A scenic view of green mountains with a partly cloudy blue sky and trees in the foreground.

Deeply rooted in East Tennessee

A black and white photograph of a sitting outdoors in front of a wooden fence or building. The young man is wearing a hat, a dark shirt, and trousers. He is sitting on a bench with his hands resting on his lap. The woman is dressed in a light-colored blouse and a long skirt, with her hands on her hips. The scene appears to be from the early 20th century and is taken in a rural setting.
A woman with dark, voluminous hair and light skin, wearing a dark top with a white collar, looking straight ahead against a plain background.
A man wearing a cowboy hat and a gray button-up shirt standing outdoors with trees in the background.

My Family has been in the East Tennessee region for many generations. Almost every line has been in Tennessee since pre statehood. Almost every line was also impacted by the creation of The Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and a few years later by the formation of The Tennessee Valley Authority. The loss of tangible built history is felt deeply by many early setting families in the region. Displaced from the Greenbrier area of the Smokeys my maternal line moved to the valley. In a community called Shady Grove which was taken by the formation of Douglas Lake. My paternal line lived in the area that became Norris Lake. Both lines of my family end up being pushed into the Knoxville factories and plants.

There are no surviving ancestral homes for almost 200 years. This loss of personal connection and the knowledge of the sweeping loss of historic architecture and communities is partially what fuels my passion for preservation.

I would love to be able to start a farm museum to showcase this specific East Tennessee experience.

Black and white portrait of a young woman with wavy hair, wearing a collared shirt and a floral headband.
Old sepia photograph of an elderly woman sitting on a chair with a young girl standing beside her outdoors.
Black and white portrait of a young man with straight hair, wearing a buttoned-up dark shirt, sitting with his arm resting on his knee.
Black and white portrait of an elderly man with a beard and mustache, wearing a dark suit and white shirt.
Black and white portrait of an elderly man with glasses, wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and a dark hat.
Family Farm
An elderly man and woman sitting outdoors on a wooden chair and bench, dressed in old-fashioned clothing, with a background of trees and sparse branches.
Child riding a small horse in a rural outdoor setting with houses and power lines in the background.
A black and white photo of two children, a girl and a boy, standing outdoors with several chickens on the ground in front of them.
Two young girls standing outdoors on a grassy hillside with a large dog, possibly a hound, in the foreground. The older girl is smiling, wearing a light-colored blouse and dark skirt, while the younger girl is looking down, wearing a dark dress. Ther
An elderly man wearing a straw hat and gray clothing sitting on a wooden bench on a porch of a weathered house with cream-colored siding, a window and a dark door.
A vintage black and white photograph of three children sitting in a horse-drawn carriage outdoors, with trees in the background.
Great Grandparents Lane
Black and white photo of a man and a young girl standing amidst a large pile of harvested crops in a field.
Black and white photograph of two children, a girl and a boy, fishing in a pond. The girl has long hair and is smiling, while the boy appears focused. There is a large fish on the ground and a bucket nearby. Trees and foliage are in the background.
Black and white photo of a cow standing outdoors on a dirt ground with grass and bushes in the background, with a wire fence partially visible in front of the cow.
Black and white photo of a woman and three children sitting outdoors near flowers, with a car, trees, and a wooden building in the background.
Black and white photo of a woman with two young girls, one sitting on her lap and the other sitting next to her, all dressed in vintage clothing.
A young girl in a light-colored dress watering plants in a garden, with two adults and a woman holding flowers in the background, in front of a barn and leafless trees.
A black and white photo of a baby sitting on a chair outdoors, being supported by an adult's hand. The baby has a bald head, is wearing a light-colored outfit, and is positioned on a blanket draped over the chair.
Black and white photograph of two young girls standing outdoors with a horse between them, one girl on each side, near a small building and trees in the background.
Black and white photo of two young girls sitting on a log outdoors, with trees and a small building in the background, and a dog lying down behind them.
A black-and-white photo of a young man and woman standing outdoors, holding hands, with trees and a vintage car in the background.
Two elderly women sitting at a long table, working on a quilting project with floral and cross-stitched patterns. The table is covered with fabric and sewing materials. The room has wood-paneled walls decorated with a wall hanging and other crafts.
Black and white photo of two young girls standing in front of a vintage car, one girl with headphones. The photo is worn and torn.
An old black and white photo of a woman wearing a hat and a pearl necklace, holding a small child, possibly a baby, in her arms.