East Tennessee’s Union County was formed in the 1850s where other surrounding counties like Knox, Grainger, Anderson, Campbell, and Claiborne counties meet.
It falls within the Ridge-And-Valley range of the Appalachian Mountains and is surrounded by several notable mountains like Copper Ridge, Lone Mountain, Hinds Ridge, House Mountain, and Clinch Mountain.
The name of Union County was allegedly to announce East Tennessee’s support of the Union before and during the Civil War, as well as boasting the union of each county’s borders to form a brand new one.
Union County, and especially Maynardville, is world famous for being the Cradle of Country Music and for being the home of several historic outlaw Moonshining sites along Thunder Road, also called the White Lightnin’ Trail.
Around one tenth of Union County’s 250 square miles are water. The rest includes the cities of Maynardville, Luttrell, and Sharps Chapel, plus the communities of Paulette, Plainview, and Braden.
Despite many shared businesses and attractions within close proximity, sometimes across the street, Union County does not include the community of Gibbs or the cities of Corryton and Blaine.
Some of Union County’s original farmland was permanently submerged under water in the 1930s by the Tennessee Valley Authority projects that created dams like the nearby Norris Dam.
One such community is the lost town of Loyston, also known as the Loyston Ghost Town.
LOYSTON GHOST TOWN
Loyston had around 70 people in the early 1930s. It was less than fifteen miles from the Norris Dam and constantly flooded or at risk of flooding, eventually leading to a proposal from the Tennessee Valley Authority to relocate all of the town’s homes, farms, cemeteries, schools, and any other infrastructure.
TVA joined forces with National Park Service and the Civilian Conservation Corps to create Big Ridge State Park in 1934 to sweeten the deal.
They promised to provide electricity to Union County after the flooding of Loyston, which nudged some of the most stubborn folks to finally evacuate, but they failed to actually deliver electric power until 1950.
In 1935, after great controversy, the Clinch River was set loose to swallow the town whole. If you are familiar with Norris Lake and Big Ridge State Park, you will know about the Loyston Sea; a hot spot for water skis, jet skis, and small recreational boats.
Many visitors are not even aware that the old ghost town of Loyston is below the surface.
BIG RIDGE STATE PARK
My favourite place in Union County, without question, is Big Ridge State Park.
It has almost 3,700 acres with 15 miles of trails of varying terrain, fifty campsites around Norris Lake, and a large group camping site that hosts over 100 people.
Norris Lake flows between Sharps Chapel in Union County, and the City of Norris in Anderson County on the other. In Norris, you can visit the famous TVA dam in the Norris Dam State Park. Read my blog about that here.
Big Ridge’s main attraction in warmer weather is this shallow swimming pool in a corded off section of the lake. The first several yards are only a few feet deep for the littles, but it gets deeper further in.
The 1825 Norton Gristmill is another awesome feature of Big Ridge.
My “goddogter” loved kicking up her heels and taking a drink from the little creek that flows around it.
Look out for Sharp’s Station Fort, Indian Rock, and the Lake Trail that takes you to the Loyston Overlook.
These trails are quite lovely.
MAYNARDVILLE
Maynardville is the county seat of Union County. It was first called “Liberty” but later renamed to honour Horace Maynard.
Maynard was born in Massachusetts’s but spent much of his life in Tennessee. He taught at East Tennessee College, which was later renamed the University of Tennessee. He was a lawyer who helped establish Maynardville in 1850, so the town was named to honour him.
Maynard was elected to Congress in 1857 and served for six years.
The Civil War began and disrupted reelections, but when it ended, he was elected once again to fill several roles including eight more years in Congress, to serve as the US Minister to Turkey, and the US Postmaster General before he passed away in Knoxville in May of 1882. He is buried in Knoxville’s Old Gray Cemetery.
You can see a painting of Maynard by local artist Lloyd Branson in the photo above and learn much more about Horace Maynard at the Union County Museum & Genealogical Library.
The Union County Museum & Genealogical Library is a treasure trove of information about some of the most famous country musicians from the area.
