Dedication

This book is dedicated to my parents, Luther G. Coulter and Kathryn E. Coulter who taught me that there is a wealth of things to be learned from older people and that those people are to be respected for their experience, wisdom and knowledge. It is also dedicated to the elderly people whom I have known that have related such interesting stories of the past to me.

Preface

The idea for this book got its start in March of this year, 1989, when I collected nineteen of these pictures for inclusion in the school paper of which I am the advisor. It was hoped that the old pictures would help to boost sales in the paper. It did, the paper sold over four times as many papers as it usually did.

At that time someone said, "Why don't you gather up a bunch of these pictures and do this again?" This gave me the idea to print this magazine during the summer. With the help of many of the older people in the community, I was able to gather over 100 pictures for this project, and they further helped by identifying as many people as possible in the pictures. Other people assisted financially by helping with some of the printing costs which were considerable.

Most of the dates in this book are approximate, hopefully within five years of the actual date. There are some dates that are correct to the day because the dates were included on the backs of some of the pictures. Captions and stories are according to the people who donated pictures and are as accurate as the person giving the information can recall.

An attempt was made to include as many families and buildings in Sale Creek as possible. If any have been left out, it is because we could not find pictures of them.

Front cover: The Sale Creek presents a tranquil scene as it passes over the site of the old mill dam. (Photography courtesy of James Shelley)

Introduction

From the time of the auction at the mouth of Sale Creek in 1779 that gave the creek, and the town its name until the present time has been 200 years. During those two centuries many people have passed through Sale Creek, wars have been fought, business ventures have taken place, and landmarks have come and gone. Because of the volumes that could be written on Sale Creek, the limited space available in this publication, and the cost of printing, this magazine was never intended to be a complete history of Sale Creek. What it is intended to be is a reconstruction of what our community used to look like. To do this a collection of pictures of businesses, churches, schools, and old homes was put together to try to show the types of structures that once existed here and to identify their locations. An attempt was also made to identify as many individuals in the pictures as possible. Since the majority of the pictures donated were taken in the period 1910-1940, this book has therefore focused more on those years.

Contents

Chapter 1: The Businesses of Sale Creek

Chapter 2: The Churches And Schools Provided Training In Values And Morals As Well As Teaching Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic

Chapter 3: The Homes In Sale Creek - Many Are Over One Hundred Years Old

Chapter 1: The Businesses of Sale Creek

A diversity of businesses have existed in Sale Creek through the years both in nature and size. Some businesses were quite large like the Ell-Dee Orchard Company and the Riverside Fruit Farm which employed hundreds of people. Others were small proprietorships like Tobe Coulter's Sale Creek Cafe or Charlie Aslinger’s Sorghum Mill. There were grocery stores, farm stores, doctor's offices, garages, filling stations, grist mills, coal mines, lumber mills, train depots, peach and strawberry packing houses, barber shops, blacksmith shops, cafes, post offices, bus lines, theaters, boarding houses, sorghum mills, taverns, farms, and even a few moonshine whiskey stills as well as lesser thought of enterprises such as the Civilian Conservation Coros (CCC) Camp which was erected during; the Great Depression of the 1930's.

All of these businesses have passed from existence now and are ghosts of the past. The only thing left of them are bits of foundations, a few mine shafts that are partially open, some pictures, and lots of warm memories in the hearts of the older people of Sale Creek. Each of these old businesses, their owners, and their patrons have had a part in the life of our community and constitute its history.

Sale Creek Coal and Coke Company Store

The Sale Creek Coal and Coke Company store is pictured as it appeared around the year 1910. It contained dry goods, flour, meal, sugar, canned goods, hardware, harness, feed, and seed for the people of Sale Creek. It went out of business after the mines closed in 1913.

Pictured in the photograph, taken from the yard which now belongs to Johnny and Ginger Swallows, is Thomas Price, a former resident of Sale Creek. Leggett Road crossing can be seen between the picket fence. The Retha Griffith home and the small one room post office can also be seen. Pea Ridge is in the right background.

Coulterville Country Store - 1920

Although the country store at Coulterville did not have the attractiveness of modern day supermarkets, it provided much needed items for the residents as well as a meeting place for them to exchange news and pleasantries. Among the list of wares were groceries, harness, leather for half soling shoes, hardware, nails, buckets, tubs, and washboards. Mr. Charlie McDonald, a relative of Mr. Roy McDonald, is the man in this picture which was taken in the late 1910's or early 1920's.

The store was located on the corner at the intersection of Coulterville Road and Swafford Road and just across the road from the home of Hoyett and Linda Hartman. The store was operated by J.I. Williams in the very early 1900's. He was a relative of Mrs. Vera Jewell who lives on Wall Street today. During the 1920's Sid Shipley was the proprietor of the store.

Regester Coppinger's Store - 1940's

Regester Coppinger's Store and Restaurant was located on the corner of Leggett Road and Highway 27. The restaurant was on the left side of the store. The structure on the right of the store was Coppinger's Peach Shed.

The lady in the photo is Mrs. Cleo Pendergrass who still lives on Leggett Road. The man is Clarence Edmonds who operated a garage across the street from the store. This picture was taken prior to 1946.

Mr. Edmonds was known as an excellent mechanic and had been very helpful in fixing the cars of the people in the community while their men were away in World War II.

Alec Coppinger's Store

Mr. John Patterson is pictured beside the Alec Coppinger Store on Leggett Road. This part of the building was later removed but the main part of the building still remains as Sisson Log Homes. The store was similar to other country stores at that time. It carried general merchandise and staple goods like flour, meal, sugar, and feeds.

The horse in this picture was described as a beautiful animal and was named Easter because she was bora one Easter Day in Patterson's Field. She was an extremely gentle animal, and Mr. Patterson always used her to pull his buggy. In the background is a view of the Alec Coppinger House which was later owned by the Grover Jones family. This picture was taken in 1920.

W.A. Crawley General Merchandise

W.A. Crawley's General Merchandise was a friendly place for the people who lived along Railroad Street. Located 100 yards south of the Sale Creek Depot, it served the general merchandise needs of Sale Creek customers. The store carried groceries, produce, sewing supplies, bolts of material, shoes, dry goods, sewing notions, feed, nails, as well as small hardware items.

The store was founded by W.A. Crawley in the early 1900's and continued under his proprietorship until the middle 1920's. Mr. Jim Crawley, his son, took over the store shortly thereafter and ran it until the early 1960's when he retired due to health and a general decline in business brought about by the advent of the supermarket.

Mr. Jim Crawley's daughter, Elizabeth (Ray), is pictured on the front porch of his store in this late 1940's photograph. Railroad Street is beside the store.

Sale Creek Depot Was a Very Busy Place in 1905, Provided Communications and Transportation

A truly rare photograph, this was the Sale Creek Depot as it looked in 1905. Located about 150 feet south of the present Leggett Road railroad crossing and on the east side of the tracks, the depot was a very busy place. Goods were shipped and received at the station. Telegraph service was available as evidenced by the sign above the heads of the ladies in this picture. People were also able to travel to Chattanooga or Dayton on the Oakdale Accommodation, a local passenger service that was operated for anyone needing to go from town to town.

The depot consisted of three rooms. In the center was the telegraph operator's office. From there telegrams could be sent or received, thus making the depot a very important communication center for the community. On the end was a waiting area. Benches and chairs were located in this area for the convenience of the travelers. The third room was the baggage room where freight and baggage were kept.

The only person who can be identified in the picture is the one in the white coat She was Stella Patterson, the mother of Mrs. Kathryn Patterson Sanders who lives on Patterson Road today. The other two ladies were from Ohio and had been visiting with the Patterson family. On this particular morning they had come to the station to begin their journey back to their home

This building was torn down in the early 1950s.

The Coulterville Depot Brought Needed Services To Its Residents

The Coulterville Depot was a center of business and social activity for the people in that community just as the one in Sale Creek was for residents there. It was situated approximately 100 feet east of the intersection of Coulterville and Swafford Roads. Like its Sale Creek counterpart, it also had a telegraph room and operator, a waiting area, and a baggage area. Everything from groceries to tools to feed to machinery were shipped into or out of Coulterville through the depot.

The railroad is on the opposite side of the building The couple in the picture is thought to be Armand Shipley and Lizzie Swafford.. Approximate date of the picture is 1930.

Coulterville got its name from John J. Coulter who donated the land for the construction of the station.

Coulterville Depot Gave A Panoramic View of Depot Operations During The Early 1900's

The Water Tank Was An Impressive Depot Sight

This photograph was taken facing north eastward from a yard on Swafford Road. The proximity of the depot to the railroad can be seen. The water tower and tank are at left. A Model Τ Ford pickup truck was passing by on Coulterville Road as this picture was taken. The children in the picture are identified as Jack Swafford who still lives on Swafford Road and his brother Lonas Swafford. The date was 1930.

Massive Wooden Timbers On Concrete Footers Formed The Supports For The Water Tank

The size of the massive wooden tank supports is evident in this picture. These timbers were placed atop large concrete piers that supported them. Although torn down during the 1940's, the concrete piers are still visible today. One end of the depot can be seen in the background of this photograph.

Pictured on the running boards of the Model Τ Ford are E.J. Coffee, Virgil Blake, and Luther (Pig) Coulter. As Virgil recalled, they had been driving around Sale Creek and Coulterville taking pictures of the Christmas snow that morning. The date of the picture was December 25,1929.

The McDonald Mill and Dam (The Mill Dam) Is A Unique Memory of Sale Creek Long Ago

No history of Sale Creek would be complete without a picture of the McDonald Mill and Dam. It was located approximately 50 feet downstream from the present day Mill Dam Bridge on Daugherty Ferry Road. Thomas Coulter sold the property for the mill to John Patterson in 1820. Mr. Patterson built the mill with the help of a millwright, Abel Pearson, and ran it himself for several years. He then turned it over to his two sons-in-law, two McDonald brothers (and also ancestors of Mr. Roy McDonald in Chattanooga) who married Patterson's two daughters.

