to Pris. When she turned 16 and could drive, her mom taught her how to grocery shop as well.

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Many people – friends, family and patients – have benefitted over the years from Pris’ ability to create and bake. A milestone achieved, birth or death in the family and sometimes for no reason at all, Pris comes bringing moral support and great food. She often enters the Daily Post-Athenian’s annual Holiday Cookbook recipe contest and has had a multitude of Grand Prize and First Place winning entries.

2014 – 1st Prize Bread & Pastries Category Criss Cross Apple Crowns 1 1/3 cups chopped tart apples 1/3 cup chopped English walnuts 1/3 cup raisins 1/2 cup sugar, divided 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided Dash of salt 1 pkg. (17.3 oz.) large refrigerated flaky biscuits 2 tsp. butter, melted

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine apples, walnuts, raisins, 3 tablespoons sugar, flour, 3/4 tsp. cinnamon and salt.

Microwave 2 to 3 minutes or until almost tender.

Flatten each biscuit into a 5-inch circle.

Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle a rounded teaspoon of sugar mixture over each. Top each with 1/4 cup apple mixture. Bring up edges to enclose mixture. Pinch edges to seal. Place seam side down in ungreased muffin cups.

Brush tops with butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. With a sharp knife, cut an “X” in the top of each.

Bake at 350 for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to wire rack.

2012 – 1st Prize Salad Category Curried Mango Chicken Salad 1/3 cup slivered almonds, chopped 1 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 1/3 cup chopped fresh mango 1 tsp. salt 1 Tbsp. curry powder 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper 5 cups diced cooked chicken 1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained 1 cup chopped green onion 1/4 cup chopped dates 1/4 cup chopped golden raisins 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries.

Mix all together. Refrigerate. Serve cold with Naan bread wedges.

2013 – Grand Prize Winner King Ranch Chicken 4 to 6 cooked, shredded chicken breasts (save broth for later use) 1 pkg. small flour tortilla rounds 1 large onion, chopped 1 large green bell pepper, chopped 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder 1 tsp. garlic salt 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 can cream of mushroom soup 1 (10 oz.) can diced tomatoes and green chilies, drained

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Dip tortillas in broth to soften. Remove and drain. Saute onion and bell pepper in oil. Add chicken to combine. Add chili powder and garlic salt. Combine soups.

Set aside. Grease 9x13-inch casserole.

Layer tortillas on bottom of dish. Layer half chicken mixture over tortillas.

Repeat chicken and tortilla layers.

Spread soup mixture over layers. Spread cheese over soup layer. Top with diced tomatoes and green chilies. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Do not cover.

Yields 6 to 8 servings.

2010 – 1st Prize Appetizer Category – Also Grand Prize Winner at MooFest Pris’ Cheese Terrine (an original recipe) 1 pound thinly sliced Provolone cheese 2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup chopped green onions 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts (waterpacked), drained and finely chopped 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese 1/4 cup chopped olives 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper 1 large bottle roasted red peppers, drained and chopped Garnish with red and yellow pepper strips and sliced olives

Stir together cream cheese and green onions, then set aside. Stir together artichoke hearts and next 7 ingredients.

Line a medium-sized round bowl with plastic wrap. Place cheese slices in bowl, starting in the center, and layer up the sides (this forms the covering for the cheese mixtures). Spread 1/3 cream cheese mixture in bottom of the bowl.

Layer 1/2 roasted peppers over cheese mixture, then 1/2 artichoke mixture.

Repeat with cheese mixture, artichoke, then red peppers. End with cream cheese layer. Top with a layer of Provolone cheese to cover. Fold plastic wrap over the cheese. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. Remove to serving platter by lifting the plastic wrap and inverting the platter to form a dome. Sprinkle with paprika and decorate with sliced olives and pepper strips. To serve, slice in pie-shaped wedges, beginning in the center of the top. Serve with assorted crackers and/or bagel bites.

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Thank You! 20 Years and Counting.