Roy “The King of Country Music” Acuff was born in Maynardville and was most known for his music in Dr Hauer’s Medicine Show, The Grand Ole Opry, and the Smoky Mountain Boys.
Chet Akins was born in Luttrell and was known for his fiddle and guitar playing on Knoxville’s WNOX radio shows, with Opry star Bill Carlisle, Hee Haw comic Archie Campbell, Red Foley’s Band, Mother Maybelle & the Carter Sisters, and others.
Akins moved to Nashville in the 1950s and became an executive at RCA, where he brought in acts like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bobby Bare, and Jerry Reed.
Kenny Chesney was born in Knoxville, just across the Union County line, but grew up in Luttrell. He attended East Tennessee State University and spent a lot of time performing in Johnson City where the school is based.
Like Akins, he moved to Nashville and his career really took off. Chesney is one of today’s most famous modern country singers.
Carl “Mister Country” Smith was born in Maynardville. He is a Country Music Hall of Fame inductee and Grand Ole Opry member with thirty Top 10 hit songs.
Smith married June Carter, who later married Johnny Cash. Smith and Carter’s own daughter became the famous country singer Carlene Carter.
There was so much information about these stars and other famous people of Union County.
I saw an exhibit about the 1973 film Lolly Madonna XXX featuring Rod Steiger, Jeff Bridges, Gary Busey, and Robert Ryan. Much of it was filmed in Maynardville, and I had never heard of it before my visit.
You can learn all about moonshining and the local businesses of Union County’s early days too.
The museum’s Genealogical Library is open to the public and volunteers are more than happy to help you trace your ties to the area or learn about specific legal and other battles, and important events in Union County’s past.
Volunteers frequently host cultural events in the museum like this month’s Quilt Exhibition.
Outside, there are a few examples of cabins and outbuildings on display to show what it was like living on the early Appalachian frontier.
This museum is also the home base of the Union County Historical Society that facilitates most of the artifacts and events.
WHERE TO EAT
Maynardville is not known for its 5-Star restaurants or plentiful ethnic variety, but there are some quality places to fill your belly.
Kelly’s Deli serves up sandwiches, soups, hot plates, casseroles, and their regulars’ favourite dessert, homemade banana pudding. I was told that the chicken salad on wheatberry bread was the best seller, and I can see why.
Tacolandia started as a food truck on Main Street but recently took over the old pool hall. This is the San Jose burrito with spicy pork roast and steak inside, and chorizo on top.
Tolliver’s Market & Deli (no website) is inside the Marathon right along Maynardville Highway. They have an assortment of breakfast biscuits and sandwiches, but my favourite item is their giant hashbrowns.
Anyone reading who has not spent a great deal in the South should know that gas station cafes are a big deal. Most of the people around here are hard-working labourers in the trades or on farms or in construction, so a quick in-and-out meal is the norm. Meme for credibility below.
Pete’s Place is a more standard restaurant, known for steaks and catfish.
[Photo to be Uploaded Soon]
Sticks & Scoops is based out of Sharps Chapel, another city in Union County, and is known for its unique donut hole kebabs served with ice cream.
They are often set up on the side of the road in an empty gravel parking lot in Maynardville.
SHOPS AND BOUTIQUES
Maynardville, and Union County is general, does not have any big box stores. The nearest Walmart locations are in Halls (Knox County) and New Tazewell, unless I am forgetting something. Most of the shops are second hand, flea market style, or the rare boutique here and there.
You can buy damn near anything else you need at the Union Farms Co-Op.
ENTERTAINMENT
Maynardville frequently hosts rodeos and music nights at various locations. There is the Painting With Expression Studio on Main Street, and the nearby Seven Springs Farm.
Seven Springs Farm is a family-owned local favourite of the farmers markets and even offers a CSA plan.
You can stop by the farm store to pick up fresh dairy, meat, vegetables, and other farm-to-table goods.
The Winery at Seven Springs Farm is also located here among the seven-acre vineyard, and offers wine tastings, wine socials, and membership to the wine club.
HISTORICAL SITES
When locals say “downtown Maynardville” they are referring to a stretch of Main Street near the Union County Courthouse, maybe a few blocks long.
