Day 542: Sewanee n' Stuff

To celebrate my husband's birthday, we headed out for a day of driving and discovering. Brad grew up going to Sewanee often. So, we headed down I-75 to explore. Here are a few of the things we found...


The University of the South
Possibily the South's most impressive campus. (Well, if you don't include Converse, of course...)
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Shenanigan's
"Good times, good food, since 1974." Easy place to kick back.
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Monteagle
Picture perfect mountaintop
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Mountain Outfitters
The local's place for the best in gear.
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St. Andrews School
Part of the Domain of the University of the South
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Day 527: Rugby, Tennessee

Perfect. Relaxing. Weekend.

That is what it was. And the highlight was an imprumptu trip to the wonderful, hisotric colony of Rugby, Tennessee. It is ust over an hour from our house, but seemed a world away.

Here is what is looked like on Saturday, the day the village "reopened" for Spring!






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Source for above image of stained glass in Christ Chapel




Historic Rugby Vision
British-founded Rugby, Tennessee, is a rare example of a rural, living community that survives from its 1880s utopian beginnings with its town plan intact, many buildings and its natural setting preserved and with no encroaching incompatible development. This is the result of a long chain of human effort to preserve it, inspired by its founder's vision of equality and cooperation, community planning and natural resources stewardship. Rugby and its heritage must be preserved for all time and shared with this and future generations.
-www.historicrugby.org

I was seriously ready to move into this historic utopia. It was a picture of true community.
The entire way home, I kept asking Brad, "Can we please just go back to Rugby?"

Day 232: "The Marble City"

Here is what i learned today, about Knoxville and my new neighborhood (which also happens to be my old neighborhood circa the early 1980s).


The Marble City
The whole city of Knoxville was once proud to be known as the Marble City, and that phrase has re-entered currency just recently with the city's recent spiritual renaissance.

However, for almost a century, a stretch of Sutherland Avenue from Concord Street west to Bearden has been known as Marble City. The term isn't used quite as familiarly as it was 50 years ago, but the Marble City Baptist Church and Marble City United Methodist are both still there, right in the middle of that section.

Knoxville had a lot of marble industry all around the county, quarries on the east and south sides and even out in Cedar Bluff, which is named for a marble quarry. South Knoxville's unique marble Candoro headquarters, host of the annual Vestal festival known as Vestival, is still well known today as a historic site. By the 1890s, the city was making much of its "Marble City" monicker, as several businesses used the name, which implied some class and authenticity, and durability. The Marble City Hat Co., the Marble City Bank, the Marble City Fire Extinguisher, the Marble City Saloon, etc., all thrived about a century or more ago. It can be puzzling to historical innocents that they were all downtown, not in the west-side neighborhood later known as Marble City.

However, at the early 20th-century height of Knoxville's marble industry, several of the big marble companies had mills and warehouses on the west side of town, convenient to the Southern and L&N freight lines, in the vicinity of Sutherland and Concord: the Empire Marble Co., Grey Eagle, and the John J. Craig Co., to mention three, plus the Appalachian Marble Co. over on Middlebrook at Third Creek.

By 1911, the area just between Mechanicsville and Bearden was listed separately in city directories as a "western suburb" called Marble City. It included a county elementary school known as Marble City School, which christened the community by that name... read more here from the Metro Pulse's Doc Knox->

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Day 207: Bridal Show at the Bleak House

Mom and I will e there, with over 25 wedding vendors, Live DJ on Patio, bridal fashions, catering by Rex Bradford Jones (see Day #196). Excited to see the beautiful Wisteria in Bloom too!
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Day 148: The Beck House

Today I have a meeting at the Beck Cultural Exchange Center. As part of the Introduction Knoxville series, I'll be visiting this place where I have never been before and looking forward to hearing about Knoxville as a caring, compassionate community. So far, I've already learned a little something about our city's history this morning. Meet the Becks, influential leaders from Knoxville's history. Learn more at www.discoveret.org/beckcec.

The Becks
"James Garfield Beck and Ethel Benson Beck were two of the most glamorous and influential members of Knoxville's black community during the period of the 1920s-I960s. They were in the forefront of most civic, church, and social activities. The Becks were involved in the establishment of the Knoxville Colored Orphanage in 1919 and Mr. Beck was the first black postal clerk in the state of Tennessee. The Beck House itself has a long history. In the early 1800s two Englishmen bought several parcels of property from Joseph Mabry whose neighboring home (The Mabry Hazen House), remains one of the great historical sites in Knoxville. In the late 1800s James Cowan had the house built at 1927 Dandridge Ave. as a wedding gift for his new bride. The house was purchased in the 1940s by Dr. E.F. Lennan a prominent black physician and a cross was burned on their front lawn. The Becks later purchased the home and after the death of Mrs. Beck the trustees of her estate provided $20,000 to purchase the Beck house from KCDC. Thus the Beck Cultural Exchange Center, Inc. was established in 1975 to serve as a forum of artistic expression and historical perspective for African Americans in Knoxville and East Tennessee."