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Living Heritage School Written By Anne Davis

I

n January of 2014, the McMinn County Living Heritage Museum started a bold new initiative for Saturday programming called Heritage School: Living History, Lifelong Learning. Heritage School creates an environment that inspires lifelong learning to promote and preserve the knowledge, skills, crafts and stories of our shared heritage. The school endorses inter-generational learning by providing traditional craft demonstrations and presentations geared towards all ages on the history and heritage of our area.

Southeast Tennessee is rich in talent and people willing to share that talent in order to preserve traditional folk art dating back to our pioneer heritage.

Since the inception of Heritage School, attendees have enjoyed demonstrations in woodworking, chair caning, quilting, rug hooking, folk music, different forms of folk dance, building dulcimers, spinning, weaving, natural dyes, stained glass, china painting and much more. Presentations have included the history of airplanes, guns, dirt track racing, birds of prey, herb gardening, 24

McMINN LIFE SUMMER 2015

Photographed By Christopher Dobbs

shape note singing, HAM radio operations and cowboys of yesterday and today. The film of Athens in the 1940s attracted a large audience, and the museum plans to incorporate more videos from their archives in the future.

for every level of experience from beginners to advanced quilters. One of the highlights of the show, which has always set the museum’s show apart from other area shows, is the display of antique quilts that accompanies the other entries.

One of the more successful Heritage School programs was centered on the history of Boy Scouts. The Scout troops created an exhibit of scouting artifacts and had a program that enabled them to earn a history badge.

Another very successful program was our month of the American Girl Doll. The dolls represent different time periods in history, and our programs and accompanying exhibits were planned to enhance that heritage. Our first American Girl Doll tea party was a sold-out success, and we are planning a much larger event next fall.

The Annual Hook-In attracts rug hookers from throughout the Southeast region for a weekend of fun, food, fellowship and rug hooking. Held each March, the participants enjoy exchanging ideas, discussing color combinations and design ideas and planning for the next year!

The Museum’s Annual October Quilt Show is a regional event attracting quilts and audiences from several states. The award-winning show always features quality teachers and lecturers and offers something

The museum decided to take Heritage School on the road! We now work with the Athens City Schools’ after school program, Kid’s Connection, bringing history to life for students in grades K-8th. It is fascinating to watch a child learn from a Cherokee Indian the art of basket making or how cotton is spun into yarn and woven into a coverlet.

These living history lessons are more readily retained and provide experiences that are not always easily accessible.

Demonstrations are given in woodworking, chair caning, quilting, rug hooking, folk music, various forms of folk dance,building dulcimers, spinning,weaving,natural dyes, stained glass, china painting, and so much more

Heritage School Summer Schedule July 11

11 am- 2pm

“Athens in 1940”- A historical movie about Athens in the 1940’s

July 25

11 am-2pm

Stain Glass Demonstration - Betty & Jerry Axleys will demonstrate the process of making stained glass

Aug 8

11 am- 2pm

“Big Boy Toys” - McMinn Counry Radio Coontrol Association will discuss a variety of remote controlled aircraft

Aug 15

11 am-2pm

Trinity Motor Cycle - Trinity Warrioirs will discuss evangelism to the mototcycling community

Aug 22

11 am- 2pm

Swift Airport - A representative from the Swift Airport will discuss aircraft

Aug 29

11 am-2pm

Amateur Radio Exhibit - McMinn County Amateur Radio Club will demonstrate the operations of “ham radio”

Sept 19

1pm-3pm

American Girl Doll Movie - An afternoon filled with a movie and a cupcake decorating for the girls

Sept 26

1pm-3pm

American Girl Doll Luncheon - An afternon tea party for the girls and their dolls McMinn County Living Heritage Museum 552 West Madison Avenue Athens, TN 37303 423-745-0329 Museum hours: Tuesday - Friday (10am - 5pm) Saturday (10m - 4pm); Closed: Sunday & Monday Heritage School Program admission: $ 5.00 (includes a tour) Free to Museum Members

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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The Golden Girls of Niota Written By Gayle Fisher

I

f you are new to McMinn County, the City of Niota is a sleepy burg off Highway 11 halfway between Sweetwater and Athens. We are a small town with a population of 907 people.

