Historic Sites & Scenic Drive in the Etowah Area

 

I am holding up the blooms on some very soggy Spring Beauties

Historic Sites & Scenic Drive in the Etowah Area 

Tues. March 16, 2021

Dana Koogler

Photos are here starting with the first frame

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Hiwassee River Area Photos 

  I was excited that the kids were on Spring Break this week.  It meant that I would have a break from the routine of taking Gabe to preschool. I would possibly have a chance to get out and do some hiking by myself.  It also meant that I might get a chance to do some activities with my grandchildren aside from the usual things.

   Gabriel told me on Wednesday prior to Spring break starting that the weather forecast wasn't looking good. He said it was supposed to rain.  Gabe is four years old so while I believed him, I did not let the prognostication of bad weather concern me too much.    I figured how bad could it be? 

  Oh but how right he was!  The forecast for the week was for rain, rain and more rain.  I had plans to do some family errands and activities with my daugther-in-law and grandkids Mia and Gabe on Monday.  I did not find out until 10 a.m. Monday morning that those plans had fallen through.  I was a little discouraged, but decided to use the time to get some Spring cleaning done.  I rearranged the rest of my week to free some days up and told myself I'd get out on Tuesday to do some hiking and exploring. 

    Tuesday was rainy, but it was not cold.  I was itching to get out of the house. I decided to stick with my original plan and head toward Etowah and Reliance. 

  I hoped that by going further south I'd stand a better chance of seeing some early Spring wildflowers.  I also knew that rain is hard on wildflower blooms.  Any that might be up can get beaten down and droop over because of the rain.  The overcast gloom doesn't help as they need sun to flower.   I went over my lists of things I wanted to do and see.  I would make sure that I had plenty to occupy my day. I would hit up historic sites.  I would hit up a scenic drive I'd been wanting to take. None of it would put me too far from my vehicle if it rained all day.  I hoped against hope that it would clear off. 

         I  was encouraged driving down the road that while cloudy the rain was holding off.   I was able to see a little sunshine over toward Starr Mountain.  I stopped to take a picture of this pretty sight. 

Above:  an overcast day, but some fluffy clouds over the mountains and some sun trying to shine

  I decided to start with the things I'd wanted to visit on a recent trip to the Samuel Cleage Cemetery and some bridge hunting.   I stopped by the site of the Old Federal Road and bridge.   It is private property, but the road can be seen from the highway. I pulled over and decided that I would chance walking the 100 feet to the bridge from highway 411.   I did not stick around, but checked out the remaining segment of old road and the very rotten bridge and the creek. It is still there, but the decking is absolutely squishy rotten.  I did not dare go out onto it.  I stepped on one corner of it and could feel the wood give. It is part of an old road that ran from Athens to Etowah.  There is a different Federal Road that ran a much further distance from Knoxville down to Augusta, Georgia at least.    

Above: Old Federal Road visible from Hwy 411. There is a pull off there to get out of the way of traffic.   It is gated, but you can see this from the gate.  Just at the vanishing point toward the center is the bridge.   

Below is a shot or two of the bridge itself. 

Below is a closer shot of the bridge which better illustrates the condition of it.

And finally a look at the pretty stream flowing beneath it which is Cane Creek.

     I was pleased to have finally gotten this one under my belt. I could now add it to my collection of bridges I'd visited.   I did not linger here, but got back to the jeep and continued on toward my next destination.  I wanted to see the old Cog Hill Mill.  It was quite pretty back in the day. It was a wooden grist mill painted barn red that sits in rural McMinn County to the west of Etowah.    I had seen some real pretty photos of it by various people.  A tornado back in 2011 tore through the area and the mill was one of the structures badly damaged.  I knew it did no look the same, but I wanted to see what was left of it while at least some still stood. 

 

   I found it easily on Cog Hill Road.  I had found a spot on the corner to pull off the road safely.  I was then able to walk round to the edge of the road and take pictures and stay out of the way.   It was so run down and crumbling so badly I would not have dared get much closer.   It is a shame this had to happen.  Once the tornado tore it up it was exposed to the elements which in the decade that followed has caused it to decay further.   

   

Above: Cog Hill Mill -- what is left of it.  I liked how the pear blossoms dress up the scenery.  I also think it looks really odd to see that set of wooden stairs going up to nothing out in the open.   

  I walked to the bridge and looked upstream.  You can see the mill weir and some of the old rock work.  My photos of that came out very blurry because it began to drizzle on me.   I was trying to use an umbrella and take photos and that was not a good plan! 

Below : part of the machinery of the mill's workings

Above: blurry shot of the stream and the mill weir

Above: the back of the mill is a little more put together, but it is not long for this world. Cog Hill Mill was built in 1893 and in use until the 1990s. It is private property, but you can view it from the road about as well as I did here on foot.

