free bootstrap builder

History In The Park


The Macon County Historical Society presented its 1st annual "History In The Park" event which was held on Saturday, September 23rd, 2017, in Key Park. Local actors portrayed seven historic Macon County residents in round-robin fashion. The NCTC interviews are available here.

NCTC Reporting . . .

Barry Hiett of NCTC reports on the Society's 1st Annual History In The Park event that was held on Saturday, September 23, 2017.

Cast of Characters

Come join us on a walk through time with Macon County citizens from many walks of life and of surprisingly differing political persuasions. From politicians, to former slaves, to millers, to soldiers who fought on both sides of the Civil War, to flat out local characters: you will see, and hear, in a first person format, Macon County's rich history in a way that you have never seen it before!

CHARACTERS

William Dunn

Mr. Dunn was one of the very early settlers in this part of Tennessee. He was part of a major effort to create Macon County and its county seat of Lafayette. His home site was on what it now Old Highway 52 in front of the National Guard Armory.

Marcus Woodcock

wrote his memoir of Civil War service so soon after the fighting ended ("A Southern Boy in Blue", 1865) it provided an invaluable resource for historians. Though he hailed from the Enon community of Macon County, the majority of his post war life was lived in Nashville where he worked as treasurer for the Tennessee Baptist Convention.

Elizabeth (Bettie) Burford Bobo

and her husband Dr. Kindred Garner Bobo were well respected citizens of the northeast portion of Macon County until the beginning of the Civil War. To this day, there is a ridge, just across the border in Clay County (Leonard Community) called Bobo Ridge.

Benjamin Carr

was a lifelong family man, educator and community builder. Despite his humble beginnings, the school he helped to found endured and eventually became what we now know as Tennessee State University in Nashville.

Tully Brickhouse

was known all over Macon and Smith Counties as a great storyteller. Though he had no known relatives living in Tennessee, he is one of the more colorful characters in these counties' histories!

Celia Parsley Capshaw

along with her husband Johnathon were part of a long tradition as millers. Grist mills were much more than just businesses in the 1800s; they were veritable hubs of the community where folks could gather to share news of the town and of their families.

Shepard Kirby

and his sister Susanna were among a number of folks credited with the beginnings of the town of Red Boiling Springs. He was also a charter member of the Defeated Creek Baptist Church. Many of Shepard's descendants still live right here in his home county.

Previous Next