We are known for having the oldest train depot in the state of Tennessee, the Fried Green Tomato Festival and Harry T. Burn (who cast the deciding vote for women’s suffrage in 1920). If you are a golfer, then you know that Niota is where the Springbrook Golf and Country Club is located.

In October 1988, we were the only city in the state of Tennessee and in the United States of America to have an all-female government. That fall, Effie Lones was running for mayor and Mabel Young for commissioner of finance. There were only five names on the ballot, so every candidate was sure to win even if he only voted for himself. One position would go unfilled since it was a six-positions election. In order to give the citizens of Niota more choices in the upcoming election, Mrs. Lones talked four other civicminded friends into running for the other four commission seats. These recruited women completed a full slate of candidates and proclaimed themselves “The People’s Choice”. These well qualified women went door to door campaigning for a write-in vote. They won in a landslide, and Niota had the first all-female government in the country.

When the elections results were tallied, we had Effie Lones being selected as Mayor. Mabel Young was elected to

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Pictured in no certain order: Effie Lones, Mabel Young, Billie Grilliam, Boots Snyder, Nellie Finely and Grace Forrester.

Commissioner of Finance. Billie Gilliam won as Commissioner of Sanitation. Boots Snyder was selected as Commissioner of Police and Fire, Nellie Finely as Commissioner of Roads and Grace Forrester as Commissioner of Water. Their backgrounds included retired school teacher, retired federal accountant, retired bank employee, computer programmer, an office administrator and a beauty shop operator.

Being the first always brings attention from the public. Niota had a plethora of newspapers reporting on this event, even Atlanta and Chicago papers. We were covered nationally with television shows like “Inside Edition”, Fox Networks’ “The Reporters”, ABC’s “Home Show” and Family Circle magazine. The “All Things Considered” news program on National Public Radio (NPR) had an interview with Lones and featured the City of Niota.

Then the crowning jewel, “Good Morning America actually did a live broadcast from downtown Niota, Tennessee. Our city government was dubbed Petticoat Junction since the town hall was located in the old Southern Railroad Depot. The trains still rumble past, but now they never stop. They just blow their whistle telling the locals to keep off the tracks since the train is coming through and cannot slow down for them.

time elected official in the United States.

Things have not changed much here in Niota since 1988. We still get shook as the train passes, and our children attend school during the week and church on Sundays.

We still have only one stoplight and city hall is still occupying the depot.Our current mayor is a female. She is a retired principal from Niota School. Mrs. Lones penned a book about Niota before her death titled “Nigh Onto Heaven”, and that’s exactly how I feel about living here.

Special thanks to Boots Snyder, pictured here with her friend, Gayle Fisher.

The other title for our female government was The Golden Girls, since four of the officials were grandmothers already. Their ages being 79, 70, 70, 68, 52 and 52, and in 1988, Miss Effie was the also oldest first-

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Healthcare with a Heart Written & Photographed By Chris Hari

Dr. David Byrd came to McMinn County fresh out of East Tennessee State University School of Medicine to serve as Athens Community Hospital’s Director of Emergency Medicine. It was an eyeopening role in which the enormous need for uninsured people to be able to get help before their healthcare needs became emergent was evident on a daily basis. It wasn’t long before he was a man on a mission. The result was the founding of the Good Faith Clinic in 1995.

Dr. Byrd was inspired by the founding of the InterFaith Clinic in Knoxville, and he felt that the same thing could be accomplished in Athens. With a lot of hard work, determination and some dedicated volunteers, he made it happen. Since its inception, the Good Faith Clinic has served an average of 60 patients twice a month for over 20 years. Without the Clinic, these uninsured patients would have no access to healthcare.

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Many patients seen by Dr. Byrd and his volunteer staff have chronic health issues that could be prevented or lessened with annual physicals. When the opportunity arose in the late 1990s to partner with ETSU School of Medicine to provide annual free health exams for uninsured people in Meigs and McMinn Counties, he jumped at the chance.

“It’s a win/win situation,” explains Dr. Byrd. “It’s great for GFC patients because they get comprehensive physical exams that include lab work. For the third-year medical students, it provides hands-on experience with actual patients.”