The mill ground corn for the people in the community, the Indians who lived here, and for both the Union and Confederate armies during the Civil War. The Union forces fortified the mill with gun pits dug into the hill above the mill. According to David Gray who is deceased, traces of these pits are still visible in the woods above the bridge on the east side of the creek.

Many of the older people who were raised here and who were young during the 1920's and 1930's can still remember riding with their parents on a wagon full of corn to have it ground at the mill. According to Mr. Gray the mill operated until 1935 when a flood carried the dam away. TVA tore the building down a few years later when they raised the lakes in the area.

A local citizen of Sale Creek at that time, Harrison Northrup, obtained the lumber from the mill and built at least two houses in Sale Creek with it One of these burned in the late 1970's. The other house, the Ben Shipley House, still stands on Leggett Road today.

The first bridge over the dam was a steel bridge which was constructed in the very early 1900's. It was replaced with the present bridge a few years after TVA came into the area and raised the level of the lake.

Built in 1820, The McDonald Mill And Dam Presented An Unusual View from Downstream

This view of the mill dam taken from below and to the side shows its massive timbers and its unique design. Instead of the perpendicular design of many small dams, this dam was sloped in such a way that rising water did not put excessive stress on the supports. Abel Pearson, a pioneer millwright and the first preacher in Hamilton County, was the builder of the mill and dam in 1820.

This picture which was taken in the very early 1900's shows the first bridge across the dam as well as a small part of Daugherty Ferry Road (white streak directly above the center of the dam). This was by far the best picture of the mill dam that has been uncovered during this project The best date for this picture would be around 1920.

The Mill Dam Was Not Just a Commercial Building, It Provided a Setting For Picnics And Outings

The Mill Dam - August 25,1929

Even before 1920 a steel bridge had been built over the Mill Dam. In this photograph the log dam can be seen from downstream on the west bank of the creek Lucille Oyler, a young lady from Bakewell, is the person in the picture. She and a group of her friends were on a Sunday afternoon drive when this picture was taken. They had been taking pictures and had made several stops when they got to the bridge.. At that point they decided to get a picture of Lucille with the dam in the background.

Mr. Virgil Blake related to me that the Mill Dam was a favorite spot for the local churches to conduct their baptismal services because the water was shallow enough to allow them to wade in. He said that he can remember several times when the Church of Christ had revivals, and their minister brought new converts to the dam at 9:30 or 10:00 o'clock at night to baptize them.

Mrs. Kathryn Patterson Sanders has several pictures of activities taking place both above and below the dam. The pictures show young people boating in the deeper waters above the dam and older men with their young sons fishing below the dam. Swimming was another favorite activity that took place, the dam itself created an excellent swimming hole for the people of the community. Farm hands who worked the nearby fields on hot summer days frequently "jumped in the creek" during their lunch breaks.

Ell-Dee Orchard Was Big Sale Creek Employer

The L-D (List-Downey) Company, named for its owners William List and Т.Е. Downey, was the largest employer in Sale Creek during the 1920's and 1930's as evidenced by this photograph. During this period hundreds of acres of hillsides were covered with peach orchards. With this large number of orchards, a big work force was needed to tend the trees, spray, pick the peaches, haul them to the packing sheds, sort, pack, and load the baskets onto train cars for shipment to points around the southeast.

The volume of peaches that was shipped from the local shed was staggering On one particular day in 1929, thirty-five box carloads of peaches were loaded out of this shed alone, or more than 17,500 bushels of fruit. This did not include the cars that were loaded from the Eldridge packing house or any of the small operators in the area. One Sale Creek man related that during one packing season in the 1930's, he personally helped load out 101 box car loads in one day, or a total of 38,885 bushels.

This packing shed was located along the west side of the railroad tracks and 100 yards south of the Leggett Road crossing During July and August it came to life with trucks, trains, and people.

The truck in the center belonged to Oliver Standifer. The man resting his foot on the bumper is probably Brooks Standifer, and the large man to the right of the truck with both hands on his hips is Oliver Standifer. On the left end walking around the end of the truck and wearing a white shirt is Merle Coulter.

Riverside Fruit Farms Packing Shed - 1936

Pictured above in a 1936 photograph is the front of the Grover Eldridge Packing House. It was located on Railroad Street approximately 200 yards north of the Reavley Road railroad crossing Whole trains were pulled into the sidings in Sale Creek for loading at either one of the two large packing houses. Here mule drawn wagons have been brought alongside box cars.

In the distant background at the far end of the train is the overhang of the Sale Creek depot.

The Civilian Conservation Corps Provided Jobs For Many Sale Creek Area Men During The Depression

As part of the New Deal recovery programs, the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC's hired unemployed young men for work in public conservation. It was created in 1933 by the Roosevelt administration. The men in the corps planted trees, built dams, and fought forest fires.

Around 1935 the Federal government built a camp in Sale Creek for the CCC. It was located on the west side of Highway 27 between the present highway and Railroad Street. It was in the field just north of Dotson's Fruit Stand and extended north to the boundary of the C.W. Hoffman property (the large rock house alongside the highway.

Conditions within the camp were designed to be similar to those of an Army camp. The men were dressed alike in uniform type clothing They lived in barracks which were placed all over the field. Over 200 men were in the camp at one time.

The men ate in a mess hall like soldiers. The building pictured above, according to Mr. Roy Hodge, was most likely the mess hall of the camp. Note the venting louvers on the top of the building.

When young men entered the Civilian Conservation Corps, they did not necessarily know where they would be placed. Once again it was similar to the Army. Some Sale Creek men were sent to camps on Signal Mountain or Lookout Mountain while others were left in Sale Creek. Many men from north Georgia were stationed here during their tenure with the CCC's.

As a result of this influx of eligible young bachelors, several Sale Creek women found their husbands from among this group of men.

According to Mr. Hodge, the CCC Camp was dismantled in the 1940's. He said that he helped bulldoze the area so that the Stave Mill, a facility for making barrel staves, could be built in the same location.

The date of this picture was approximately 1936.

Sale Creek Was Once A Two-sided Town - 1920's

The east side of Sale Creek once consisted of a row of businesses: stores, garages, and a grist mill. John and George Gentry, Hixson Eldridge, Jim and Jane Gentry are pictured across the highway from John Sizemore's Barber Shop, J.M. Ledford's Store, Ledford's Grist Mill, and Charlie Gann's Garage in a late 1920's photograph.

Another picture that was taken during the photo session that day shows the same group of children and their goat with Jack Kenney's shop building in the background. It was used to pack peaches, repair sprayers, and for storage. The dark roof above the Kenney shop was that of Ott Davis' Blacksmith Shop. This view is looking south from the west side of the highway in the location of Bill Gentry's house today. The date is approximately middle to late 1920's. The tattered edges of the signs on the wall of the building were caused by the goat in the picture.

All Was Not Work At The Gentry's Home

Humor Played Its Part

Even though times were hard for people Irving in the 1920's and 1930's, humor was always present, and nowhere was it more present than around the Gentry home.

G.S. (Happy Sam) Gentry had a pet goat that he allowed to run loose around his house. This goat liked to sleep on the front porch of his house at night Bill relates the story of how the goat would lay up against the wall of the house at night and gently rub its horns against the wall. Happy Sam would hear the noise and get up to investigate for intruders. When the goat heard Happy Sam approaching he would jump off the porch and hide in the shadows of a tree in the yard. This went on, Bill said, for a long time before Happy Sam finally found out what the goat was doing When he did find out, he got as big a laugh out of it as anybody else.

His wife, Aunt Delph, had a wit about her, too. At Christmas time one year in the late 1960's or early 70's, all of the Gentry family were eating Christmas dinner at the home of Nevada Coppinger, one of her daughters. They had invited the two county patrolmen to stop in and eat Christmas dinner with them that day. Aunt Delph did not know that the officers had been invited.

When Officer Jim Swafford and his partner came in the door, she looked perplexed and asked one of her children what they were doing there. She then asked, 'What are they going to do, arrest us all for eating too fast?" At this quip there was not a straight face left in the house.

Paul "Tobe" Coulter's Restaurant - 1930"s

According to some people who visited Paul "Tobe" Coulter's Restaurant, his hamburgers and chili were some of the best around. His business was located in the same general area that is occupied by the present post office.

Pictured in the restaurant is Alta Blake, Ruth West, and Paul Coulter. The dog on the counter was one of a pair of English terriers he owned at the time called Maggie or Jiggs. This picture was taken in the early 1930's.

Paul, or Tobe Coulter as many of his friends knew him, had two restaurants in Sale Creek. The first one was builtl in 1925 in The same location as the present day post office. The picture at left was taken inside that restaurant. Paul ran a thriving little business at the time. Mr. Virgil Blake said that Paul told him that on one weekend in the 1930's he used over 80 pounds of hamburger in his hamburgers and chili. The little sign to the left of his head read "If you believe in credit, loan me $5.00". An ever popular pin ball machine is located in the left foreground of the picture.

He moved in the late 1930's or early 1940's to . building (pictured at bottom of page) located directly across the highway from the first cafe many people in their fifties today still remember this second restaurant of Tobe's.

Weather and Man Brought Changes To Sale Creek's Looks In The '30's and '40's

The picture at left shows the building which later became Paul's second restaurant it also shows a problem that was faced by all businesses located close to Rock Creek at that time, flooding. George Gentry said that his house was the first in sale Creek to have running water, usually it ran through the house in march and April each year.

Arnold Elsea is standing on the porch while A 1931 A Model Ford is parked between the two buildings. Next door is walter shipley's Garage.

Jim Gentry is pictured in front of Paul's at right in the summer of 1946 after the highway was raised to alleviate damage caused by floods. The state raised the level of the businesses alongside the highway as evidenced by the new foundation.

From 1913-1925 Sale Creek Was Served By A Tiny, One Room Post Office On Leggett Road Facing The Railroad

In the above picture Mr. P.A. Wall stands beside the little one room building that was the Sale Creek Post Office from 1913-1925. This retouched photograph was taken from Leggett Road.

