A5 DAILY POST-ATHENIAN FRIDAY, MAY 28, 2021

The Daily Post-Athenian A brief history of Busselltown The Chronicle of The Friendly City Since 1848 ummer in East means TVA’s “win- sula to Maryville, but most relied on ferries to go 206 West Washington Avenue • P.O. Box 340 Ster draw-down” is over and the lakes are full. back and forth to Lenoir City. Eventually, a small Athens, TN 37371-0340 People are frolicking all over the water, in trade center developed called Busselltown 423-745-5664 some cases, unaware of the stories that are hid- Most of those living in Busselltown in the 1800s den beneath. When TVA dams were constructed, farmed, but the Civil War halted local agriculture Je Schumacher Dewey Morgan the impounded waters covered a number of his- trade for a while. The area was occupied by Con- Publisher/Regional Advertising Director Editor toric places. Most people know the archaeologi- federate and Union forces at different times. cal remains of several Overhill towns, Once the Civil War ended, farming recovered at Pat Helms Christina Jaeger including and , early capitals of the Busselltown, but the Great Depression brought Circulation Manager Business Manager , lie under Tellico Lake. The his- new challenges. Some families adapted by con- www.dailypostathenian.com toric Mississippian village, Coste, once located verting corn into moonshine. downriver from Chota, is also submerged. His- Selling whiskey proved to be lucrative and the torical documents reveal that Hernando DeSoto trade thrived well into the 20th century. Unfortu- spent six days at Coste in 1540. nately, people began to associate Busselltown with Archaeologists believe Coste was located on illegal whiskey. Practice makes perfect . Apparently, the colonists I had no curiosity about Coste, BusselI Island, or imbibed enough whiskey hen we moved back to California to live with my parents, a place called Busselltown, until a few weeks ago. to generate revenue for the Wmy mother proudly told us to look in the back of the clos- That’s when I went to my mailbox and discovered fledgling government. et where there was a stout rope with knots in it that was a package from Brenda Lee. Inside was a book The 1850 census cited eight to be used as a fire escape from our second-story bedroom. titled “Busselltown.” whiskey distilleries operat- Knowing my mom, “the back of the closet” already put me on Written by Henry Molter, the book recounts the ing in McMinn County. One alert, because I doubt anyone had ventured into that space for history of Busselltown, a community that once pumped out over 6,000 gal- years. Sure enough, the stout rope, once located, turned out to sat on a small finger of land across the Tennessee lons a year. Somebody was be what an antique dealer would describe as mid-century mod- River from Lenoir City. The area was defined on sipping whiskey in McMinn ern: it disintegrated in my hands. the east and north by the and on SENSE County and I don’t think Bus- I asked her where her escape rope was hiding and she made the west by the . selltown caused it. the (statistically inaccurate) prediction that since the wooden Bussell Island sat across the eastern slough of OF PLACE The 20th century brought house hadn’t burned in 120 years, it probably never would. I the Little Tennessee River, opposite the peninsula dramatic change to Bussell- immediately went out and bought two extension ladders which where Busselltown eventually developed. town. Molter relates that a could be used for other projects, as long as they were tucked in In his book, Molter uses a number of archival LINDA few folks built businesses or for the night in their fire escape location: one on the front balco- sources for his research, but I found the oral his- CALDWELL owned enough land to sustain ny and the other propped against the back of the house, hidden tories he gathered to be especially interesting. their families, but others took from view but accessible from our window. Brenda Lee’s husband, Garland Lee, grew up in up hard work at places like I already knew the location for the back Busselltown and was one of the people Molter the marble quarry at Friendsville or the brickyard ladder since, many years ago, my father left interviewed. at Greenback. a similar ladder leaning against the same As history played out, the little community of Dam flooded part of Busselltown window one summer. He declared to my sis- Busselltown became known for two things – fer- in 1943. A bridge replaced the Bussell Ferry in ter and me that elopement was much cheap- ries and whiskey. But there is a richer story to be 1961, diminishing the importance of Busselltown’s er than a formal wedding, so if anyone was told. businesses, as well as the ferry. so inclined, here was the ladder for our con- In 1810, a Revolutionary War grant allowed Wil- After closed its gates in 1979, the venience … neither of us took him up on it liam Lenoir to acquire land on Bussell Island. impounded waters obliterated farmland on the so he put it away in the fall. After the 1819 Hiwassee Purchase, when Chero- west side of Busselltown, plus two-thirds of Bus- In 2019 in the United States, there were kees ceded their tribal lands south to the Hiwas- sell Island KATHRYN 354,000 house fires. Luckily most people see River, the peninsula, future site of Bussell- Today, Highway 321 races through what’s left survived, but the national average is about town, opened up for settlement. of the peninsula, now dotted with campgrounds HUNTER 11 fire-related deaths/million people. In The James