Joe Florence, MD, ETSU Director of Rural Programs, has led the team of medical residents providing health fairs in this area for the last 12 years. “We want to plant in student minds that they have an obligation to serve communities, especially the underserved.” The health

(Top Left) Tanya Halcomb performs glucose test on participant, Debra Valles. Medications are provided for health fair patients when necessary. Dr. Bill Bowers (standing) and Dr. Don Hardison served as preceptors for the residents. Also shown is Dr. Peggy Sue Brooks, ETSU staff coordinator.

(Top row from left to right) Dr. Joe Florence, ETSU Director of Rural Programs, and Oscar Carey, GFC Clinical Coordinator. Sandra Russell, GFC volunteer, helps a patient with registration process.

Patty Pearman, Tanya Halcomb and Mariela McCandless set up the meals for ETSU residents provided by Athens Family Practice. (Middle row from left to right) Dr. Charles Cox, Pris Cornwall (GFC volunteer) and medical resident draw blood for lab work.

(Above) Dr. David Byrd, GFC founder, serves every year as a preceptor for the medical residents.

Connie Woodcock, Volunteer Coordinator for Amedisys Hospice, explains hospice services.

fairs have been extremely beneficial for the patients served. Many conditions such as diabetes, cancers and cardiovascular issues have been diagnosed that would have otherwise gone undetected and untreated.

This year, the two-day event served 65 patients, despite uncooperative weather.

The 2015 ETSU team of medical residents with Dr. Joe Florence (on left) and Health Fair Coordinator, Mariela McCandless (top right).

The annual event is coordinated by Mariela McCandless, ETSU and a core of volunteers from the Good Faith Clinic.

Says Dr. Byrd, “it would be pretty hard to provide this service without them, and pretty hard for them to carry out their mission without us.�

The Good Faith Clinic is a United Way partner agency serving the uninsured people from McMinn and Meigs Counties since 1995.

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Annual Sale Funds “More Than Just A Library” Written & Photographed By Chris Hari

T

he Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale is an event that takes all year to prepare for. Enough books are given to the library during the year to fill an entire semi (donated years ago

by Case Enterprises and located on the library’s back lawn). Scores of volunteers sort through the books as they arrive to ensure quality and then sort the books by category before storing them in tomato boxes on the semi. It is amazing to see just how many books we are talking about that are sorted through daily. The semi is filled top to bottom with tomato boxes of categorized books.

The book sale has taken place every summer since 1985. This year, there will be a few important changes. The semi the books are stored in used to haul them to the McMinn County High School

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cafeteria for the sale. The tires finally gave out on the semi, and replacement could easily cost more than is made at the sale.

So, for the very first time, the sale will be held on library premises, and all the library staff and many volunteers will oversee the event. Carey Hicks, Chairman of the Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale, is happy for the major change. “It will bring people in to see the library and what a great resource we have here in our community.”

The event is produced and operated

by Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization chaired by Bunny Browder, whose mission is to promote literacy in our community and to raise funds for the library. It is A LOT of work all year long but funds so many community resources available through the library. Says Julie

Forkner, Director of E.G. Fisher Public Library, “We want E.G. Fisher to become the center of the community, and we are working hard towards that goal.”

It is amazing how many services are available at E.G. Fisher Public Library.

There are summer programs for children to keep them actively engaged while having a lot of fun. There are programs for adults, noon book discussions, electronic resources and software (such as resume software), major resources for career transitions (including interest assessments and how to pursue career goals), online distance education for persons pursuing degrees at all levels, and, of course, the library is a place where people can come and do research all day long, if that’s what they need to do.

The annual sale funds well over half of the books purchased for the library throughout the year, as well as all the programs mentioned. This year, the sale starts with Premiere Night, which is Thursday, July 23rd, from 4:30 until 8:00 p.m. It is intended for Friends of the Library to go through the thousands of

books and have first choice. However, you can become a member of F.O.L at the door for $15/individual/$25 for a family/$100 for a lifetime.

On Friday the hours are 9:30 to 5 p.m.