Like the depots the post office was an important part of the community. Mail and all kinds of packages were received there. Sale Creek's post offices have been located alongside the railroad tracks for more than 80 years if the little one that was located farther down the tracks is included.

The reason that post offices were placed alongside the railroad tracks was because the trains used to drop off and pick up mail as they came through town. This practice continued until the late 1960's.

In addition to the Sale Creek Post Office, there was a one room office at Bakewell, or Retro as it was known in its earlier days as well as one at Coulterville. That office was located in the small country store which was situated close to the depot.

Little known to many is the fact that in the late 1800's there was a small post office close to the river in a community that was centered close to the property owned by the Ryland family today. That post office was called the Pyatt, Tennessee Post Office.

The Post Office Staff And Mail - 1925

The original Sale Creek Post Office was located on the west side of the railroad tracks adjacent to Leggett Road and facing the railroad. It operated from 1913-1925 In this location. This picture was taken between 1920-1925. From left is Mrs. Molly Clements, the postal clerk, Mr. Joe Rogers, the rural carrier who drove a horse and buggy to deliver the mail, and Mr. P.A. Wall, the postmaster.

The post office was moved in 1925 so that a new building could be built. This building was moved first to a spot across Leggett Road from where it stood and then to Wall Street where it became a part of the house that is now the home of Mrs, Lillie Martin.

Mr. Wall seems to be armed with a pistol in this photograph.

The Sale Creek Post Office -1940's

I was a vital part of the community, with no rival except the railroad depot.

Built in 1925, the second post office in Sale Creek was this structure (left) which was located alongside Leggett Road and adjacent to the railroad tracks. It consisted of two rooms. For many years the Ell-Dee Orchard Company had its office In the back room while the front was used for postal business. After 1937 the entire building was used as the post office. Mr. Luther Coulter was postmaster in this building for 41 years, beginning in 1932 and retiring in June of 1974. He is pictured in front of the building either prior to or immediately after World War II.

The post office was a vital hub of the community for many years. Every morning people came from all around to pick up their mail. Before cars were so plentiful, people walked or rode horses to the office to get their morning mail. Ladies with parasols held over their heads to protect themselves from the sun could be seen every morning walking to the post office.

Mail delivery was very good in those days with the mail trains running four times daily to pick up and throw off the mail. Trucks ran twice a day, once to deliver mail and packages in the morning and once in the evening to pick up mail left over from the last train.

The Present Post Office Is Located Close to Highway

In the mid 1970's the Sale Creek Post Office was moved from its location along the railroad to its present one on the west side of Highway 27. The Postal Service, which had replaced the old Post Office Department, decided that since the mail trains were no longer running, there was no reason for the post office to be so far from the main highway. By building a new office along the highway, the mail truck did not have to go out of its way to deliver and pick up mail.

Mr. Alvin Harris became post master after Luther Coulter's retirement in 1974, and he continues in that position to this day.

The Post Office Presented A Peaceful Scene In 1971

Taken on July 12, 1971, this photograph shows the serene setting of the post office on a lazy summer afternoon. My father, Luther Coulter, always kept the yard trimmed and flowers blooming during the spring and summer months. I have many memories of my brothers, Byron and Roger, and me playing on the mailbags in the back room of this post office.

Rockyside Lunch and Grocery Was a True Family Restaurant - 1949

Customers Were Met With Johnson's Ready Smile And The Smell Of Hamburgers Cooking

In this photograph taken In 1949, Johnson Coulter stands beside a customer's car with a sign proclaiming curb service in the background. Rockyside Lunch and Grocery is in the background.

Rocky Side Lunch and Grocery was a restaurant that was located along Highway 27 approximately two miles north of Sale Creek. Previously the building had housed taverns known as "The Dead Rat" and "The Bloody Bucket", establishments whose reputations matched their names. All of this changed when A.J. (Johnson) Coulter and his wife, Mildred, opened his business on July 4, 1946. It immediately became a clean, reputable business that was run by smiling, friendly people.

Rocky Side was a favorite gathering place for young people after school, the old malt shop atmosphere. Pin ball and pool were available, but there was never a bad crowd around.

Sunday nights after church found many local parishioners gathered there for ice cream and soft drinks. It was one of those places that we will all remember forever,

This View of Rocky Side Is One That Is Remembered by Customers

This is the view of Rocky Side that many people remember. Heading south from Dayton motorists crested the hill above the restaurant and were met with this sight. The gas pumps were located on either end of the concrete porch, the family living quarters were upstairs, the old spring was on the south side of the property, and the watermelon house was beside the spring.

If people were asked what they remembered the most about Rocky Side, they might say the smell of hamburgers cooking on the grill, the wooden booths that so much courting used to take place in, or the sound of the door to the upstairs slamming.

This picture was taken in the middle 1960's after a heavy winter snow storm. The 1964 Ford in the picture most likely belonged to Lee Allen Poole whose sister, Gale, was a close friend of Johnson's daughter, Patti.

According to Mr. Coulter's youngest son, Fred, Johnson quit his business and moved out of Rocky Side in 1968. He said that twenty years of standing on concrete floors, being confined to a business seven days a week, and working eighteen hour days finally made him decide to find another kind of work. He worked forTrippen's Apartments in Chattanooga until his death in 1973.

Charlie Elsea And Happy Sam Gentry Were Both Running Businesses In The 1940's

Charlie Elsea's Store 1940's

Elsea's Store at the end of Shipley Hollow Road was a typical country store. It stocked many of the staple necessities of the rural residents at that time. These included flour, meal, sugar, canned goods, and other incidental items. His daughter, Margie Shipley, said that occasionally a neighbor would bring some eggs or fresh vegetables by his store, and he would sell them, too.

Mr. Elsea built his store in the early 1940's on the same piece of property where the New Providence School had stood for many years. He operated this business for over a decade in that location.

This picture was taken sometime in the 1940's and shows Mr. Elsea as many of his friends and neighbors remember him best, sitting on his favorite bench in front of it, waiting to greet his customers. He ran his store until the middle 1950's when he had to close his doors because of a gunshot injury he received during a holdup there. His wife kept his store open for approximately another year before closing it.

G.S. (Happy Sam) Gentry's Place 1946

Happy Sam's Tavern was a popular gathering point for many during the 1930's and 1940's. This structure still stands on Highway 27 directly beside the Kuntry Hut which is run by one of Happy Sam's sons, Bill Gentry. To the right of the business is the home of Happy Sam which is now the residence of Bill, his wife Pat, and Patrick, their son.

This picture, taken in 1946, shows Highway 27 which had just been elevated that year and had not been paved at that time as evidenced by the mud holes. Pictured is Happy Sam, Johnny Lou Coppinger, and Mrs. Martha Coppinger who were neighbors of Mr. Gentry.

Sale Creek Had A Locally Ed Gann's Store and Cafe Owned Bus Line In 1917

In 1917 W.L Coulter started a bus service to Chattanooga. His first bus was this 1917 Τ Model Ford. It had heavy spoked wheels with solid rubber tires. Unlike today's vehicles, the passengers had to face the aisle of the bus and loaded and unloaded through the rear of the bus. Everytime that a passenger got on, the driver had to get up, go to the rear of the bus, and open and shut the door. The bus was heated in winter by heating creek rocks and laying them on the floor. Passengers could put their feet on them to keep warm. One of his buses is pictured above (the other one was a Reo Speedwagon).

In 1919 Mr. Coulter sold his business to Jim Card from Soddy. This picture was taken just shortly after he sold to Mr. Card. Happy Sam Gentry drove this bus for Mr. Card until he in turn sold to a group called Wingate & Baker who later sold it to Cherokee Bus Lines. Cherokee in turn was later absorbed by the Trailways Bus Company.

The lady in this picture was known to many as Granny Slatton who was Happy Sam's mother. She is holding Margaret Gentry (the child on the right). Margaret was one of Mr. Gentry's daughters. The other two children are unidentified. The date of this picture is 1919.

Ed Gann's Store and Cafe Operated During 1940's

S. К (Ed) Gann Operated a small country store and cafe for several years during the 1940's. This structure was located approximately 75 feet from the intersection of present-day Leggett Road and Railroad Street As seen in this picture, it was located right across Railroad Street from the freight depot.

His store contained some of the usual store items for the time. It was also a small cafe and served hamburgers and other small dishes.

In this picture taken sometime in the late 1940's and facing in a southeasterly direction, Francis Ray and Francis Atchley are standing on the side of Leggett Road between the old post office and the railroad. The gravelled area behind them is the parking lot of the post office at that time. The Sale Creek Depot is visible to their left, and Ed Gann's Store is the building behind them.

This was quite a busy corner in Sale Creek at that time with the three above mentioned businesses as well as D.D. Lane's Store which was across the road from these two girls. Trains often stopped on the siding to pick up lumber and peaches or to make deliveries at the depot. Many times the train crews visited one of the two stores.

Milton W. Crawley's Grocery Store 1941

In 1940 Milton Crawley and his wife Lou built this store on the south end of Sale Creek and went into the grocery business. An assortment of goods, some of which are distinguishable in the photograph - fresh apples in a basket on the floor, headache powders on the support post, Milky Way candy bars in the counter at right, brooms, mops, scrub boards, and dampers hanging on the back wall of the store.

Pictured above are Reverend John W. Lindsey, longtime pastor at Coulterville Baptist Church, Leonard Edmonds, a local mechanic, Milton Crawley, Lou Crawley, and Doug Long. This picture was taken right after the store opened in 1941. The building still stands and houses Langston's Shoe Store.

Mr. Crawley later owned a senrics station in Sale Creek during the 1960's.

Sale Creek Nursery - 1933

Addison Downey owned a slant nursery in Sale Creek in 1933. Flowers and shrubs were Raised and sold here. His daughters, Margaret Thomas and Ruth Evelyn Jenkins, said that even though times were hard at that time, their father always refused to transact business on Sundays because it was the Lord's Day. Pictured are Luther Coulter, John Aslinger, Addison Downey, and Florence Coulter.