Photo and Quote Credit

Day 103: Downtown Clinton

Yesterday, on my way to do some wedding planning, I headed up to historic downtown Clinton. Who knew Clinton had a downtown? Who knew it was historic? All I knew of Clinton was high school football and used car shopping. I had heard rumors of people doing some antiquing up there... Well, it was getting dark, so I didn't get to check it all out. But it was an easy drive and a great place. I look forward to going back - for antiques, a lazy Saturday stroll, and lots of things to make my home cute!
Click here for a list of all they have to offer->


Photo Credit

Day 77: Knoxville's Historic Homes...and the Rule of Engagement

We're getting married in July. It will be hot. My father's principle request is nothing that is stressful if it rains. All that is to say, an outdoor wedding is probably not really in our plans. But, one thing I have learned in the week and a half since we got engaged (See Day# 65) is this: people are going to give you their wedding advice and ideas. It does not matter if you want them. And often times, they are just more interested in reliving their happy moments of their wedding...or their daughters...or their sisters...or their coworker's son's frat brother. So, it's a great opportunity to do 2 things:

1. Let someone enjoy a happy memory.
It my chance to bring joy to their day. Just let them talk.

2. Learn about your city. Rediscover Rocky Top!

For example, I had no idea how many historic homes Knoxville had. I doubt Brad and I will married or have our reception at any of these sites, but here are some really cool places to learn about, right in our backyard. I want to visit them all!

James White Fort
"James White, The Founder of Knoxville, came here in the early 1780's from North Carolina. He had fought in the Revolutionary War and was given a land grant of 1,000 acres for his service. He built his 2-story log house on the present site of Knoxville in 1786..."
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Ramsey House
"Ramsey House was built in 1797 by Knoxville's first builder, Thomas Hope, for Francis Alexander Ramsey. The structure is significant for original interior and exterior architectural features and its period decorative art collection.
The Ramsey Family was one of the first families to settle the Knoxville area. They played vital roles in developing civic, educational and cultural institutions. Colonel Francis A. Ramsey was one of the founding trustees of Blount College, now the University of Tennessee..."
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And More!
There is also Crescent Bend (were Alisss and Josh got married!), the Mabry Hazen House (which still contain original furniture from the 19th century), and Marble Spring (the home of Governor John Sevier).

Honestly, I feel like I am back in Tennessee History class!
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Day 19: WUOT

Nothing wakes me to the world Morning Edition. Nothing centers my day like All Things Considered. Nothing says weekend like coffee with Liane Hansen and Will Shortz. Nothing keeps me informed, at home, and on my toes like NPR. This week, I became a member of WUOT, Knoxville’s NPR station, broadcasting from the University of Tennessee. They even have tremendous local programming and they are celebrating 60 influential years.
Listen here for a taste of WUOT and a part of Knoxville's history that is coming back to life->

Day 3: Neyland at Night!

Go Vols! Tonight I am headed to my first UT night game. Maybe it's bad form to blog about something before it happens. But I just can't wait!
For those of you that are not Tennesseans or big time SEC fans, I'll take this opportunity to explain the name of this blog. Rocky Top is an anthem of this great state and it's the fight song of the University of Tennessee. It was famously recorded by the Osborne Brothers and played after every big play by UT's Pride of the Southland Marching Band.

Rocky Top
by Boudleax and Felice Bryant

Wish that I was on ol' Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills
Aint' no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain't no telephone bills
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, other half cat
Wild as a mink,
but sweet as soda pop
I still dream about that.

Rocky Top you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol' Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee,
Rocky Top Tennessee

Once two strangers climbed ol' Rocky Top
Lookin' for a moonshine still
Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top
Reckon they never will

Rocky Top you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol' Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee,
Rocky Top Tennessee

Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top
Dirt's too rocky by far
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar

Rocky Top you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol' Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee,
Rocky Top Tennessee

I've had years of cramped-up city life
Trapped like a duck in a pen
All I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again

Rocky Top you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ol' Rocky Top
Rocky Top Tennessee,
Rocky Top Tennessee

(I learned all these lyrics, as well as the sign language, in 7th grade "enrichment" class.)
It's going to be a cool October evening so I am off to make sure I have something orange and warm to wear...