On Saturday, it is open 10 – 5 p.m. and is 1/2 price day. Sunday it will be open from Noon until 4 p.m. and is “stuff the bag” day for $3.00.

Bunny Browder, Chair of Friends of the Library, says it’s well worth your while to come visit this annual sale event. “There’s something for everybody, and the money we make goes straight back into the community.”

Julie Forkner, Carey Hicks and Bunny Browder, the Friends Of Library Chair

In a way, this event goes on all year long but is little known by the general public. In the main lobby are shelves full of current books for sale. Maybe even better, they have current magazines on sale at 3/$1.00…no more feeling guilty spending $4 to find out what the celebs are up to!

Check out what E.G. Fisher Public Library has to offer at www.fisherlibrary.org or on Facebook. You can also visit Friends of The Library at the E.G. Fisher Public Library website. For further information regarding library resources for the Annual Book Sale, call the library at 423-745-7782.

de Inglesi , TN 9 8 e 2 th 1 f ens Friends oook ve, Ath A B y r a r ib L s 37303 Sale begin e r ie with Prehmich is Night w y, July Thursda m 4:30 23rd fro 0 p.m. until 8:0

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The Swingin’ Midway Drive-In offers nostalgic nights of family summer fun under the stars Written & Photographed By Nancy Dalton

I

t’s a warm summer evening. Children in pajamas run here and there. Adults sit in their cars or in their lawn chairs nearby. Most people chow down on their favorite snacks, whether it’s red licorice, a hot dog or a big tub of buttered popcorn.

“It’s a real family atmosphere here at the Midway,” says Tom Epps, owner of the Swingin’ Midway Drive-In Theater. “It makes for a great summer and timeless family memories under the stars.”

There’s an art to watching an outdoor movie in style. Families who attend frequently have fine-tuned their approach, backing up to parking spots so the truck bed or open SUV rear doors face the screen. Sleeping bags and blankets make for comfy dens where children lie down to watch the flick until nodding off.

The world’s first drive-in or “automobile movie theater”, as it was called, opened in 1933 in Camden, New Jersey. An auto parts salesman, Richard Hollingshead, inspired by his mother’s struggle to sit comfortably in traditional movie theater seats, came up with the idea of an open-air theater where patrons could watch movies from the comfort of their own vehicles. Before Hollingshead worked out the details, he began to experiment in his own driveway by hanging a sheet for a screen and

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mounting a 1928 Kodak projector on the hood of his car. He placed a radio behind the screen for sound and then started testing his idea.

The open-air theater idea took hold and grew in popularity, especially with the creation of the in-car speaker, which greatly improved the audio quality. At the industry’s height in the late 1950s and early 1960s, there were over 4,000 drive-in theaters in the United States. The United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association says 4,063 theaters operated in 1958. There are only 357 drive-in theaters left in the USA, and 15 of these are in Tennessee. We are lucky to still have one of these iconic treasures in our midst.

Going to the movies is a past-time that nearly every person in America loves. The magic and excitement we receive when we are seeing a movie with friends or family is unparalleled.

“I I remember going to the Midway Drive-In in the late 1960s when it was first opened by Jack Jones.

It was open all year round then. I went once when it was snowing,” said Glenn Perrine of Englewood.

The decline of the drive-in theater began in the late 1960s. The solidification of daylight saving time

forced later movie starting times, and the rising price of real estate, combined with the growing number of walk-in theaters and home movie rentals, severely affected the industry’s growth.

The most recent hurdle for drive-ins has been upgrading to digital projectors before Hollywood movie studios phased out the 35-millimeter film. “Digital was a costly change that almost caused me to close my gates last year. It cost us about $95,000 for a new projector system,” said Tom Epps.

“The new digital system is a lot brighter.

The clarity and brightness of the picture is much better quality.”

The Swingin’ Midway Drive-In Theatre, located on Highway 30 between Etowah and Athens, offers double-features on one giant screen. Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from late spring to late fall, it boasts a giant playground and a large concession stand that even sells T-shirts.

Gates open at 7:30 pm EST, and shows begin at dusk. Admission is $7, children under twelve $5, children under five get in free. Sunday is Carload Nite, with $12 admission per carload. The theater hosts a Flea Market Swap Meet on Saturday mornings. For more information, call (423) 263-2632, or check on their website at www.swinginmidwaydrivein.com.