Farming Was A Big Business In Sale Creek In 1937

Pictured above is the GA. Downey farm. This picture is looking south on the east side of the highway. Daugherty Ferry Road is at the end of the field.

Although this is not a picture of a business building, farming was a very important part of business fife in sale Creek until the 1950's.

Pictured at left is Addison Downey's 40 acre wheat field in 1937. This part of Mr. Downey's farm was located directly across the road from his house.

Mr. Downey's daughter, Margaret Thomas, said her father was so excited when he sold his first crop as a young man that he walked all the way home before he remembered that he had left his wagon and team of mules tied up at the depot. He sheepishly walked back and drove them home.

Ott Davis' Blacksmith Shop Was A Busy Place In 1930

Every community had to have a blacksmith because of the number of mules, horses, and wagons that were used in the early 1900's. Arthur (Ott) Davis was the blacksmith in Sale Creek for many years, and according to marry, he was an expert at his trade.

Ott Davis was a typical village blacksmith - big, brawny, strong, hardworking. According to George Gentry, Ott could shoe a stubborn, kicking mule when no one else could. He had a busy smithy business in which he shoed horses, worked on wagons, sharpened plows, put handles in hoes, rakes, and shovels, and rebuilt wagon wheels. In addition to all his other tasks, he maintained all the wagons and shod all the mules and horses for the Ell-Dee Orchard Company.

Ott was a big practical joker with a wonderful sense of humor when he felt good. At other times when he was working with a particularly ornery mule, George said that he might turn around from his task and clean out the shop of everybody in it "When he yelled, all of us scattered like quail", George related.

Both George and my father remembered Ott as a person who had had a drinking problem in his earlier days. He became a Christian at some point, they recalled, and gave up the abiL He became a very devout church goer at the Methodist Church. George said that he can still remember Ott coming down the road on his way to church singing "Amazing Grace" at the top of his lungs. He said that Ott always took his entire family with him and that he never missed a service. According to my mother, Kathryn Coulter, he became one of the pillars of that church.

In this picture taken during the 1930's G.W. (Buck) Griffith, Bun-Everett, Wayne Bryant, and Ott Davis are sitting on a bench in front of Ott's shop which stood on the west side of the highway and just north of the location of the present day Kuntry Hut Restaurant The shop was good sized, adequate for Mr. Davis' needs.

Ott Davis continued in the smith trade until he was forced by bad health to retire. He died in 1945. His step-daughter, Alta Blake, still lives in Ott's old home just north of Sale Creek.

"Working on Graver's Wagon"

Posing for a gag picture that was used on a post card for Happy Sam Gentry, these two gentlemen looked liked two tough characters. However, the two "prisoners" never saw the inside of a jail and were more likely to be seen on the inside of a church. Pictured are Ott Davis, a devout Methodist Church leader and Will Fleming, an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years. Standing beside them is Deputy U.S. Marshall G.S. Gentry who handcuffed them.

"Working on Grover's wagon was a term used in those days to mean that someone needed to have Ott work on something for them or by other people to mean fooling around at the blacksmith shop.

The First Depot Was A Makeshift Tent At Leggett Road Crossing - 1885

Shortly after the railroad was built through Sale Creek in the middle 1870's, a makeshift depot was constructed for loading and unloading goods from trains. This platform was located approximately 25 feet from the Leggett Road crossing. This picture was taken around 1885 and shows the Eldridge home in the background (now the home of Johnny and Ginger Swallows). The picket fence which seems to have always been there is present in this picture. The only people known in this photograph is fourth from the left, Callaway Gann, who still has descendants in Sale Creek today and the first man on the left who was known as Uncle John Scott Newman.

C.W. (Pat) Hoffman's Sawmill Provided Jobs For Many Sale Creek Men During The 1930's

The C.W. Hoffman sawmill provided jobs which have become a way of life in many Sale Creek families. The old spur line which was built by the railroad to load the lumber from the mill is still used by the railroad occasionally. The only remains of the mill are a few slabs of concrete foundation beside the tracks.

Pat Hoffman's Sawmill was a thriving business in Sale Creek for many years. It provided many people with employment during the rough times of the depression.

The mill was located alongside the west side of the railroad tracks and approximately 200-250 yards south of the Leggett Road crossing.

The railroad built a spur line that ran right in front of the mill. This spur line facilitated the loading of lumber and was also used by the peach packing houses during packing season each year.

Shown in the picture at left are: third from left Charlie Swallows (father of Johnny Swallows) and on far right Johnson Hyder (father of Hooper Hyder and Cleo Pendergrass.

The First Brown's Bridge Was Located West Of The Present Bridge

In a photograph taken in the late 1920's or early 1930's, Everett Brown is pictured on the old Brown's Bridge. An unusual sight to people today, this picture shows the proximity of the Sale Creek to the bridge. When TVA raised the water in 1937, this bridge was removed and the present one was built approximately 100 yards east. This photograph was taken facing east and shows a creek channel lined with trees. Cornfields are to the left This area is now completely inundated with water year round.

Bill Gothard's Service Station - 1949

Georgia Dean Gothard is pictured in front of Bill's first station in 1949. This station was situated in the same building that is used now by Dotson's Fruit Stand. At this time the Methodist Church had not been built

Ma Nelson's Restaurant Was A Popular Place In 1946

Ma Nelson's Cafe was one of the eating Maces in Sale Creek during the 1940's. It was a social place where people gathered to visit as well as eat

The restaurant itself was located in the old J.M. Ledford Store building which was located on the east side of Highway 27 and almost directfy across the highway from Happy Sam's Tavern.

In the picture at right, three children have come in out of the cold and rain after the flood of '46. Lora (Coulter) Burroughs is the child in the center. The house which now belongs to Margie Shipley is in the background.

The Coal Mines And The Welsh People Played An Important Part In The Growth Of Sale Creek After 1867

In the early 1900's there were many scenes such as this at the foot of Sale Creek Mountain. Begun by the Welsh coal miners in 1867, the Sale Creek mines operated until 1913.

There were three main locations of mines. On either 1 side of Leggett Road there were mines cut into the side of the mountain. The third location was in Burton Hollow. This mine could have been at any one of the three sites but is characteristic of all the mines.

The only miner identifiable in this picture is the man second from left who was J.B. (Doc) West

The Original Tram Was Made Wholly Of Oak

When the Welshmen opened the first mines in 1867, they immediately built a tram track that extended to the river. This track was built entirely from wood. According to David (Red) Gray, even the rails were of oak. This tram originated at the foot of the mountain, followed Leggett Road, crossed the modern day highway, passed through what is now the school yard continued through List's pasture, where signs of the road bed are still detectable, went around the Horseshoe, and ended at the edge of the river. There coal was loaded on large barges which were towed Ъу stern wheel paddle boats.

Mr. Gray told me that the Welshmen selected gradual slopes on which to build the tram because the mules were limited in the amount of coal that they could pull.

A Tram Track Connected The Mines With The Main Railroad In Sale Creek

Two coal miners and a mining mule are shown along the tram tracks that ran from the foot of the mountain to the railroad. The tram started from a location close to the present Sale Creek Baptist Church, ran up the south side of Leggett Road, crossed Rock Creek about 50 yards west of the Slabtown Bridge, and then connected with the different mines in the area. At the point where the tram crossed Rock Creek, there was a steel bridge mounted on concrete piers. Although the bridge was torn out in the early 1900's, the piers are still visible along the creek bank just upstream of the present Slabtown Bridge. Mining mules like the one pictured here were used to pull the cars of coal along the small track back to the railroad where it was loaded onto coal cars for shipment. Neither of the two miners are identifiable in the picture.

The Coal Tipple Was Used For Loading Coal Into Coal Cars On The Tram At The Foot Of The Mountain

The tipple was the loading chute pictured at left Coal was hauled out of the mines at the foot of Sale Creek Mountain and was poured down this chute for loading on tram cars. The tram cars were pushed or pulled by small steam engines that made the run from the main railroad to the foot of the mountain. This tipple was located along Leggett Road in what is now the corner of Hugh Coulter, Jr.'s f yard. The picture was taken prior' to 1913.

At right is another of the Sale Creek mines. Judging from the rock structure here as well as other? information gathered about this picture, this mine was most likely one of those which was located along the side of Leggett Road. In this picture which was taken before 1913, the tram track leading into the mine is clearly visible. The little track carried miners and supplies into the mines and coal and miners out of the mine at day's end.

Deep Inside The Earth All Coal Mines Were The Same -Dark, Damp, And Dangerous, And Requiring A Special Breed Of Men To Work In Them

The end of the line has been reached by this coal car as evidenced by the blocks at the end of the tram track. Jacks can be seen on the floor of the mine. A miner's pick is lying in the left corner of the picture. The roof supports of the mine are visible and show the extensive amount of shoring that had to be done in mines at that time.

Neither of the two miners in this picture can be identified. Both of them are wearing the usual miner's garb, work clothes and the miners hat with carbide light attached. This picture was taken prior to 1913 which was the year that the last of the big Sale Creek coal mines closed.

A Group Of Coal Miners Posed For This Picture After A Hard Day's Work In The Durham Land Company Mines

A group of Sale Creek coal miners had just emerged from one of the mines at the foot of Sale Creek Mountain when this picture was taken. This mine was one of those that is close to present day Leggett Road. Isobel Troutman told me that her father always worked in one of the mines that was located close to the coal tipple that was located in the corner of Hugh Coulter s yard. He worked in these mines for at least twenty years.

The characteristic miner's light is present on all the miners' hats. The man who is kneeling at the left side of the picture has a miner's lunch bucket in front of him. These buckets allowed the miner to carry soup or some other liquid in the bottom. A metal plate sat in the top of the bucket and was held securely by the lid.