The unique facade of the courthouse makes it easy to find.
The Union County Chamber of Commerce is open for limited hours inside the historic 1922 Maynardville State Bank, just behind the courthouse. After the 1928 stock market crash, the bank closed and sat vacant for quite a while.
Next to the bank, the tiny yellow building known as the Historic Dr. John H. Carr Office stands behind a historical marker dedicated to Maynard.
The house behind it belonged to Carr also. I have read many sources that say Maynard was granted two lots here for work he refused to accept payment for, but could find no record of him actually living there.
Across the street is the historic Snodderly House, which was used a vacation rental home in recent years but I can not find any current listings for that.
Sporadic art events are hosted there in partnership with the Union County Heritage Festival, but I have not seen any signs of life inside otherwise.
Behind Main Street, up on the main highway, this attractive old brick building has sat vacant for some time. My friend who is a Maynardville native told me that it is the old town jail.
Be on the lookout for interesting and sometimes comical barns and decorative features.
Wilson Park is adjacent to Union County High School and often used for school events just as often as it is for community events like the Farmers Market, car shows, fireworks displays, and heritage festivals.
It holds a special place in the hearts of locals as it also serves as the local Veterans Memorial.
In 1938, TVA built a bridge over the Clinch River between Maynardville and Tazewell. It was well over 1,900 feet long, making it one of the longest Warren truss bridges in Tennessee at the time.
By 2017, an estimated 6,900 daily crossings took place over the bridge. It was deconstructed shortly after that in favour of a new and reinforced bridge, but pieces were salvaged in a project led by the Preservation Union County organization to create the Veterans Bridge Memorial above.
Wilson Park also has a Veterans Memorial Wall on top of the hill.
PAULETTE, PLAINVIEW, AND LUTTRELL
Maynardville and Sharps Chapel are the two prominent cities of Union County, but there are a few small communities like Paulettte, Plainview, and the tiny city of Luttrell that make up its southern border.
Paulette is mostly known for being the home of the Knoxville Dragway, but has its own elementary school and volunteer fire department whose Facebook serves as a mini community news hub.
I only recently learned that this area I have driven through so many times over the years was called anything besides Maynardville, and not much can be found online about the history of Paulette beyond this article.
Plainview is often considered to be the northern part of Corryton, but Corryton proper is not part of Union County. Residents of Plainview either have a Corryton or a Luttrell zip code and it has no schools of its own.
There are bits and pieces of communities like Blaine, Gibbs, Corryton, and Plainview that span across county lines. I won’t spend too much time nitpicking all that.
Sunrise Deli‘s claim to fame is their Philly Cheesesteak, and they have another location a few miles away in Halls, a community in Knoxville/Knox County.
Nease’s Market (no website), like Tolliver’s, is another one of those lit gas station cafes located inside a Marathon gas station. My coworkers had been telling me about how my they love the food here, so I plan to check out Nease’s and Backwoods Restaurant very soon.
Wrenhouse Bakery on Tazewell Pike recently opened a second location a few miles down the same road, across the county line in Knoxville. I really love their chunky oatmeal cream pies, but everything I have had there has been delicious.
A few other places to check out are Oakes Farm & Corn Maze, Screamville, and the Thirteenth Hour Haunted Trail. These are all seasonal community favourites that are open during the Fall and around Halloween.
Luttrell was first called Cedar Ford, and later incorporated as the city of Luttrell in 1925. There are around 900 people in less than four square miles, with a slight population decrease over the years.
Like many parts of Union County, a distillery operation brought in a lot of traffic along Thunder Road and through the quiet little community Luttrell. The Norfolk Southern rail system soon laid down its tracks and created a demand for small businesses to provide essential services and goods near the station.
Luttrell’s famous pink marble was also unearthed and shipped around the world to notable places like NYC’s Grand Central Terminal and D.C.’s National Gallery of Art.
Luttrell is one of the prettiest places to drive through in Union County, with rolling green hills and pastures, and a beautiful sky as a backdrop.
Luttrell hosts the Luttrell Music Festival on the third Saturday of September each year.