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Celebrating 60 years!

From our establishment in 1954 by the employees of Bowaters Southern Paper Corporation to serving the whole community today, your credit union is still the place where you can be sure that everything we do, we do for you.

The proof that your credit union is not-for-profit and member-owned is shown in our:

Loans with low rates Savings designed for to help you meet your goals

Checking without fees or strings Call or visit us today and see what its like to own your financial institution.

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

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NCUA

National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency

Bowater Employees Credit Union • Athens • Calhoun • Cleveland 1112 Congress Parkway S. • Athens, TN •37303 www.bowaterecu.org • 423-252-1140

McMINN LIFE SUMMER 2015

The Lily Pad Boutique &Sweet Soles FINEST LADIES APPAREL

“because a shoe can change a girl’s life”

Sweetwater’s Head to Toe Shopping Experience •katherine bartow Cosmetics • arT by fisher Jewelry • Ladies Apparel and Accessories • Sandals, Shoes and Flip Flops

The Lily Pad Boutique | 209 N Main St, Sweetwater, TN 37874 | 423.337.5537 | sweetwaterlilypad.com Sweet Soles | 211 N Main St, Sweetwater, TN 37874 | 423.371.4042 | sweet-soles.com

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Sweet Soles

Contributes to the Revitalization of Main Street America Sweet Soles, a women’s shoe boutique, opened in September in Sweetwater.

It was the work of many creative hands according to the owner, Mary Miller. Just six short months ago, Mary met Amy Bray, an entrepreneur in the shoe industry. Interested in opening another independent shoe boutique in a small, Main Street town, Mary asked Amy to be on the lookout for a charming spot with a fabulous women’s boutique nearby, small, lovely eateries, a few good antiques stores and lovely tree-lined streets...then, they laughed and agreed that this vision no longer exists...or does it? A few weeks later, on a business trip, Amy met Brenda Bryan, owner of The Lily Pad, a landmark destination for women’s apparel. After a wonderful afternoon of chatting and shopping, Brenda took Amy next door to reveal a beautiful 19th-century space with an exposed brick wall that had once, long ago, been a thriving mercantile...and the rest, dear reader, is history. With phone calls flying, a charming shoe store was born right next door to a very unique and quite famous ladies’ boutique, right in the heart of a small town with tree-lined streets, antiques stores, an authentic hardware store and several delightful eateries.

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Handmade shoes and jewelry, home decor and handbags are just a few of the treasures you will find when you shop at Sweet Soles.

Renee joined Mary and created the overall vision for the store with custom platforms and lovely pieces of furniture that were handcrafted specifically for the space. They used wire spools, tobacco boxes and other local items that give a nod to the past and present success of the town of Sweetwater.

Mary and her husband, Dave, moved to Sweetwater lock, stock and barrel and worked with Renee Fisher on the interior

comfort features and an emphasis on style. You will see brands that will surprise you. You will also find beautiful handbags,

“Open for readings and small private functions, Sweet Soles is the perfect location for that special event that includes after-hours shopping!” of Sweet Soles. Renee is not only the key figure in creating the look of the store, she designed and built, with her family, the cabinetry and logo elements – the beginnings of a family business. In fact, the furnishing and decor are also her concept and part of the lifestyle intention of Sweet Soles.

Look for art by Fisher when you come to visit Sweet Soles to see hand-designed necklaces featuring antique keys and African trade beads, among other creations.

More than your typical shoe store, Sweet Soles offers unique shoes and boots with

beauty bits, home decor and menswear. Most of the accessories come from small vendors who produce their wares in the Southeast.

“We like to know who we work with,” says Mary, “and be able to pick up the phone and talk to another owner of a small company.”

The trend to return to family-run businesses and living local in every sense of the word is not a dream but a dream come true.

Include Sweet Soles as part of your shopping trip to Sweetwater. You will not be disappointed!

211 North Main Street, Sweetwater, TN 423-371-4042 www.sweetlifeonmainstreet.com

SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Fish and Chips.