A portion of the tram track that led into each mine is visible in the foreground. Coal cars were pulled from the railroad to the mines either with a small steam engine or by teams of mules. According to Mr. George Gothard who has explored parts of the Welsh mines, the loaded cars sometimes just rolled along by themselves from the foot of the mountain to the railroad because there is a gradual slope there.

Two small mining mules are shown fully harnessed. They were accustomed to going down into the mines and pulling carts of coal out of the mines. The mining company had a mule barn and stable that was located just below the Sawmill Hole between the creek and Leggett Road. As evidenced in the photograph, the mules used in the mines were smaller than a mule used in the fields because the ceilings of the mines were low and required smaller mules to be able to maneuver inside of them.

Three very young miners are on the back row. Dave Troutman, father of Isobel, Katherine, and Cecil Troutman is the third miner kneeling on the first row. Bill Stultz, father of Hubert Stultz is the third man from the right on the second row and is wearing a flat billed straw hat.

D.D. (Dolph) Lane's Grocery Store Provided Goods To Sale Creek Residents And Was A Favorite Gathering Place For Young And Old

D.D. (Dolph) Lane's Grocery Store sat on the west side of the railroad tracks alongside Leggett Road. It earned canned goods, dry goods, harness, buckets, coal buckets, stove pipe, cattle and poultry feed, and many other items. Some of the coldest soft drinks ever drunk on a summer afternoon came from the water cooled drink box.

The store was a favorite gathering place for boys. From left are Charlie Reavley, Leslie Jewell, Brevard Turner, and Billy Stultz. Standing beside the Gulf gas pump is Mr. Wayne Bryant The date of this picture was approximately 1950.

Dolph's Front Porch Was Known As "The Crow's Nest".

Many grown people would tell you today that some of the best memories of their childhood took place at D.D. Lane's Store on Leggett Road. Before everyone in Sale Creek had televisions, young children would gather in the back of Dolph's store each Saturday morning to watch The Big Top Circus or Sky King.

During the time that Dolph operated his store, the mail trains were running. While people waited for the train, many times they would walk over to Dolph's store and drink a small Coca-Cola or Grapette, or they might sit down with Frank Crawley and play a game of checkers which was a favorite pastime of the loafers around there at the time.

The front porch of D.D. Lane's Grocery Store, or Crow's Nest as it was called, was a meeting place for the elderly men of the community. Every day they gathered to wait on the evening mail train to see if they had received a letter. Other times they just whittled as evidenced by the shavings at their feet These old gentlemen and several more of their buddies might make as many as four trips a day to the post office to check their mail. Usually at one o'clock in the evening they gathered under a large oak behind the post office or on Dolph's porch, whittled on their whittling sticks, or just talked. I have seen enough wood shavings to fill up a wash tub where these old men had been whittling all day. Left to right are Charlie Mayberry, Will Fleming, Ben Shipley, Johnson Hyder, and Annie Lane (in doorway). The date of the picture was approximately 1950.

Moonshine Whiskey Stills Were Plentiful At One Time In The Mountainous Areas Around Sale Creek

Whiskey Making Required Barrels, Jugs, And Copper Tubing

The mountainous rural areas for many years produced thousands of gallons of moonshine liquor. This still on Sale Creek Mountain was one of them. In this 1930's photograph, the large storage barrels, the stone stove, the piping and the five gallon jug to catch the "brew" are all visible. Note the tubing running out of the barrel at left. The man in the picture is not identified.

Uh-oh, It's Those Infernal Rev'nooers, Ma!

Stillsmen had to constantly be on the lookout for "them gol-dang rev'nooers" as Snuffy Smith used to say. In this 1930's photograph a revenue agent at right is supervising the destruction of this still on Sale Creek Mountain. Many moonshiners were put out of business temporarily by these raids, but they usually were able to return to business after an 11-29 stint in the workhouse.

Charlie Aslinger's Grist Mill And Store And Johnny Aslinger's Garage - 1930's

Charlie Aslinger and his son, John Aslinger, are shown in an early 1930's photograph beside John's garage. Beside the garage is Charlie's grist mill and store. Most people can remember this Aslinger family best by the two daughters of Charlie Aslinger who taught school at Sale Creek for many years, Annabel and Martha Aslinger.

In this gag picture taken in the early 1930's, Charlie Aslinger is holding a pole that appears to be bent by the weight of the fish that was hanging from iL.

At the time Mr. Aslinger was running a grist mill in the left background. He ground corn for people and accepted money or bartered goods as his pay. At about the same time he began carrying store goods in his mill. These included cloth, staple goods, cheese, crackers, fruits, and even shoes.

Johnny Aslinger is pictured working on the old Ford in the background. He ran this garage until TVA raised the lakes in 1937 and removed the bridge that connected Sale Creek with "the ridges". At that time business fell off so much that Johnny sold out and moved to Spring City, and Charlie closed his business shortly thereafter.

Charlie Aslinger Also Had A Traveling Sorghum Mill In The 1920's And 1930's, Contracted With Area Farmers

In the 1920's and 1930's Charlie Aslinger operated a traveling sorghum mill in addition to his grist mill and store. Each fall he would load this mill on wagons and take it around to the different farms and contract with the farmers to do their sorghum molasses for them in return for part of the product derived.

The picture at left shows the sorghum mill in operation sometime during that time period. The mill is operating on what was then known as the Gray home place in Bakewell. That farm was located approximately one half mile east of Highway 27 on McCallie Ferry Road.

Walter Shipley Ran A Gulf Service Station For Several Years On The East Side of Highway 27

Walter Shipley operated a Gulf service station in Sale Creek during the late 1930's and early 1940's. His station was located across the highway from where the post office is today.

His garage sold gas, oil, and other automotive accessories. In his shop he did mostly minor mechanic work as well as grease jobs and oil and filter changes. George Gentry worked for Walter about this time and said that Walter did the garage work while he waited on the pumps in front of the station.

Walter was a veteran of World War I and had been wounded and gassed by the Germans while he was in France.

He was one of three men whose first names were Ben and whose last names were Shipley. To prevent confusion, he went by Walter. The second Ben was Benjamin Wells, my grandfather, who had red hair. He went by Red Ben. The third Ben was black headed and went by Black Ben or Pud Ben. Red Ben had a son who he named Frank. Black Ben also had a son that he named Frank. Red Ben's son was nicknamed Red Frank and Pud Ben's son was known as Pud Frank - just to prevent confusion.

Pictured at left is George Gentry who was on his way to the Baccaleaureate address in May of 1940 just before his graduation from high school.

The Railroad - Backbone Of Sale Creek In Early Days

At left a steam locomotive roars across Leggett Road crossing sometime in the 1930's on his way to points north. This view is looking east from the front porch of Dolph Lane's Grocery Store. This engine could have been the locomotive of a freight train or a "fast train" which was another name for a passenger or mail train.

For many years the railroad provided jobs for Sale Creek folk. From the telegraph-baggage clerk in the depots to the coal miners to the peach and strawberry pickers and f>ackers to the lumbermen to the armers, the railroad was the life blood of the community, and I without it Sale Creek would probably never have had any businesses at all in those early days.

Coulterville Crossing 1930's

Although they cannot be thought of as commercial buildings or enterprises, railroad crossings were as important in the early days of Sale Creek and Coulterville as they are today. They had to be kept in good repair to prevent a horse or mule from breaking a leg or to prevent the breaking of a wagon wheel.

The approach to the lower crossing in Coulterville during the 1930's was a small bridge that spanned a culvert at that point. This picture was taken facing west from Coulterville Road. The train tracks can be seen between the wooden rails of the bridge.

This foursome consisted of Lou Rice, Ruby Martin, Margaret Martin, and Kathryn Shipley (Coulter) who were out for a Sunday stroll.

Leggett Road Crossing In 1904 Looked Similar To Today

Pictured above in a photograph taken around 1904 is the Leggett Road crossing. A refrigerator car, flat car loaded with large pipe, and a box car are passing the crossing. In the background is the Sale Creek Coal and Coke Company store and the house which was later owned by G.W. (Buck) Griffith and his family for many years.

At the time that this photograph was taken, the train could have been stopping for any of a number of reasons. It could have been picking up a load of peaches or lumber. A crop of wheat or corn could have been waiting at the depot to be loaded onto a box car. The train might have stopped to pick up some coal cars that had been loaded on the spur line just south of the crossing. It is also likely that the train was unloading goods, supplies, or machinery at the depot. The best means of transporting goods at that time was by train since the roads were not very good.

Vanishing Institutions - The Work Mule, The Plow Horse, And The Men Who Worked Them

Zack Martin And Ole Jim

No field was ever cleared, no crop was ever planted, no wagon was ever pulled without a team of mules or horses at the lead. These patient and lovable animals were as important to the people of the past as the tractor, automobile, and truck are to the people today. Men who used these animals grew to love them as they worked with them over the years, and a bond soon developed that was more than just man and animal, it was almost friend to friend.

There were many mules in Sale Creek before the advent of the car and truck. Most farmers had at least a team of mules. Some people owned only one. No matter how many mules were owned by a farmer, they were used for one purpose - to work. According to some of the men who used the mules, they were more gentle than a horse and were not as apt to get excited or spook. Their slow, steady pace also endeared them to farmers.

Mr. Zack Martin lived in Coulterville and was a farmer all his life. For several years he owned this mule which he called Ole Jim. The mule was so highly thought of by Mr. Martin and his family that this picture has been preserved for over 50 years by his son, Harry Martin, who lives in Crossville.

Ben Shipley With Winnie

A mule or horse was as much a necessity in pre-automobile days as the car is today. Everyone had one or more, and if a mare had a colt, it was like being given a free piece of machinery.

In this picture which was taken in 1922, Benjamin (Red Ben) Shipley is shown with his mare, Winnie. She was described as a gentle animal that became the family pet in addition to being a good work animal. The child that is being held on Winnie's back is Kathryn, Ben's youngest child.