    Once I had finished up my mill visit I continued down Bowater Road to Trew's Store which is a national historic landmark in McMinn County.   The drive to get there was pretty also!  I love old country roads.

Trew's store in the old community of "Dentville"  This was the store and post office back in the day.  It lies about halfway between Calhoun and Etowah. 

Bowater Road #163 runs between Hwy 11 and Hwy 411.  Trew's store sits by the side of the road at a wide dirt lot.  The store was begun in 1890 by John Wesley Trew. It operated as a family business among the children and eventually grandchildren until 1975.  It made the national register of historic places in 1976. 

   The area along Bowater Road is filled with pretty rural scenery and odd little ruins of spring houses and such.   It is an area that right now time has passed by.

Below is a photo of a neat looking very faded old barn that is across from Trew's Store.   I looked to see how much further the McClatchy Woolen Mill would be from here?  My google maps said eight miles.  I decided against going. It would have to wait for another day.  I wanted to go hunt wildflowers. 

   I returned toward Hwy 411 and drove down turning onto Spring Creek Road. This is the road that takes you past Gee Creek State Park and Campground. 

I had driven it with Kenny in Spring several years ago and loved it!  I was hoping to see lots of flowers today.  The scenery alone is worth the drive though. 

I did not stop at the state park or the Fort Marr Blockhouse today.  

       I stopped by the boarding platform for the Hiwassee Excursion Train.  It was sitting there "idling".  I guess waiting for passengers maybe?  I took a moment to admire it and take photos of it.  If there is ever any doubt as to the railroad in that area being a live line... here is your proof. It is indeed!  

Above: Excursion train at the boarding platform across from the state park.

   I drove on down Spring Creek Road enjoying the pretty rural scenery.  It begins near a residential area, passes the state park, and the further you go the more isolated it becomes.  It eventually brings you to a turn onto a road that puts you back on Tellico-Reliance Road and I was then able to continue down toward Webb's store.  

     Below: a view of Spring Creek Road.  It is rough, rutted, and has lots of mudholes, but was easy in my jeep.   A passenger car can drive this if you take your time and be careful.  It is hard on the suspension of a non four wheel drive vehicle. 

    The road is lined with pretty scenes of the Hiwassee River, a trail that goes past Watertank Branch Falls and on up to the Hiwassee River Bluffs.  It also has quite a few wet weather cascades coming down within view of the road.   I stopped and enjoyed taking mini hikes up some of these little paths.  Wildflowers were out, but certainly not anywhere near peak.  It is a little early.  I was also surprised that some of the falls which had a lot of water my previous visit were not running as well today.    The trees back in this holler stay shaded and the humidity is such they are coated in moss!  It looks like a little piece of the Pacific Northwest in East Tennessee!  

Above and below: Two looks at Spring Creek

    

Above: Wet weather cascade number 1

Above: a view down an un-named stream at the verdant green moss and deep dark forest! 

Above:  Rue Anemone in bloom on the forest floor. I saw lots of this today.

Below: tree trunks and rocks coated with pretty green moss

Below: a closeup shot of what coats the branches of trees and their trunks all along this road. 

Below: a second side stream with red rocks and white water cascading down to join Spring Creek.

Above: Wet weather cacade number 2.  I bet today it is running better! We have had a couple days of rain now!

   I turned onto the Tellico Reliance Road at last and had not gone far when I glanced to my right.  At the site of a now demolished old house was the largest forsythia bush I've seen in my whole life!  It was glorious sunny yellow blooms festooning this place.  I saw no one was coming either way and stopped briefly to photograph it! It was worth the stop.

Above: huge forsythia bush!

  I did not stop at Webb's store today or any of the other historic spots.  I have visited those more recently.   I was getting hungry and so I drove SR 30 westward toward hwy 411.  I took note of the pull offs for the things I wanted to photograph. I then pulled into the Hiwassee River picnic grounds.  They have restrooms and picnic tables, river access, trash cans, and plenty of parking.   I stopped and relaxed and ate lunch. I visited with a pair of muscovy ducks.  I took time to walk down to the river.  I enjoyed the views across to the Hiwassee Bluffs and the misty fog that encircled them.    I then walked around the picnic area to check out wildflower potential.  I didn't find anything much so I left my vehicle at the picnic area and walked down the road a short distance to photograph a roadside cascade.  I did not linger long on the road.  There are either no shoulders to the road or so little it is not safe to walk this curvy road.  Consequently I limited how much of that I did.

     Below: my friends the muscovy ducks! 