Summertime Favorites On The Lake Lakeside Dining On The Shores Of East Tennessee Photography By Ben Gibson & Halea Lingerfelt

Cold weather has finally gone, and sunshine has taken its place.

Grab some sunscreen, hook up the jet ski and leave your worries at the dock. It’s time to go to the lake! Who can resist a relaxing and adventurous day on the lakes that so beautifully grace the East Tennessee area? Whether you are searching for an intimate dining experience or a casual hangout destination, there’s no reason to leave the water. All restaurants with dishes featured below can be accessed by boat. Happy boating!

Willy’s Bar & Grill

By Land: 2600 Whitten Lane, Knoxville, TN 37922 (865) 288-3480

By Water: Mile Marker 612.4 on the Tennessee River 40

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Scallops Pomodori. Jumbo pan-seared sea scallops, tomatoes, basil, garlic and baby spinach combined with pasta and parmesan cheese call for a relaxing evening and a very happy appetite.

Lakeside Tavern

10911 Concord Park, Dr, Knoxville TN (865) 671-2980 SUMMER 2015 McMINN LIFE

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Osso Bucco. The Blue Heron’s mouthwatering version of the popular Italian dish, Osso Buco, is crafted with veal, grilled broccolini and roasted vegetables. The dish is paired perfectly with a boat ride on the water at sunset.

The Blue Heron at Tellico Village Yacht Club 100 Sequoyah Rd Loudon, TN 37774 (865) 458-4363

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Fish Tacos. Lettuce and creamy taco sauce is piled on top of crisp fish fillets caressed in warm tortilla shells. Fresh corn and bean salsa and hot dipping sauce are served on the side for a kick of extra flavor.

Rick’s Dockside Grill at Tellico Marina 2932 Boat Dock Road, Louisville, TN, 37777 (865) 982-4037

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Slab of Ribs. You’ll understand why these ribs are so popular this summer. Baked beans and coleslaw are paired here with fall-off-the-bone ribs smothered in Calhoun’s famous BBQ sauce.

Calhoun’s at Fort Loudoun Lake

4550 City Park Drive Lenoir City, TN 37771 (865) 988-9838 44

McMINN LIFE SUMMER 2015

Ready For Summer Marina Slips / Rental Cabins – New Ownership –

801 Hwy 411, Vonore | 423.844.2770 | www.sequoyahmarinaresort.com

half of which is on Young’s property.

“We suspect that the battle described in Akin’s book is the raid,” he said. What casualties took place is not known, but it was near the same time that Union General William Sherman and his troops came to Tellico Plains and destroyed the iron works there.

Raid On Starr Mountain AUGUST 8-9

There are, after all, some who say it has never really ended. The Civil War, that is.

P

eople’s feelings toward it can vary.

While it meant bloodshed, it was also a learning experience for this country. And so, after 150 years, it should be only natural that a number of people are interested in its history.

On August 8-9, people will have an opportunity to learn of that history in a most entertaining way when the Raid on Starr Mountain is re-enacted on the property of Jim Young at 742 Co. Rd. 475 in Etowah.

Mr. Young – who retired after 48 years as an electrical engineer – along with his wife Barbara and many others are sparing no expense in making the event into something unforgettable. “The people who do this do it out of a love for history,” he said.

Young is certainly qualified to host the event. He has gone all over the country re-enacting Civil War events in places like

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New Market, Mossy Creek, not to mention Elkhorn City, Kentucky, and locales in Virginia. He and Barbara are ready to perform in their outfits as General and Mrs. Robert E. Lee. And Young will be accompanied by his horse Traveler, a saddle-bred Arabian, for whom Young has the same sort of saddle used by Union General George McClellan.

Among the many books to be found at his home is “Torn Apart: McMinn County” by Bill Akins. That book, he said, may come closest to describing the actual raid that is to be observed. In early August 1864, the 1st Ohio Artillery was sent to Athens to combat a Confederate force. The Confederates, Young said, then fled to Starr Mountain. The action moved to the Unicoi turnpike and eventually to Murphy, North Carolina, where at least eight rebels were killed and many horses were stolen.