Bussell family arrived in 1826. Over and lakeside homes. The South Holston Church Tennessee, the average is 21.5 deaths/mil- time, their land holdings grew to include parts of perches atop a retaining wall at the intersection of lion, making our risk of death by fire almost Lenoir’s property. Then, Lenoir Island became Highway 321 and Jackson Bend Road. It’s all that’s twice as high as the national average. known as Bussell Island. left of Busselltown. According to the Red Cross, everyone in your house should Samuel Williams came from Wythe County, Space for this column doesn’t allow for more be able to exit the building within two minutes in the event of Virginia in 1828. Traveling by flatboat, he brought than a bare-bones chronology of Busselltown, fire. You should specify a meeting place that everyone, from the along five wagonloads of salt from Saltville, Vir- but Henry Molter’s book adds flesh and life to the youngest to the oldest, knows to go to after escaping. ginia, hoping to barter salt for land. He eventually story. “Busselltown” can be bought at the Vonore Many people go back in the burning house because they mis- acquired 1,500 acres of the Busselltown peninsula. Heritage Museum and Greenback Museum. takenly assume someone is still inside. Others found their way there too — whites, “The Bussells of Bussell Island” is available at You are also supposed to practice escaping until everyone slaves, free blacks and a few . Some the Vonore Heritage Museum. can successfully get out on time. Plan what to do if the fire is lived on plantations and small farms. Some lived between you and the door. Make sure windows are not painted in shacks and houseboats. LINDA CALDWELL CAN BE reached at lindacaldwell1942@ shut and can be easily opened by everyone. Have escape/elope- Residents could travel overland up the penin- gmail.com ment ladders for every bedroom. Teach your kids, your grandma and even your dog what to do if they hear the smoke alarm or smell a fire. And then practice, a couple times each year. The official study on the Twin Towers attack of 9/11 found that 2/3 of the people who survived had participated in the regular Timeworn perspectives must be fire drills the previous year. Luckily, they knew the way, which included taking the stairs down several flights, then walking through the hallway to another set of stairs. My husband and I started thinking about our own escape route balanced with modern judgment from the bedroom. We bought an emergency ladder to be kept at the window and let down if needed. Much to the amusement his is the tweet of the year. as the most powerful nation on presidents. “Relying too much of the neighbors, we practiced. T It’s not from a president. Earth. on it is dangerous.” It took a few minutes to figure out which way to best get out But it could be about a pres- How is this relevant beyond The perspective a national the window (he sat and swiveled, I backed up to the sill and ident and about the rest of us, the 18th green? security veteran of the Bill Clin- stepped out) but doing it and knowing we could do it again if too, if only we will learn the les- The question comes down to ton and Obama administrations necessary was a good feeling! son: the balance between experience shared with me as the con- Fire needs three things to burn: heat, fuel and oxygen. If you “I’ve failed many times in my and judgment. flict opened helps explain how eliminate any one of these ingredients, the fire goes out. That’s life and career and because of Biden surely possesses the for- it ended, at least tentatively: why if your clothes catch fire you should stop, drop and roll, in this I’ve learned a lot. Instead of mer. He has been in public life “Netanyahu is totally seized on other words instead of running (providing more oxygen), drop feeling defeated countless times, for a half-century, beginning how he retains power. This mili- to the floor and roll onto the fire to smother it. I’ve used it as fuel to drive me to with his election to the New tary action plays to his strength. The problem is that heat, fuel and oxygen are so commonly work harder. So today, join me Castle County Council in Dela- And it plays to Hamas because available, they are difficult to eliminate. Heat can be a match or in accepting our failures. Let’s ware, ordinarily not a spring- it shows its superiority over a spark, but it can also be a chemical reaction, such as when oil- use them to motivate us to work board to the presidency. (Jimmy the Palestinian Authority and based paint dries and oxidizes. even harder.” Carter began on the Sumter impresses Iran. Both of their Wet paint rags left drying in a pile can spontaneously combust, So spoke Phil Mickelson, County interests are to continue the sit- even when it’s cold! about two weeks before he School uation which is devastating for Here are a few reminders for avoiding tragedy: stepped onto the Ocean Course Board but both of their peoples.” • Never leave food cooking unattended and always turn the at Kiawah Island and, at age 50, ran for the That is a perspective that long stove off when you are done. Fifty percent of house fires start became the oldest person ever state sen- years of perspective almost cer- from cooking accidents to win a major golf champion- ate, gover- tainly missed. • Have a fire extinguisher and know where it is (not in the ship — and the hero of every norship and Biden knows that some of the back of the closet) and how to use it American closer to the wisdom presidency customs and art forms that pre- • When