Pleasant Hill Touring and Pioneer Hall Museum Tour Information Part 2

Flower assortment growing in the church flower bed

Pleasant Hill Touring and Pioneer Hall Museum Tour Information -Part 2 

Dana Koogler

Sunday August 29, 2020

Photo album is here

Pioneer Hall Tour Info 

above: Amos & Martha Wightman.  He moved to the area and become one of the most prosperous settlers. 

   

  Once  I left the church I continued around the community of Pleasant Hill. 

I drove the route over that Sharon and I took a short time earlier.   I wanted to do it myself so I would remember it well.    I took a second look at the Wightman house behind the post office up on the hill.  I continued toward the cemetery and got out to walk around and view the final resting places of Father Dodge, his family, and Dr. May and her nurses.    

 Above: obelisk for the entire Dodge family. Each one has their own foot stone. 

 Dr. May Cravath Wharton headstone

 Alice Adshead headstone

 Elizabeth Fletcher marker.  

The Doctor Woman's words about her hopes for tomorrow.  

      I  saw the Wightman section of the cemetery, but I did not locate the grave markers of Amos and Martha.    

          I left this quiet place and went toward the Van Dyk hospital building. 
I parked there by it and looked around at the site of the old Sanex (Sanitorium annex) it was the first hospital.  All that remains are fragments of it now.   They have put up a marker explaining what the site was.

 Above and below: site of the Sanex 

 Above: The Van Dyk TB sanatorium.   It is an attractive facility that has fallen into disrepair.   

 Above: stonework border and walls at the Sanex site

 Above: I have been told this was a doctors office once upon a time.  It is very jail like in appearance now, but that is not the case.  

 Above: massive trees at the site of the Van Dyk building

Above: basement level of the Van Dyk.  I had to take a photo of this hospital green paint.   I saw lots of that as a patient and a nursing student. 

   Next I moved on to do a little bit of the hiking part of my trip.  Beside the red brick doctor office building is a sign indicating the Adshead Wilderness Trail.    I hiked it clockwise.   Go down the trail behind the building and in 50 yards you'll see a stone arch with a bench beside it.  Steps lead down through the archway.    This is the trail you want.   It goes down through a beautiful green forest with some powerfully big trees.   It was built years ago by Marvin Moore in 1934.  It got in rough shape, but was reconstructed by C.T. Mathes.  It says it was in honor and memory of Denton (Dink) and Virginia Cole.  I am unsure if that was the original builder's purpose for constructing it, or if that was the purpose of the rebuild.   I think it is the latter.   I had seen a news article and a photo in the Crossville Chronicle about it.  I so wanted to see it.  This was another bonus that Sharon made sure I knew how to find.   

  Below: my favorite view of the arch.. coming back up the steps

 View of the arch getting ready to walk down

 Above: a bench placed at the arch. It is a nice spot for quiet meditation. 

 plaque on the arch 

 Pretty trail through the woods. It ends up down at the road at a little bridge if you go left.  A right turn takes you slightly uphill to this beautiful spot. An old amphitheater where they once held programs. 

Above: The amphitheater with its mossy greens was one of my favorite things about today. 

Below: end of the Adshead trail near the road

   I enjoyed several minutes of quietness in the forest here in this special spot. I did not allow myself to linger as long as I'd have preferred because I wanted to fit more into my day.  I knew the weather was threatening rain.  I hiked back up to the jeep and completed a clockwise loop. I emerged on the opposite side of the red brick building to my vehicle sitting there. 

    I drove from there to Yonside Drive which is where Dr. May's house is. Right now it is unoccupied.   It is a nice sturdy house and an attractive lawn.   She had a stone picnic table built in the lawn and it is still there. 

 Above: Dr. May named her house Yonside because it was on the yonder side of the lake.  

  Below: Dr. May's stone picnic set up!  The house is 85 years old this year. 

   I drove a very short distance to a pull off on the left.  I stopped and got out to hike what I could of the Lake Alice Trail.   It is signed and there is parking enough for three cars or so.   The path was to be hiked clockwise, but I was drawn to hike straight across the dam.  I was treated to more later Summer wildflowers. Lots of dragonflies zipped among the bushes and reeds.   Soft rush lined the lake shore in places.  I saw great spires of pink Joe Pye Weed, goldenrod, new york ironweed, tiny spiral ladies tresses orchids, sweet pea, virgins bower, camphor weeds bright yellow blooms,thistles, black eyed susans, buttonbush, cardinal flower, purple headed sneezeweed, flowering spurge,  meadow beauty,  blue lobelia, and curtiss' milkwort.  

Above:  late summer wildflowers. I love them, but some folks consider these weeds. 

Above and below:  a view of Lake Alice.  It is a serene spot.   

Above: soft rushes line the shore of Lake Alice. 

above: I loved the fuzzy plant texture of this slackwater part of the lake. 

Above: I had to prowl around the dam to see the outlet and these bold red cardinal flowers.

Below: a closer look at spiral ladies tresses. One of our native orchids.