As Young said, the Raid on Starr Mountain was really a skirmish at Conasauga Creek,

So no matter how you slice it, as Young stated, “We’re living in a very historical place.” He pointed out that Mrs. Young’s relatives deeded the property for the Conasauga graveyard.

When guests arrive, they will not only see a lot of history and various forms of entertainment, but also the dedication of Jim Young and many others wanting to give something the care and respect it deserves. As Young put in faithfully and confidently, “I think it’s going to be one of the biggest events McMinn County has ever seen. I think the area deserves it, don’t you?”

James Young and his horse, Traveler

Admission will be $5 for adults; children 10 or under will get in free.

For directions: james9102@gmail.com

(From left to right) The Three Tenors, Tim Hughes and Reliance Bluegrass.

Sounds of Summer Written By Chris Hari Photography By Rose Dia-Bare & Bruce Hari

T

he Sounds of Summer, in its third season, has already kicked off in Athens. The free concerts are held every Saturday night at 7 p.m. starting the weekend after Memorial Day and ending the Saturday before Labor Day. It is a ‘bring the lawn chairs and the kids” event at the Market Park Pavilion and has become a community favorite thing to do.

2015 Schedule

All Concerts Start at 7pm

Sat

Sponsor

Opener

Headliner Sonic Fusion (Redstone Arsenal)

May 30 McMinn County, Tennessee N/A Jun 6

ChiGun

Dexter Thomas Band

Smoky Mountain

September Song

Stormy and Adrian

Kinslee Melhorn

Jun 13 Downtown Business Association Troubadours

Three years ago, Councilman Dick Pelley said to Tim Hughes – you ought to put together Saturday night concerts in Athens. It didn’t take much nudging for Tim, a trumpet player for 43 years, to take the ball and run with it. He had been performing at Angela’s Café on Friday nights and was familiar with most of the bands and singers in this region, so he was in a good position to coordinate the events. The concerts are patterned after the NightFall in Chattanooga concerts.

Jun 20 Mayfield

The Sounds of Summer has enjoyed tremendous success, and Tim credits his “committee”, consisting of Meredith Willson, Austin Fesmire, Joel Webb and Greg Moses, for the success. The variety of entertainment the concerts offer has enriched the cultural environment we enjoy in McMinn County.

Jun 27

Peyton Manning in Town - No Concert

Jul 4

Citizens National Bank

Tim Hughes Quartet

Sweet Georgia Sound

Jul 11

Hiwassee Builders Supply

Savannah Roberts

Just Us Bluegrass

Jul 18

Athens City Council

Jul 25

Ascension Life Fellowship Church

Dream of Kings

Ascension Band

Aug 1

East-West Media

Dana Rogers

Kudzu

Aug 8

Eastanallee Baptist Church

Saints & Sounds

Calling Glory

Aug 15 Jim Bob Contracting

Jazz Jam with Tim Hughes

Hot Nights/ Cool Jazz

Aug 22 Friends of SoS

In The Making

Pack of Wolves

Aug 29

Scenic City Soul Revue

Athens Area Chamber of Commerce Brittany McLamb

Mending Wall

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Serving the area for 30 years!

Carter Insurance A t h e n s , Te n n e s s e e , l e a d i n g insurance provider. Whether you are looking for auto, home or life insurance, we look forward to the opportunity to serve you.

Fuller’s Frame Shop specializes in professional custom framing, large Art Gallery with national and local artists.

Now offering Wide ´ Printing Format Giclee

206 N White Street Athens, TN 37303 Phone: 423.745.2333 Fax: 423.745.2804

Home Auto Life Business

Reliance Fly & Tackle

Hiwassee River’s Only Fly Shop Authorized ORVIS Dealer Spin & Fly Tackle Cabin & Campsite Rentals Non Ethanol Gas Hunting & Fishing License

www.relianceflyshop.blogspot.com

588 Childers Creek Rd. Reliance, TN 37369

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P: (423)383-7771 F:(423)338- 5110

McMINN LIFE SUMMER 2015

Monday - Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm

302 W. Bank St. Athens 423.745.7489