Hines Pond & Dam | Tracy City, TN | SeeMidTN.com Presents

Hines Pond is a nearly forgotten roadside stop along U.S. Highway 41 in Tracy City, Grundy County, TN. The pond is formed by a dam on Fiery Gizzard Creek atop the South Cumberland Plateau.

Post Card Tuesday: Beersheba Springs Assembly

Here's what this look like today:



And here's the view when you turn around:



In 1833, Beersheba Cain found a mountain spring at the base of a summit along the Cumberland Plateau at the Collins River Valley. Like many other places where a spring was found, it didn't take long for the medicinal properties to be proclaims and a resort town to "Spring up."

By 1857, local businessman John Armfield had bought all the surrounding property and had built the hotel seen here. It is quite a massive building and I couldn't step back any further without falling down into the valley.

Like most spring resorts, tourists stop coming in the early 1900s and business dried up. In 1941, the Methodists bought the complex and now use it as a retreat.

Wonder Cave, an old sign pointing to

This sign points the way to Wonder Cave, once a popular middle Tennessee tourist attraction.

The cave is located at the base of Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County. Back in the days of the Dixie Highway and later highway US41, the turn to get to the cave was located at the last turn before making the ascent to Monteagle. Everyone travelling from Nashville to Chattanooga would have passed through here.

As has been the case with many "impulse" tourist attractions, the opening of the interstate killed off this business. Now people take I-24 through the area and the Cave soon went out of public. It reopened again but soon closed again circa 2000. Even though it's not open commercially these days, I hear it's possible to get in the cave if you do a little research.

Beersheba Springs Assembly

United Methodist Church. Part of the grounds of the old Beersheba Springs Hotel which is now part of the UMC Tennessee Conference

See 7 States from Rock City

This well maintained Rock City barn is in the northern part of Grundy County on highway US41 near Pelham, TN

Lone Rock Coke Ovens

The Tennessee Coal and Iron Company in 1883 built 120 coke ovens to help supply its growing iron works. The company contracted with the state, and convicts worked the ovens until 1896. The coke was sent to be used by the steel industry around South Pittsburg, TN. On August 13, 1892, Tracy City miners, who opposed the use of convict labor, burned the stockades and put the convicts on a train and sent them back to Nashville. (This had also been done a year earlier in Anderson County, TN.)

These Coke ovens are viewable near Tracy City at Grundy Lake, which is part of the South Cumberland State Park. Today it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Grundy Lakes Historic District.

Stuckey's

For someone like me who likes to wax poetic about all sorts of vintage nostalgia from a bygone tourist era, here's one diminishing thing that luckily is still around.

Stuckey's started off in Georgia by Mr. Stuckey, a Pecan farmer. During the golden age of Automobile tourism, the franchise grew to about 350 blue-roofed convenience stores mostly throughout the southeast. They were best known for their souvenirs and their candies, starting with the pecan log roll.

If you're driving on I-24 from Nashville to Chattanooga, this Stuckey's is located at the last exit (US64/TN50) before the trip up the mountain to Monteagle. All the way from about Manchester to this exit, you'll see about a dozen really old decrepit billboards for the Stuckeys, advertising the pecans, ice cream, hot dogs and novelties. At least the large billboard in their parking lot is still in one piece.

If you are a fan of Nashville's own Goo Goo Clusters and King Leo made by the Standard Candy Co., they also own the Stuckey's Candy Co. (However, each store is independently owned.)

Tracy City Mini-Park

Located just a couple of blocks from the main intersection in town and along US41, this mini-park, in addition to the autumn scarecrows has a gazebo, a fountain, and a railroad switchman statue.

Beersheba Springs Hotel

In 1833, Beersheba Cain found a mountain spring at the base of a summit along the Cumberland Plateau at the Collins River Valley. Like many other places where a spring was found, it didn't take long for the medicinal properties to be proclaimes and a resort town to "Sping up."

By 1857, local businessman John Armfield had bought all the surrounding property and had built the hotel seen here. It is quite a massive building and I couldn't step back any further without falling down into the valley.

Like most spring resorts, tourists stop coming in the early 1900s and business dried up. In 1941, the Methodists bought the complex and now use it as a retreat.

For the full story:
www.scribd.com/doc/2370867/A-History-of-Beersheba-Springs...

Also, here's an article and vintage photos from the Tennessee Archives website
http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/exhibits/tnresorts/beersheba.htm

The old entrance to Wonder Cave

The cave is located near the base of Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County. Back in the days of the Dixie Highway and later highway US41, the turn to get to the cave was located at the last turn before making the ascent to Monteagle. Everyone travelling from Nashville to Chattanooga would have passed nearby, about a mile from here.

As has been the case with many "impulse" tourist attractions, the opening of the interstate killed off this business. Now people take I-24 through the area and the Cave soon went out of business. It reopened again but soon closed again circa 2000. Even though it's not open commercially these days, I hear it's possible to get in the cave if you do a little research, not that I'm advocating you hop the fence I'm standing behind right here.