Luttrell has a restaurant called Pizza Plus that is family owned and has the sweetest, most accommodating staff.
When they learned I was there for the first time, they insisted I name off a few of my favourite pizzas so they could make them fresh and put them out on the buffet. I protested, but certainly was not going to complain. Everything was delicious.
SHARPS CHAPEL
After Maynardville, Sharps Chapel is the second largest city of Union County, though technically still an unincorporated community. It has its own zip code, and most of its lakeside property is currently experiencing quick development.
My day job provides construction related services and I have seen so many stunning new homes pop up there lately. Y’all need a house/pet sitter?
Sharps Chapel boasts one of the longest continually operating post offices in the country, with a branch that opened in 1866.
Sharps Chapel also has the 1835 Bate-Ousley House which is on the National Register of Historic Places. This historic home is a private residence and is no longer owned by the original family.
There is so much I do not yet know about Sharps Chapel because I have not been able to explore this side of the lake by boat.
I know the city of Norris and that side of Norris Lake very well, but many of the attractions here are in marinas and catered to boaters, like Bubba Brews and No Wake.
Chuck Swan State Forest and WMA are both located in Sharps Chapel.
I do not hunt or own any type of off-road vehicle so I really had no business being out here, but it is fun to say I have been there.
It was enough just to drive through the lovely forest on main roads and admire the trees.
I have heard about the Black Fox Jumping Bridge, and many stories of the nearby Island F that you can only get to by boat. Locals sometimes take 4-Wheelers out for muddy joyrides when the water level on the lake bottoms is low enough. That is illegal though, so don’t get any ideas.
I have heard about the Braden community, aka District 13, just north of Chuck Swan WMA. Visitors to Braden must take a ferry across the lake to reach it, but that is something I will have to investigate more in the future.
THUNDER ROAD & THE WHITE LIGHTNING TRAIL
Thunder Road was a code name used by the Feds for the undercover operation they were conducting to catch illegal moonshiners. The route the drivers followed went from Harlan, Kentucky to Knoxville, Tennessee, passing right through Maynardville.
A film called Thunder Road was released in 1958 and starred Robert Mitchum, who also wrote the script. It is allegedly based on a fatal car crash of a moonshiner in Knoxville, witnessed by local author and film critic James Agee, who passed the story on to Mitchum.
Other film buffs may recall the scene in Inglourious Basterds where Brad Pitt’s character claims to be a bootlegger from Maynardville, Tennessee. The film was directed by famous Knoxville native Quentin Tarantino.
Dolly Parton’s theme park, Dollywood, even had a Thunder Road themed roller coaster for many years.
Today you can drive that same route along highways 33 and 25. The “White Lightning Trail” is 200 miles from one end to the other that takes travelers through some of the areas most historically significant and naturally beautiful places like the Clinch River Valley and Cumberland Gap National Historical Park.
Some of its stops include historic homes, Civil War sites, moonshine exhibits and famous sites, scenic overlooks and mountain tops, abandoned factories, and other cool places.
Here is a link to the brochure, though it is rather outdated.
If you have been following along with this entire blog, you have already visited a few of the sites. Big Ridge State Park, the Union County Museum, a scenic drive through Luttrell, and the Union County Chamber of Commerce in the historic Maynardville State Bank are all on the list.
UNION COUNTY HERITAGE FESTIVAL takes place the first Saturday of October, an ongoing tradition for nearly 20 years.
My favourite part is the petting zoo where you can make friends with little goats and baby donkeys.
Live music is provided by local and regional bands, and there is an annual fiddle contest.
Vendors of all types line up around Wilson Park, selling handmade items and decor.
My brother’s favourite features are the green apple kettle corn booth, farm equipment demonstrations, and the antique car show.
I have lived just one county over from Union County most of my life and, admittedly, have only taken a great interest in it over the last couple years. An outsider may write the whole county off as rural farmland with nothing to do, but it all depends on what you are looking for.
In the area for a while? Follow me to Norris and Clinton in Anderson County, or to Cove Lake State Park in Campbell County.
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