First County ‘Poorhouse’ on Cripple Creek

As published by the Daily News Journal, Sunday, September 5, 2010 By Greg Tucker, President Rutherford County Historical Society Rutherford County’s first tax-funded “welfare program” was initiated over 170 years ago on Cripple Creek. The Tennessee General Assembly enacted legislation in 1826 authorizing all Tennessee counties to levy a tax…

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Famous Writers Made This Home

As published by the Daily News Journal, Sunday, August 22, 2010 By Greg Tucker, President of the Rutherford County Historical Society From different generations, they both knew fame.  One came to Rutherford to establish her legacy, and left only litigation.  The other came to die.  Andre Norton was a prolific…

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Bradley Academy has Confusing History

As published by the Daily News Journal, Sunday, August 15, 2010 By Greg Tucker, President Rutherford County Historical Society Even married historians Homer and Mable Pittard could not agree.  Mable reported that Samuel Black, the first teacher, came from Gallatin, and that a Jefferson area land owner donated the land…

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KKK March Protested New Church

As published by the Daily News Journal, Sunday, July 25, 2010 By Greg Tucker, President Rutherford County Historical Society A Union general, a New York donor and the Ku Klux Klan were involved in the early years of the Catholic Church in Rutherford County. According to local church history, the…

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Judge Edwin Ewing, a forgotten political powerhouse

March 14, 2010, Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post Editor’s note: This article concludes the series. Following the Civil war, Edwin Ewing lived in Murfreesboro with one of his daughters on North Highland Drive. Built in 1856 by Dr. Ford Norfleet, the home was a two-story brick and one of the…

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Presidential term took hard toll on James K. Polk

February 29, 2010, Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post During her husband’s years in Congress, Sarah Childress Polk sharpened her knowledge of political life. During her husbands years in Congress, Sarah Childress Polk sharpened her knowledge of political life. Besides being well informed, she was ambitious for her husband. When James…

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Mink Slide Mammals were only Human

As published by the Daily News Journal, Sunday, February 21, 2010 By Greg Tucker, President Rutherford County Historical Society Where a mink has been going to and from the water, the bank will be worn smooth and bare. We call that a “mink slide.” The office of the city attorney…

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Who is RuCo’s most famous woman?

February 21, 2010, Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post A strong case can be made for a former First Lady. A strong case can be made for Sarah Childress, who went on to be the wife of James K. Polk, Americas 11th president. Sarah was born in 1803 to Joel Childress,…

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Bradley Academy dates back to 1811

Mike West, The Murfreesboro Post, January 24, 2010 Did you know Rutherford County nearly had its first school before it had a Courthouse? Did you know Rutherford County nearly had its first school before it had a Courthouse?  After several years of being established on paper, Bradley Academy opened in…

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