Kathryn Shipley (Coulter), my mother, said that her father always owned a team of horses or mules to pull his wagon or plows. Although he usually had horses, he had also used a pair of mules known as Old George and Red. Grandpa hitched them to the wagon to haul loads of wood during the winter months. During the summer they were used to pull the plows in the field or to haul the plows from one field to another. A trip to the McDonald Mill to grind corn into meal required a team of horses to pull the wagon. Because it was an agricultural society and times were hard, most people worked from daylight to dark, and the work animals worked the same hours patiently.

Chapter 2: The Churches And Schools Provided Training In Values And Morals As Well As Teaching Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic

No community can survive without churches and schools, and in this area Sale Creek has been very fortunate. One of the oldest churches in Hamilton County was located in Coulterville, the Coulterville Cumberland Presbyterian Church. The land for that church was deeded to the congregation by James McDonald in 185Z

One of the lasting contributions of the Welsh settlers in Sale Creek was the building of the Welsh Union Church, which was constructed in the late 1800's and which still stands today on Wall Street as the Sale Creek Baptist Church.

In 1867 the Sale Creek Presbyterian Church was formed. Before that date the Presbyterians had been traveling to the Soddy Presbyterian Church for worship, but their numbers had gotten so large that they were able to form their own church at that time. They met in at least two other buildings including combined services with the Baptists before building their church in 1925.

Another of the oldest churches in Hamilton County was the Mount Vernon Bapl.st Church which has occupied three buildings on the same property, the first two having burned.

For over 130 years Sale Creek and the Sale Creek area have had schools for the training of young people in education. Before the Civil War there was a private school located here that took children from as far away as Chattanooga to teach them the three R's.

The Welsh people, recognizing the need for education in the community, built a school that lasted for only a few years. Coulterville and New Providence had small schools as did Bakewell.

In 1907 Hamilton County began construction on a large, two story school in Sale Creek. The building was completed in 1908 and was occupied that year. For over eighty years now that school has been the alma mater to people growing up in Sale Creek and is the only school that is remembered by most.

Sale Creek School In 1887 Was This Two-Story, Three Room Building Located In The Corner Of The Present Day School Yard

This picture dated approximately 1887 shows the faculty and student body of Sale Creek at that time standing in front of the old school. The only identifiable person in the picture is John Patterson standing at left corner of the school.

For many years this was Sale Creek School. Located on the corner of the present campus, the building occupied an area roughly where the elementary swings and slides are now. Roark Road lies behind the school and ran along the rail fence which is barely visible in this photograph. The open area on the right rear side of the building is now Johnny Shipley's pasture.

There was one classroom on the bottom floor and two on the top floor. After the existing brick structure was built, this building was used for manual arts, or vocational education as it is known today. This picture was taken around 1887. The building remained] until about 1927.

The New Providence School Was An Attractive Building When This Picture Was Taken During The 1920's

The New Providence School was an elementary school which was located at the end of Shipley Hollow Road for many years. It was torn down in 1941.

The New Providence School was located at the end of Shipley Hollow Road and not far from the present day New Providence Methodist Church. Grades 1-6 attended this school and then the students were brought to Sale Creek to finish the last six years of their education. Mrs. Wilma Lee taught at this school for several years. Therle Francisco, owner of the Sale Creek Market, was in one of the last classes of children to attend the school before it was torn down in 1941. The land on which the school was situated was later bought by Charlie Elsea who built a house and store which he ran for several years.

This picture was taken during the late 1920's or early 1930's.

The Coulterville School In 1915 Had Only One Room

Coulterville School Student Body In The Fall of 1915

The student body of the Coulterville School in 1915 included first row left to right: (First name unknown) Wilson, Harry Williams, Clyde Cox, Earl Hood, Homer Correll, Harry Martin, Frank Shipley, Produs Cox, Charlie Cox Second row: Tom Cox, Arnold Shipley, unknown, Pearl Hood, Robert Martin, Edith Cox, Fannie Couch, unknown, Ina Williams, Edna Mae Correll, Mildred Miller. Third row: Ruth Keith (teacher), Elbert Kyle, George Hixson, unknown, Susie Hood, Anna Lee Phillips, unknown, Flossie Hood, Rubye Martin, Berdie Couch, and Edith Wilson. This picture which was taken in the tall of 1915 shows one side of the one room school.

The Coulterville School was located on the west side of Coulterville Road approximately one quarter mile above the. Coulterville depot There was a road that turned up the hollow at that point. The school was approximately 200-300 yards up that road. In the early 1920\s the little school was closed.

The Retro School At Bakewell Was Located Close To The Present Community Center

Pictured at left is the Retro School. This picture was taken sometime between 18% and 1913. The school was located on the same property as that of the Bakewell School which is now known as the Bakewell Community Center. It was a fairly large building and accomodated a sizable enrollment of children of different ages as evidenced in the photograph. Like most schools it was located close to a creek so that water would be easily accessible for the students. Note the two water buckets on the back steps. The only person identifiable in this picture was P.A. Wall, principal, second from left

Bakewell School In 1910 Boasted A Large Enrollment For A Small Rural Community

This was the Bakewell School as it appeared in 1910 just shortly after it was constructed. The appearance of the building has changed little in the 79 years since then. The front porch has remained intact and the same type of windows are in the building today as were there in 1910. This is one of the few buildings standing today that looks the same as it did when it was first built.

Bakewell School was built in 1909 to replace the older Retro School which was constructed around 1870 by best estimates. It was located on the same piece of property as the older building. It has so endeared itself to the Bakewell community that they have turned it into a community center and preserved it after the county closed the school in 1962.

In this picture taken in 1910 just one year after the school opened are Ruth (Newell) Boyd twelfth from right on the front row, Lois Card at center of front row, and teachers Jane Mysinger and Burleigh Eldridge at left on the third row.

Mrs. Mysinger was from Soddy. Miss Eldridge taught at Bakewell for several years before marrying Addison Downey and moving to Sale Creek.

The Construction Of A Community Landmark Begins -Sale Creek School Under Construction In 1907

This is the beginning of an institution which has touched the lives of almost every person in Sale Creek in some way - the building of Sale Creek School. It has withstood nearly a century of use and remains a vital part of the community.

This photograph of Sale Creek School was taken shortly after construction began in 1907. The first floor masonry work has been completed, and work is about to begin on the second floor. As the workmen paused for this picture, one can see the finished arches of what was called "The Arcade". Second floor joists can be seen standing up from the ground floor. A lift of some type is visible at left In the lower center a wagon has been backed up to construction area. The only person identifiable in the picture is Rutherford Pickett, fourth from left, who was the father of William Pickett. Two other known workers on the school who could not be identified in the picture were Elbert Smith and Alec Gothard.

Sale Creek School In 1938 Was An Attractive Building

This picture of the school was taken in 1938 and shows the south side of the building with the arcade. Shrubbery also was used to add to the beauty of the building. At that time the driveway entered the school grounds at the front of the school and then divided going down both ends of the school. Because of the size of the buses used at that time it was possible to do this. Later as the size of buses increased, it was no longer possible to bring them in here. The old driveway was eventually covered with dirt, and grass was allowed to grow there. The concrete curbs are still visible today.

For many years the arcade was a favorite location for pictures to be taken. Class pictures, pictures for the yearbook, and just casual snapshots - all of these used the front of'the school and especially the arcade for a backdrop.

One of the students hanging out the second floor window is George Gentry.

Even English Class Had Its Humor

When Malcolm McEwen was a student at Sale Creek, he had English class with Miss Annabel Aslinger in a classroom located on the second floor on the north side of the school. The room had food view of Tater Knob till. One day when class was particularly dull, he leaped to his feet, pointed at the hill in the distance, and yelled, 'Tater Knob just erupted!" The boredom ceased in an outburst of laughter and stampede to get to the window!

The P.T.A. Had Its Picture Taken On The Steps Of The Arcade In 1933

Pictured at left is a meeting of the Sale Creek Parent Teachers Association (РТА) in 1933. As seemed to be the custom or practice at that time, the picture was taken on the steps of the arcade, a favorite place for pictures, gatherings after school, courting, or just about anything.

Identified in this picture are first row third from left -Annabel Aslinger, a long time teacher at the school, last row fourth from right is Logan Alexander, father of Mark D. Alexander, and third from right is Andrew Coppinger who drove a school bus for several years at Sale Creek.

The 1938 Glee Club

Pictured in a 1938 photograph is the Sale Creek High School Glee Club. In front are Sybil Northrup, ArTena Fuller, Alma Howard, Jesse Gentry, Burle Stultz, Dorothy Downey, Betty Jo Ketner, and Margie Hawkins (Hodge).

In the second row from left to right are Willard Shipley, Preston Ottinger, George Gentry, J.T. Waller who was the glee club teacher, Geraldine Hoffman (Martin Starnes), Pat Hoffman, Orville Crawley, Sylvia Aslinger (Hodge), Lydda Gray Brackett, Edna Gann, Jane Gentry (Holland), Mona Gothard, Sam Pryor, and Nelson Martin. This group of students had been busy singing that year and had travelled to Knoxville to sing on WNOX radio. The arcade and shrubbery were again used as a backdrop for this photograph.

The Music Building - 1953

Bobby Legg is shown resting on the hood of his car with the music building in the background. This building was located on the lower playground. The date of the picture was September of 1953.

The Sale Creek Baptist Church - 1927

Formerly Welsh Union Church

Sale Creek Baptist Church is pictured in a photograph taken approximately 1927. The steeple is clearly visible in the picture. The church is located on Wall Street

For several years prior to that time, the Baptists and Presbyterians shared this building, formerly known as the Welsh Union Church, and worshipped together until 1925 when the Presbyterians built their present church. After that the building carried the Baptist name which it retains until this day.

The bell tower remained intact until the 1960's when it was struck by lightning. It was damaged so badly that it had to be removed and a new one built.

The Welsh people built this church in the late 1800's.

Sale Creek United Methodist Church

Replaced The Previous Church

This is the second building that has housed the Sale Creek Methodist Church. The first building was built before the turn of the century and served the people of Sale Creek until 1950. It was located on the east side of Highway 27 directly across from the present church.