trying to put out a fire, aim at the bottom of the flames; age of 70 than to the know-it-all as an outsid- vailed in his early political years that is where the burn is happening! age of 30. er, a status are discordant today. • Smoke goes up. In a fire, stay as low to the ground as possible. This, too, is the lesson of Biden could Many of those difficult lessons • Get enough smoke alarms for the size of your house. Joseph R. Biden Jr., the hero (or never plau- came within the past hard 12 • Your alarm beeps when the battery is low; replace the battery. at least the reluctant preference) NATIONAL sibly claim.) months. Hugs aren’t always wel- • Plan ahead, keep escape routes clear, make sure everyone has of 81 million voters. As the come. The bids and bleats for practiced the drill and designate a place to meet once you are The three oldest presidents PERSPECTIVE insider’s bipartisanship no longer reso- out of the house. in our history — Biden, Don- insider, nate. • Never go back in a burning building for any reason. ald J. Trump and Ronald Rea- DAVID Biden has a The word “woke” conveys Those of us who are over 65 are three times more likely to be gan — won the White House lifetime of as little of the meaning it held killed or injured during a fire. I suspect it is because we haven’t within living memory (or four SHRIBMAN political and when he was president of his noticed the obvious: we are no longer as young, fast, slim, flex- of the six oldest, if you reach internation- class at Archmere Academy as ible or strong as we once were and our ability to hear, smell and back to George H.W. Bush). This al contacts and perspectives that the word “phone” does now that see has decreased. is a significant departure from Reagan, George W. Bush and he is president of the United As we change, our escape plans need to adapt. our founding — Thomas Jef- Barack Obama lacked. States; each has a modern power If the worst happens, the last thing you’ll want is to have one ferson wrote the Declaration So when the Middle East Biden’s teachers at the Catholic foot on the ladder, one foot stuck inside the house, in your paja- of Independence at age 33 and exploded this month, Biden had school in Claymont, Delaware, mas (if you’re lucky), unable to get your leg up and over the win- John Hancock was 39 when he a playbook and a player roster. could never have imagined. dow sill, The DPA photographer recording the event and the affixed his famous signature to it The roster helped a bit; he knew The wisdom of the old oaks no neighbors laughing so hard they can’t help you. — and we still take much of our Israeli Prime Minister Benja- longer has much sway with the Make a plan and practice! outlook from the two youngest min Netanyahu and so had his young saplings. Conventional presidents, Theodore Roosevelt number — his phone number, to medical advice about vaccina- KATHRYN HUNTER IS from McMinn County and holds a bachelor’s degree in and John F. Kennedy. be sure, but also his psychologi- tions no longer has the power Forest Resource Management from the University of Idaho and a Master of Moreover, this recent aging cal number. Netanyahu would of yore. Indeed, nothing has the Forestry from Yale University. She has worked with the USDA Forest Service of American leadership comes continue his offensive until he power of yore. locally as well as living and working in natural resource management and amid the growing influence of achieved enough of his goal, real So maybe Mickelson had it protected area conservation in eight foreign countries. younger lawmakers such as Rep. or symbolic, to call it quits. right, advice from life’s white Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (age The playbook turned out to be sand traps for the White House: 31) and Sen. Josh Hawley (41). worthless; it called for the mind- “I’ve failed many times in my It turns out that the country is numbing repetition of boiler- life and career and because of VOICE YOUR OPINION both older and younger. That is plate statements of Israel’s right this I’ve learned a lot. Instead of The Daily Post-Athenian welcomes letters to the editor from our true demographically: the two to defend itself, which was cor- feeling defeated countless times, readers. Send it, along with your full name, street address, and a biggest generations are the baby rect but limited in its range for I’ve used it as fuel to drive me to daytime phone number for verification purposes only to: boomers (born 1946-1964) and the changed conditions on the work harder. So today, join me EMAIL: [email protected] millennials (born 1981-1996). ground 5,800 miles away — and in accepting our failures. Let’s FAX: 423-745-8295 But it also is true politically: on Capitol Hill 16 blocks away. use them to motivate us to work MAIL: Letters to the Editor, P.O. Box 340, Athens, TN 37371-0340. A nation that always thought “Experience is valuable,” said even harder.” POLICY: All letters are subject to editing. The writer’s name of itself as young — and that Roger Porter, who teaches a is always printed. We reserve the right to reject any letter. retains a youthful energy and a Harvard Kennedy School course DAVID M. SHRIBMAN is the former The DPA Opinion page appears in the Monday, Wednesday legacy of its revolutionary past on the presidency and is the executive editor of the Pittsburgh and Friday editions. — now has attributes of the old, only person to have received Post-Gazette. Follow him on Twitter with a stake in the status quo appointments from the last nine @ShribmanPG