There's a sign on the front of the building on the right. Part of the paint has worn off and you can see how it used to be a sign for people selling loans. (unless Wonder Cave tried to make loans as a method to stay open.)

Grundy County Courthouse - Altamont, TN

Grundy County has one of the newest courthouses in the state. The previous courthouse was built in 1885, but was burned by an arsonist on May 3, 1990. This new courthouse was opened in April 1996. It's a two story brick building with a projected pedimented portico front entrance. There is also a low hip roof with a center octagonal cupola. Directly in front of the main entrance is tree-lined Pelham Rd.

Northcutt Cove Chapel Mormon Church

Northcutt Cove is a small area just northwest of Altamont down the Cumberland Plateau. The Mormon church building here is the oldest Mormon church building remaining in Tennessee, and one of the oldest in the Southeast.

Mormon missionaries first came to the area around 1896. As their numbers grew, a building was soon needed and this chapel was ready in 1909. The first event here was in October of 1909, a debate between the regional Mormon president and a local Church of Christ preacher.

As the congregation grew, and members moved closer to Altamont, This building was built.

Today, the Northcutt Cove Chapel is on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a cemetery behind the building where local Mormons still get buried.

A Tennessee Swimming Hole

This hidden-in-the-woods place is "Blue Hole" it is upstream from Greeter Falls in its segment of the South Cumberland State Park. It's located near the town of Altamont, TN in Grundy County just off of highway TN 56. The trail to get here is about .6 miles from the parking area. My wife and I were tempted to stay the whole day.

Wonder Cave, an old sign pointing to

This sign points the way to Wonder Cave, once a popular middle Tennessee tourist attraction.

The cave is located at the base of Cumberland Plateau in Grundy County. Back in the days of the Dixie Highway and later highway US41, the turn to get to the cave was located at the last turn before making the ascent to Monteagle. Everyone travelling from Nashville to Chattanooga would have passed through here.

As has been the case with many "impulse" tourist attractions, the opening of the interstate killed off this business. Now people take I-24 through the area and the Cave soon went out of public. It reopened again but soon closed again circa 2000. Even though it's not open commercially these days, I hear it's possible to get in the cave if you do a little research.

Old Stuckey's Billboard - Pelham, TN at I-24

For someone like me who likes to Wax poetic about all sorts of vintage nostalgia from a bygone tourist era, here's one diminishing thing that luckily is still around.

Stuckey's started off in Georgia by Mr. Stuckey, a Pecan farmer. During the golden age of Automobile tourism, the franchise grew to about 350 blue-roofed convenience stores mostly throughout the southeast. They were best known for their souvanirs and their candies, starting with the pecan log roll.

If you're driving on I-24 from Nashville to Chattanooga, this Stuckey's is located at the last exit (US64/TN50) before the trip up the mountain to monteagle. All the way from about Manchester to this exit, you'll see about a dozen really old decrepit billboards for the stuckeys, advertising the pecans, ice cream, hot dogs and novelties. At least the large billboard in their parking lot is still in one piece.

If you are a fan of Nashville's own Goo Goo Clusters and King Leo made by the Standard Candy Co., they also own the Stuckey's Candy Co. (However, each store is independently owned.)

Altamont Mormon Church

The building seems to be in a little disrepair. The date listed on the front of the building is 1944.

In the area is one of the oldest mormon churches in the Southeast US. Then some of the Mormons from that church moved into this building into the 40's and into a newer building in the 80s.

This building is located on the old town square in Altamont and the old county courthouse was across the street until it burned down in the 90's. For a short while until the new courthouse was built, this served as a temporary courthouse for a short while.

Beersheeba Springs Autumn

Beersheba Springs used to be a resort town in Tennessee's Cumberland Mountains in Grundy County. While there, the place to stay used to be the Beersheba Springs Hotel. This is the view from the observation deck from the hotel at dusk. It hasn't been open as a hotel for many decades and is now owned by an organization of the United Methodist Church. The road below is highway TN56 after it has descended from the mountain and it goes to McMinnville.

Grundy County Courthouse - Altamont, TN

Grundy County has one of the newest courthouses in the state. The previous courthouse was built in 1885, but was burned by an arsonist on May 3, 1990. This new courthouse was opened in April 1996. It's a two story brick building with a projected pedimented portico front entrance. There is also a low hip roof with a center octagonal cupola. Directly in front of the main entrance is tree-lined Pelham Rd.

The Manor - Altamont

aka Moffit Manor
aka HB Northcutt House
Altamont, TN, built in 1885, and is on highway TN56.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is now run as a Bed & Breakfast.

Beersheeba Springs Autumn View

Beersheba Springs used to be a resort town in Tennessee's Cumberland Mountains in Grundy County. While there, the place to stay used to be the Beersheba Springs Hotel. This is the view from the observation deck from the hotel at dusk. It hasn't been open as a hotel for many decades and is now owned by an organization of the United Methodist Church.