The present church was built around 1950 and shows very little change today from when it was first built During the 1970's the steeple was added onto the building, and a short time later the Sunday School wing on the left rear of the church was added.

Many familiar family names are members of the membership roll of this church. Some of these include Jones, Ray, Reavley, Gann, and Davis to mention just a few.

The church is located along the west side of highway and just north of Reavley Road.

The photograph of this church is a recent one and is the courtesy of James Shelley.

Mount Vernon Baptist Church Is One Of The Oldest Established Churches In Hamilton County

One of the earliest churches in Hamilton County was the Mount Vernon Baptist Church located on Providence Road.

This picture was taken in the early 1950's and shows the second of three buildings that have been called Mount Vernon. The first one was destroyed by fire. This one was also destroyed by fire in the late 1950's or early 1960's.

The building in this picture shows a typical country church for that time with the tin roof, the bell tower built into the front of the church, and the Sunday School rooms in the rear of the church.

Sale Creek Church Of God And Congregation - 1939

The Sale Creek Church of God is shown as it appeared in 1939. It was located alongside Railroad Street in the same location as the present church. The long side of the church faced the road. Graveyard Hill is behind the church.

At first the church was just a basement structure with a flat roof. The basement of this building was that of the original church. That structure was gutted in a fire. The foundation was still good so it was used as the foundation for this building. Once again the church burned down during the 1940's. While the congregation waited to build a permanent church, church services were held in a tent that was located close by. During the 1940's a new building was erected which remains to this day.

Mrs. Clarice Fuller, second from right on the back row, was identified in this picture. In the middle of the picture in the group of children can be seen Jake, Tommy, and Paul Fuller, Bobby Owenby, and Mildred Owenby. The pastor at this time was Mr. C.E. Combs.

The Sale Creek Presbyterian Church - 1927

The Sale Creek. Presbyterian Church was established in 1867 after having been a part of the Soddy Presbyterian Church. At that time the number of Sale Creek parishioners had grown so large and the distance to the Soddy church was so great that the members in this community decided to form their own church. The present church was built in 1925.

Little outward change in the sanctuary is detectable in this photograph. The well on the right side of the church has been filled in and a walk was built from the front porch to the highway. In this picture Highway 27 had not been elevated as it is today. The entrances to the basement are visible on both ends of the church.

This is a picture of the congregation of the Sale Creek Presbyterian Church during the summer of 1948. On the left end of the third row is Uncle Dick McDonald. It was said of him that he was such a Godly man that the rain fell on his fields when it rained nowhere else. Second from the left end of the fifth row is Alyne List Two places from Alyne is her mother, Gertie LisL On the right side of the picture at the end of the sixth row is Mr. C.A Downey, a long-time elder in the church. Directly in front of Mr. Downey is Mr. Bill List, son of Gertie LisL Seated on the front row on the left end of the bench is Leslie Jewell.

In 1962 the church voted to break its ties with the Presbyterian denomination because of the liberal policies of the large presbyteries and the national Presbyterians' affiliations with the National Council of Churches, an affiliation which the Sale Creek church opposed. Today the Sale Creek Independent Presbyterian Church is totally independent and conservative.

New Providence Methodist Church - 1950's

According to Broyles Pendergrass, the New Providence Methodist Church is over 100 years old. Located on Providence Road, it is a typical country church with the bell tower in the front of the church.

A unique situation exists with this church. During the framing of the church, a severe wind storm hit the church causing it to lean. The builders were never able to remove the list, so the church was finished with a slight lean to the left. The Sunday School rooms in back were built several years after the main part of the church was completed.

The Sale Creek Church of Christ Was Built In 1910

The Sale Creek Church of Christ came into being on March 4, 1906 when Charles Holder from Bridgeport, Alabama came to Sale Creek to establish a church. Mr. James Newman gave the land for the present church which is located on Widow Street just off Highway 27. Construction began in 1908 and the building was finished in May of 1910. A man by the name of Spence donated the bell tower for his wife who was a member of the congregation at that time.

Pictured at the 50th anniversary of the founding of the church are (standing on ground left to right) Ira Sparks, Ruby Weeks, Zonie Shipley, Mrs. Fred Cullman and Arnold Weeks in corner. On the porch are Eva Alexander, Nadine Hodge, Mattye Doss, and Marcena TrewhitL

The Welsh Cemetery Is A Lasting Tribute To The Community Spirit Of The Welsh Settlers

Dave Griffith, a Welshman, donated the land for the Welsh Cemetery to the community of Sale Creek during the 1800's. Today this beautiful community cemetery is still being used and is a tribute to him and many others who are responsible for this landmark.

The Welsh section of the cemetery is that portion primarily on the lower side next to Back Valley Road. Names like Lloyd, Price, Rees, Griffith, Williams, Davis, Parry, Thomas, and Richards adorn the stones in that section of the graveyard.

The stones of many of these Welshmen tell where they were from originally - Llanelly, Wales which was coal mining country, too. The stones themselves are large and ornate, especially those of Dave and Billy Griffith. These two men were veiy prominent and wealthy businessmen at that time, employing many men in the coal mines at the foot of Sale Creek Mountain.

One of the most peaceful places in Sale Creek is the Welsh Cemetery. Located on Back Valley Road, it is a now well kept by the Welsh-Rogers Cemetery Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the upkeep and preservation of the cemetery. This picture was taken one morning in June, 1989 and shows part of the Welsh section. In the extreme upper left is the large stone of Dave Griffith. Behind his and to the right farther up hill is the Billy Griffith stone. Just down from Dave Griffith's stone is the Dan Thomas loL Directly across the road from Griffiths' stone and straddling the block wall is the Rees Rees section. The tall stone at center under a dogwood tree is that of Billy Richards.

Chapter 3: The Homes In Sale Creek - Many Are Over One Hundred Years Old

Several different groups have bad an influence on the style of homes in Sale Creek. Robert Patterson, an early frontiersman, built a log home in 1821 The McDonalds, who were Scotch, built a large home in Coulterville which could simply be described as early Scottish Southern American, and Billy Richards built a home which had a Welsh influence. All of these homes were built for one reason - to live in, and some of them are still used today.

Many people do not understand how houses are named in Sale Creek, that is, why does the big white house on the corner of Leggett and Railroad Street go by the name the Frank Eldridge House. They are called by those names either for the name of their builder or for the name of the person who lived in it for a great number of years, or both. Frankie's house for many years was known as the Grover Eldridge House and the Griffith House.

The Robert Patterson House Was Built In 1822

This is the Robert Patterson House which was constructed in 1822. For nearly 150 years it stood on the south end of Sale Creek.

Robert Patterson was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, having fought at King's Mountain in northwestern North Carolina. This battle, which was fought by approximately 1000 North Carolina and Tennessee frontiersmen, effectively stopped the British advance into the backwoods of North Carolina.

After the war Patterson moved to this area and was the first known white settler in Hamilton County. According to Mr. David (Red) Gray, who is deceased, there is a recorded land transaction involving Mr. Patterson as early as 1806.

This land transaction was the first recorded after this part of the county was allowed to be settled by white men.

Mr. Patterson built his house in 1822 on the extreme south end of Sale Creek. It was located approximately 150 yards south of the intersection of present-day Highway 27 and Old Dayton Pike and on the east side of the main highway.

According to Mrs. Kathryn Patterson Sanders, one of his descendants, the house served as an inn in an off and on fashion. She said that travelers often stopped and spent the night at the house when they needed a place to rest.

The house no longer stands as it was destroyed by fire in the late 1960's.

The Perry A. Wall House 1920

The house known for many years in Sale Creek as the Perry A Wall House was this beautiful old house which stands at the end of Wall Street. It was built sometime in the 1870's when the Welshmen were building so many other fine homes here. A man by the last name of Lloyd built the house. P.A Wall moved into this house in 1912 It remained in the Wall Family for approximately 60 years. It is now owned by Annabel Hall.

The Parks Coulter House

The Parks Coulter House is another of the old home of Sale Creek. Owned and inhabited by Parks Coulter in the late 1890's, it too features bay windows and large, wide porches like many of the other large homes of the day.

At the time that this picture was taken on Christmas Day of 1929, Virgil Blake and his mother, Elizabeth or Aunt Lizzie as she was known, lived in the house. It still stands today and is the home of Mrs. Jackie Smith. The house is located on the east side of Highway 27 opposite the industrial park.

Pictured at left in the Christmas snow are Virgil Blake, Luther Coulter, and Frank (Red Frank) Shipley.

Billy Richards' House 1919

The Billy Richards House on Leggett Road was built around 1885 by Billy Richards, a Welsh coal miner.He lived in it for a few years and sold to a man named Postal Suggs.

This house changed hands several times over the years. When this picture was taken in 1919, it was owned by Mr. Jim Crawley who later operated a store here. Mrs. Crawley's trademark, flowers, can be seen on the porch.

In 1941 Luther and Kathryn Coulter bought this house. They raised five children in this house, and all five of us know this house now as the Coulter House or more simply as "Home".

The Howell Davis House

Howell and Gwin Davis were two of the first Welsh people to settle in Sale Creek. They built this home on Wall Street sometime in the 1870's. Like the other Welshmen, Howell Davis was a coal miner.

This old Welsh home survived down through the years but had fallen into a run down shape when it was bought recently by Donnie and Shannon Moore. It is currently being renovated and restored to its original beauty by Donnie with the help of his father, Earl Moore. This picture was taken in January of 1940.

The J.A.N. Patterson House Was Built Around 1885

The J.A.N. (Jacob Alfred Newton) Patterson was built around Ш5 by Mr. Patterson. He was known to most people as either J.A.N. or as January Patterson because of his initials.

This beautiful old house etill stands today on Patterson Road in the corner of Patterson Curve. Today it is the home of Mr. Patterson's granddaughter, Mrs. Kathryn Patterson Sanders. There is some physical change to the house today - a driveway exists at the location where the family is sitting for this photograph and the porch on the left side of the picture has been removed and a patio porch has been added. The small sapling trees that are visible h*re are now large mature oak trees. Even with those changes, this 1894 picture is still recognizable as the house that sits in the curve at Patterson Road. Shown left to right are John and J.AN. Patterson, Lucy Irons, Margaret W. and Leonidas Patterson, and Bruce, the dog.