        

  Muscovy ducks are native to central and South America and Texas in their truly wild form.   They are often domesticated and thus you find them in other areas of the United States.  They are good fliers, can perch in trees and build nests in cavities in trees.   They sometimes mate with other duck varieties and have hybrid offspring.   These ducks may be someone's escaped domestic ducks.  I frequently saw these ducks in Virginia along Christian's Creek. A local farmer had them and they spent time in the river.  

Below is a view of the Hiwassee River and the bluffs and the fog.

     

 Below is a tall, wet weather cascade I photographed about 1/10th mile before the picnic area on the opposite side of the road. 

    

  Once I got done with my picture taking I tried to decide what next?  I really did not feel like doing what I originally planned.   I had thought I was going back down to the Tellico Reliance Road and then turn off it to try to go see Towee Falls.   I  looked at the map, and considered back on the previous trips to find Towee Falls.  The last one was a miserable failure, but funny now.  We somehow missed the turn and ended up back out on SR 315 and were darned glad to see it since we knew if we stuck with that we'd get back to Tellico Plains.  Along our way we passed a road "Towee Falls Road" and Kenny said hey? I told him drive on! I was done.  That area is a confusing snarl of roads with Towee Falls road being the worst.   I did not feel like going through that today.  I figured if I am going to be lost I at least do not want to be alone for that.  I need someone along to blame it on them! 😁😄

    I decided instead to go back toward the store and get some photos of the Vaughn Webb house in all its Springtime splendor.   I had gotten some wonderful photos of it in Summer. Now I would have some from Spring.  I pulled over at the near end of the driveway first and got a few shots.

Above: Vaughn Webb house is a gingerbread style house with lots of ornamental trim.  While I love how it looks I sure wouldn't want to have to maintain it or paint it. The forsythia really draws attention to it.

Above: peak of the roof of the Vaughn Webb house through a wreath of forsythia

Below is a vista you would see from the lawn of the house.

The Hiwassee River and the knobs surrounding it mingled with the fog.  I liked the daffodils in the foreground.

Below: a shot from across the road with the house centered up properly. Daffodils framing the front wall and gate. 

  I realized when I got ready to move that I was in a tough spot.  I did not have room to turn around.  I was parked where I would have to back into the road in a curve and be unable to see any oncoming vehicles.  I walked up the lane and could see no one was parked behind the house.  I got in and pulled through their drive which goes from one side to the other.  Whew!  I should have pulled down to the far end and parked there. In the future I will do that.  

    I decided to head back toward Highway 411 for my trip home.  I did not feel up to a narrow, winding country road to Tellico Plains then more road to get home.

I stopped off by Quinn Spring picnic shelter.  Here they have restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and a covered picnic shelter.  There are a couple hiking trails also.

I strolled around and looked for wildflowers. The only ones I saw were bloodroot with their petals closed, petals knocked off them by the pelting rain, or tight buds.

I snapped a few pictures and was ready to move on.

Below is the best shot of flowers I got today.  I loved the pink tint to the blood root buds. I've never seen them like this before. 

Below is the Quinn Springs picnic shelter. It is very sturdy and attractive.

  I had a thought on my drive up Highway 411.  I had been wanting to stop in Etowah and get photos of the trains and the depot.  Today was as good a day as any.  It did not take me too long to arrive back in town to do just that.   

   The depot is large and there is ample parking.  The excursion train leaves from here.   It is not only the historic depot, but is a bandstand and a city park. There is a walking path, a picnic shelter, restrooms, and trash cans. 

   I spent some time walking at the park.  I enjoyed checking out the rows of freight cars and the caboose.   I photographed two surprise bridges. One is made up of railroad ties!  The other is a dressy pedestrian bridge over to town.

Above: the historic Etowah Depot on a cloudy day.

Below is a view of the picnic shelter and the walking path which encircles it.

Below: a bright red caboose is a cheerful sight on a gloomy day!

 Below: the pedestrian bridge that leads to the historic downtown from the depot and park. 

 While I did not see many wildflowers today I did see lots of Bradford pear blooms, daffodils, forsythia, and even a few red maple buds! I like those.

Last of all a view of the little gazebo in the front of the depot.  

It is built of Tennessee Craborchard stone from the plateau!

  I concluded my visit to the area.  I decided to head home.  I had a good day and made the best of a gloomy, rainy, dreary day.  I couldn't help noticing and chuckling at the irony of the fact by the time I got to Madisonville the sun was coming out.  wah wah wah........... 

  Oh well.   There was nothing for it.  I enjoyed the drive home. The road is a good one.  It passes through some beautiful country that is always easy on the eyes.  All in all it was a good day.   I went home and prepared teriyaki chicken and shrimp on the grill with some grilled pineapple.   A nice dinner with the hubby and a relaxing evening.     

   Wildflowers will get here soon enough and give me something to look forward to.