     I began to hear thunder rumbling more and more.  The wind began to blow a bit and the rain started. At first it was just fat drops and only a few.  I realized this was probably it for me.  I turned and headed back speedily as I could. I was not really ready to leave, but there was nothing for it. 

I no more got in the jeep than the rain cut loose and began coming down even harder.  

Above: virgins bower vine drapes down over the rocks near Lake Alice

    

   I had a good visit.  Thanks Sharon for your time.   I knew whatever was here was important and going to affect me, but I had no idea how it would sink in and take root.   Give Pioneer Hall a tour if you like history.  Find out about the old days and the Doctor Woman of the Cumberlands along with Pleasant Hill Academy.     Bring along your comfortable shoes in case you want to hike the trails.    I think you'll be surprised at  how this place lives up to its name and reputation.   

  Instructions for Touring Pioneer Hall: 

The museum is currently open by appointment owing to the corona virus pandemic.   Call the numbers below to set up an appointment for a tour.

It is donation based, but bring along some money to donate for the upkeep of the museum.   Wear a mask.   Allow an hour or so for the tour.  

Don't touch the displays unless told otherwise.  Click the link to the website above and find the videos. Watch the first one for that is how they begin the tour.  If you have already watched it you can skip it and get right down to the tour.     If you read materials about the Academy or Dr. May prior to coming that is great.  I made two mistakes.  I read it a little too far ahead of my visit to be fresh in my mind.  I tried to absorb too much information prior to coming.   No need for that.  There isn't a quiz. 

Phone numbers 931-277-5226 or 931-277-3742 for setting up a tour appointment.  

Driving Directions to Pleasant Hill and Pioneer Hall

From Sparta at the intersection of Hwy 111 and Hwy 70 

Turn east onto Route 70 and drive 18 miles to a left turn onto East Main Street of Pleasant Hill.  Drive about 1/2 mile on East Main and Pioneer Hall will be a two story white building on the left. 

From Crossville at the intersection of Hwy 127 and Hwy 70 turn west onto Hwy 70 and drive for 9 miles to a right turn onto East Main St. of Pleasant Hill.  Drive 1/2 mile on East Main.  Pioneer Hall is on your left. 

Driving Tour and Hiking Directions

From Pioneer Hall turn left onto East Main and go 1 block
United Church of Christ is a very mod looking stone building on your left with a large white bell tower outside.
The community building and Uplands can be seen from here. 

From there go back out on East Main and bear left toward the US Post Office.  Pull in there and go behind it. It is within sight of the church.
The Wightman home is easily seen behind the post office.

Once coming round the post office turn right back onto East Main and watch closely because in 300 ft you need to turn LEFT onto Browntown Rd.
Go not even 1/10th mile on Browntown Road and turn right into the cemetery.  The Dodge family is buried on the left.  Dr. May Wharton and her nurses are buried on the right kind of in the center and right next to the road that goes through the cemetery.   Pull through the cemetery and at the end turn left and go back the way you came on Browntown Rd.

At the intersection of Browntown Rd and E.Main turn LEFT and go  about quarter mile. You will pass Uplands and the  Wharton nursing home on your right.   Turn RIGHT onto Van Dyk drive.   Go about 200 feet and the Van Dyk TB sanitorium will be on your right.  Park here to get out and take pictures or hike and see the arch.  The Sanex site will be on your left.
The red brick building.. the doctors office on your right... walk behind it and follow the obvious path about 50 yards downhill to the arch and the bench.   The trail goes down a set of steps. The Adshead trail continues left toward Yonside Road.  at the bottom of the hill turn RIGHT and walk slightly up a hill to see the stone amphitheater.

 Return up the steps and back through the arch or go back up the hill on an path to close a loop hike back to where you parked.

  Once done here drive to the end of Van Dyk Rd. in a very short distance.  Turn right and drive 250 feet to a RIGHT turn onto Yonside Drive.

You will go through the woods and see the far end of the Adshead trail on your right.  You can also get a glimpse of Lake Laura on the right.
Drive 1/4 mile on Yonside Drive and the first house on the left .. the tan house is Yonside .. Dr. May's house!   It has a semi circle drive.  It is ok to pull in here to take a photo especially if it is unoccupied.   The stone picnic table is easily visible in the front lawn.

  Remember .. Yonside Drive is a one way road so turn LEFT coming out of Dr. May's driveway and go another 3/4 mile to a pull out on the LEFT.  there is room to park about three cars.  It is signed as the trailhead for the Lake Alice Trail.   I did not hike the entire thing because of rain, but it is intended to be hiked clockwise.  I am unsure the mileage because I don't know if the trail hugs the shoreline or goes up into the woods.  I'll hazard a guess of about  a mile and a half hike total from the parking spot, around the lake completely and back to your car. 

 Once done here turn LEFT onto Yonside Drive and go 300 ft to a RIGHT turn onto West Lake Rd.   Stay on this and it will bring you back out on East Main next to Uplands Village. A left turn on East Main will return you to Highway 70 in 1/2 mile. 

Happy Trails! 

    

Recommended Reading

Doctor Woman of the Cumberlands

People of the Upper Cumberland: Achievements and Contradictions

Link to Part 1 of the original blog segment