The same siding is on the house today as was there when this picture was taken. The color of the siding appears to be two-toned at the time. Now it is entirely white.

The massive chimneys have been eliminated and the ornamental woodwork on the front porch is no longer there. The beautiful old bay window is still in place, however.

For many years Patterson Road was located at the foot of the embankment below the present Patterson Road and followed the shore of Patterson Lake for about 300 yards past the big curve before crossing the creek. When TVA raised the lakes in 1937, the road was moved up the hill a short distance to prevent flooding across the old road. In this picture the photographer would have been standing almost on the embankment of the present road and right in the curve itself.

The Ben McDonald House Was Built in 1884 And Is Still Home To Roy McDonald And His Family Today

The McDonald Family Reunion In 1889

The McDonald family has been a prominent part of Sale Creek since they first settled on their land in Coulterville in 1820. James McDonald was the first to claim the land. He built a small log cabin along the Sale Creek and close to the present Coulterville Road. This house stood until 1970 when it was destroyed by fire.

James and his wife had eleven children, one of whom was Ben McDonald. In 1884 he built this large house at its present site, the McDonald Farm House on Coulterville Road. Following several major renovations that changed its original appearance, this old home is more beautiful today than it was in 1884 when first built.

Ben McDonald was married twice, first to Sophronia Patterson, daughter of John Patterson, the builder of the mill and dam at Sale Creek. Mr. McDonald obtained the mill from Mr. Patterson in the 1850's and ran it for many years including the Civil War years of 1861-1865.

The McDonald Mill as it was known remained in the McDonald family for over 80 years until it was bought in the 1930's by Т.Е. (Ed) Downey who operated it until a flood carried it away around 1935.

Ben McDonald married Maria Louisa Beard in 1869, and they had four sons to go with the seven children his first marriage. (His first wife died.) Their first chi Frank Jones McDonald, was the father of Mr. Roy McDonald who owns the farm today and is the publisher of the Chattanooga News-Free Press.

According to Helen Exum, a fifth generation McDonald, the original house was built with timber that was cut from the west side of the farm. The rooms of the house were all 14 χ 14 feet because that was the longest timber that could be hauled on a wagon at that time. Ben's sons provided the labor, and Mr. McDonald was able to buy the hardware and windows for less than $100.

Vera Martin Jewell's House

The Vera Martin Jewell House was built during the mid to late 1880's by one of the Price family of Welsh coal miners. He married one of the Lloyd's daughters that lived in the P.A Wall house down the street This home is located on Wall Street right beside the Baptist Church. Mrs. Vera Jewell lives in it today. Pictured above in a 1955 photograph is Leslie Jewell driving the car past the Jewell home. The Welsh influence is evident in the house.

Addison Downey House

Addison Downey is pictured in front of his home just north of Rock Creek on the west side of the highway. Mr. Downey was a successful farmer and farm implement dealer for many years in Sale Creek and Dayton. This house dated back into the 1800's and was a beautiful old farm house until it was razed and a new brick house was built in 1940. The present house and properly it sat on now belong to Mrs. Hazel Shipley.

The Billy Griffith House Was Built In The 1870's

Billy Griffith, one of the original Welsh miners that opened the Sale Creek mines, built this house in the middle 1870's. After the Griffith family sold it, the Eldridge family kept it until the 1970's when Frankie Eldridge sold it and moved to Florida. Currently it is owned by Johnny and Ginger Swallows who have restored it including the rebuilding of the picket fence that has been one of its trademarks for well over 100 years.

Other notable features include the big bay window, the dormers on the second floor, and the ornate wood trim all around the house.

Dr. Warner Gross' House

Sale Creek has been blessed with several doctors down through the years. This old house was the home of one of them, Dr. Gross. He ran a general practice, delivering babies, treating broken bones and sprains, colds, nu, and pneumonia.

He was one of a line of doctors that has included names like Richards, Downey, Kennedy, and ED. Johnson.

The Doc Gross House was built by the Welsh people and is shown in this late 1930's photograph above. It was located on the north side of Leggett Road approximately 100 yards from the railroad. The last family to live in the house were Donald and Elizabeth Ray who resided there for a few years until they built their present home on the same property. This house was torn down in the early 1960's.

The boys in the picture are Donald Ray and George W. Ray. They are standing in the middle of Wall Street. Leggett Road is to their left and behind them.

The Alec Coppinger House

Pictured above is the Alec Coppinger House in 1920. It, too, was built before the turn of the century. This house was known to many people in Sale Creek" as the Grover Jones House for many years. It is located on Leggett Road approximately 150 feet from Highway 27.

The foursome in the carriage are left to right: J.AN. Patterson, long time resident of Sale Creek, Aldine Patterson, Elizabeth Patterson, and Kathryn Patterson (Sanders). Kathryn is still a resident of Sale Creek, residing in the Patterson home on Patterson Road. The two Patterson girls were Kathryn's cousins.

Dave Griffith House (A.D. Coppinger's House)

Dave Griffith was one of the founders of the Walden's Ridge Coal Company in 1867. Shortly after this company was started and the mines were opened, he built this home at the corner of Highway 27 (which was then known as the Valley Road) and Leggett Road. It is a well recognized and beautiful home with its ornate wooden trim, its well kept tin roof, the porch that extends all the way around the house, and two bay windows.

A.D. Coppinger acquired the house in the early 1900's, and his heirs have retained it to the present day. Today his two granddaughters Mary Lee and Margaret, still reside in this beautiful old Welsh home.

The Coulter Martin House - 1916

The Coulter Martin House was a big Welsh-built home that was located on Griffith Street just above the Dave Price House. In the right background the familiar steeple of the Sale Creek Church of Christ can be seen rising above the church.

In this 1916 picture of a group of Presbyterian Church ladies are first row - unknown, Mattye Ervin, Mrs. Williams, Gwin Davis, Eliza Eldridge, Ella McDonald, Cecil Downey, Vera Martin, Maybelle Fraser, Salty Armour, and Mrs. Dick McDonald. Second row -Florence Downey, Sam and Ella Fraser, unknown, Mrs. Honeycutt, Nellie Downey, unknown, Stella Patterson, Gertie Harwood, Tyda Richards and John, Willie Lee Martin, Burleigh Roark, Jack Richards, Anna Gross, Mollie Clements, Aunt Alice McDonald, Mrs. Coulter Martin, unknown, unknown.

The Dan Thomas House

Now the Troutman House

The Troutman House is located on Leggett Road approximately 200 yards from the railroad crossing.

Mr. Dan Thomas, one of the original Welsh settlers built this house over a hundred years ago. In the early 1900's this house was bought by the Dave Troutman family. Today it is owned by Isobel, Cecil, and Katherine Troutman.

Isobel said that her mother told her that she remembers the house being built when she was a little child, little knowing that she would spend most of her life living there.

The Dave Price House 1904

This was the Dave Price House as it appeared in 1904. This house still stands on Griffith Street as the home of Tommy and Kathy Knight. It was another of the block houses and was built by the Dave Price family, a Welsh family of coal miners. The child is Thomas Price.

The William H. List House Is An Example Of Stateliness And Beauty, Built In 1902

Although not the oldest home in Sale Creek, this house is probably one of the most stately and beautiful of all. William Hay List built this house in 1902, and it is just as attractive today as it was when it was first built. It also holds the distinction of being the only three story house in Sale Creek. Mr. List's daughter, Alyne, owns the house today. According to her, the only outward changes to the house since its construction are that the porches have been screened in and the picket fence that graced the grounds in earlier years has been removed.

Mr. List was the Ell in the Ell-Dee Orchard Company. He and Т.Е. (Ed) Downey formed this fruit company that employed hundreds of Sale Creek people of all ages during the packing season each year. Mr. List was a fruit grower all of his life with peach orchards and strawberry fields in Sale Creek and grapefruit and orange groves in Florida.

Contributors

The following people have contributed pictures, information, or financial assistance in helping to make this publication possible.

Roy Hodge
L.G. Coulter
Kathryn Coulter
Alyne List
Bill List
Virgil Blake
Isobel Troutman
Kathryn Patterson Sanders
Cleo Pendergrass
Therle Francisco
Helen Exum
Chattanooga News-Free Press
Rex Alexander
Margie Shipley
Louella Crawley
Annabel Hall
Lucille Mathis
Ruth Boyd
Lora Coulter Burroughs
Charlie and Ruth Jenkins
Sam and Geraldine Starnes
Brenda Gentry
Sale Creek Lions Club
Margaret Downey Thomas
Joan Reavley
Sylvia Hodge

Mr. and Mrs. John B. Howard
Wilma Lee
Donald and Elizabeth Ray
Bull White
Vera Jewell
James Shelley
Judy Cordell
Tommy Fuller
George W. Ray
Tillman Fuller
Mildred Coulter
Parti Aslinger
Fred Coulter
Jane Holland
Jim Gentry
George Gentry
Bill Gentry
Nevada Coppinger
Irvin Downey
Cecil Downey Pope
Bill and Bonnie Fine
Ruby West
Greg Ricketts
Elaine Coulter Jackson
Martha Aslinger
Bob Vandergriff

Alta Blake
Jack and Alma Gann
Delphia K. Howard
Lucille Brumley
Debbie Pickett
Patti lies
Charlie Gann
William E. Gothard, III
George Gothard
William M. Gothard
Beulah Coulter Tipton
Lois Coulter Thornton
Mary Lee Coppinger
Margaret Coppinger
Lewis Gray
Robert Gray
The estate of David H. Gray
John and Ginger Swallows
Sam Parry
Jim Hooker
Betty Legg
Ronald and Patsy McEwen
Annabel Hall
Broyles Pendergrass
Anna Aslinger