IN THIS ISSUE:
GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT
SAVE THE DATE: NOVEMBER 14
PROGRAM AND ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
YOU ARE INVITED!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM BHA'S SEPTEMBER PROGRAM
REMEMBERING MARKER DEDICATION DAY
AND THE REV. W.A. JOHNSON
POSTCARDS FROM THE PAST
THE HISTORY OF LEE HIGHWAY PART VI
PARKING FOR RHYTHM & ROOTS A SUCCESS
MERCHANT OF THE MONTH: CDR FRAME SHOP
HAVE YOU MISSED A PROGRAM?
JOIN / RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP
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Greetings from the President
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History Loves Company, and We Still Want Yours
Fall, with its accompanying colorful display of pumpkins, gourds, and seasonal colors, is always a welcome respite from the heat of summer. If you have not recently driven down Sixth Street in Bristol, Tennessee, please do so in order to admire the new headquarters of the Bristol Historical Association. This space at 8 Sixth Street was acquired due in part to the efforts of board member Judy Slaughter. Here you will find BHA merchandise for sale, thanks to merchandise committee chair Alice Ann Hoffstetter. The newly acquired space provides a convenient location downtown to display items of historical interest to the community from our collections. BHA is in the process of establishing hours and activities for the Sixth Street headquarters. We hope to see you soon.
As the Bristol Historical Association settles into its new headquarters, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to two individuals who helped BHA along this path. For years, BHA’s office was located inside Pleasant Hill, the home of Bristol’s late historian, V.N. “Bud” Phillips. This historic home on Johnson Street in Bristol, Virginia, housed furniture, archival materials, historical documents, merchandise, and more. In 2017, two philantrophic and civic minded citizens, Florence Fracarossi and Denise Ballard, purchased the house at auction, and these gracious ladies offered the use of the house to BHA for office and storage space while maintaining the property themselves, including covering month-to-month expenses. Florence and Denise were grand stewards of Pleasant Hill, and Bristol Historical Association is ever thankful to them for stepping up to offer a much-needed space at a crucial time. They are truly examples of the spirit of historic preservation and generosity! Bud would be very proud to know his home continues to serve as a landmark to help educate the public about Bristol’s rich history.
One of the activities we look forward to each Fall is the annual membership meeting which will be held on November 14th. Officers and directors for the 2023 year will be elected. We are pleased to announce that our speaker for this meeting will be real estate developer and BHA Board member, Daniel Shew. He will be speaking about his mission to restore older homes in Bristol, Virginia, as well as how he got into the business of historic preservation. You will not want to miss this interesting and informative program.
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Many thanks go to Amy Hopper, Susan Long and Carolyn Williams for the time and skills required to put together this attractive newsletter. For additional information, pictures, and history, and to learn more about BHA and its work, please visit our website: www.bristolhistoricalassociation.com. If you share our interest in discovering and preserving Bristol’s history, please, come and join us. Your can help physically, by volunteering for one of our many projects, or financially, through memberships and gifts. History loves company, and we want yours!
Barbara Smith
President, Bristol Historical Association
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Bristol Historical Association 2023 Slate of Officers and Directors |
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President
1st Vice President
2nd Vice President
Recording Secretary
Corresponding Secretary
Treasurer
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2023 Directors 2nd Year
Judy Slaughter
Vickie Mitoraj
Joyce Kistner
Mary Lou Sproles
Julia Davis
Daniel Shew
Tim Buchanan
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Barbara Smith
Angela Hopkins
Amy Hopper
Dreama Chapman
Pat Buckles
Wilma Gill
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2024 Directors To Be Elected
Linda Kirk
Carter Miles
Brenda Otis
Jan Rainero
Jennifer Surber
Charles Flannagan
Alice Ann Hoffstatter
Sid Oakley
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Save the Date
Monday,
November 14th, 6:30 PM
The program for the November 14th BHA annual membership meeting will be given by real estate developer and BHA Board member, Daniel Shew, who will be speaking about his mission to restore older homes in Bristol, Virginia, as well as how he became involved in the business of historic preservation
Daniel Shew, a native of Southwest Virginia, believes the best cities in America are those that preserve and protect their history through preservation and restoration while also caring for their residents and downtown neighborhoods. Daniel and his wife, Monica, translate these beliefs into action by personally investing in Bristol, Virginia's historic buildings and creating homes for families to live in as well as short-term vacation properties that welcome people who visit our growing city. Their efforts have made an impact in the city by increasing property values for neighboring property owners, making streets safer, and eliminating blighted and derelict houses. The Shew family lives on Solar Hill where they own four significant properties including the King-Lancaster-McCoy-Mitchell House, originally built in 1816, which served as the main house for the vast King plantation that existed in the valley long before Bristol's inception.
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BHA and DAR's Co-Sponsored September
Program Featured Dr. Garrett Ward Sheldon
On September 12, 2022, Dr. Garrett Ward Sheldon, professor emeritus at the University of Virginia's College at Wise, presented a very special program, jointly sponsored by Bristol Historical Association and the Daughters of the American Revolution. His topic was "What would Thomas Jefferson and James Madison have to say about the current climate of today's most talked about issues?" Sheldon, a 1977 Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of New Mexico, earned his doctorate from Rutgers University and studied at The New School for Social Research in New York City and at Princeton Theological Seminary. He taught at UVA-Wise for thirty-six years and held The John Morton Beaty Chair of Political and Social Science. He has lectured at Oxford University; the University of Vienna, Austria; Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland; and in Moscow, Istanbul, and Israel.
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Sara Reuning, DAR President |
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Remembering the Reverend W.A. Johnson
and the Dedication Event for the
First Historic Markers In Bristol
Honoring African American Leaders
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October 30th will mark the one-year anniversary of the dedication of two Virginia historical markers in downtown Bristol, an event that was the culmination of years of work by a task force of community members led by former BHA president Sid Oakley. The markers are the first to recognize African American residents of Bristol, honoring and celebrating the contributions of the Reverend Charles Henry Johnson, long-time pastor of Lee Street Baptist Church, and Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson, his son. The ceremony was attended by many city leaders, ministers, historical preservation leaders, and citizens of the Bristol area, as well as a number of Johnson family members.
The Bristol Historical Association and Lee Street Baptist Church co-hosted this event which featured a very special guest, Jeh Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security and grandson of Dr. Charles Spurgeon Johnson. Charles Spurgeon Johnson was born in Bristol and later became a noted scholar on race relations, focusing on understanding the root of racism and dismantling it from within.
The Rev. Charles Henry Johnson led Lee Street Baptist Church from its humble beginnings in a little wooden church started in 1865 by thirty-nine freed slaves. Just two years after Johnson’s call to Bristol in 1890, the congregation outgrew their building and moved to a new location on Lee Street. The church thrived under C. H. Johnson’s leadership, and he remained their pastor until his death in 1932.
Another Rev. Johnson came to Bristol in 1961 to become Lee Street Baptist Church's new pastor. The Rev. W.A. Johnson, pictured below with Jeh Johnson, had marked his 60th year leading the church at the time of the marker dedication ceremony. Sadly, he passed away just eight months later on July 6th of this year at the age of 90. Called "a giant in the Bristol faith community" by the Bristol Herald Courier, the Rev. W.A. Johnson became one of the most well-known and respected men in the city during his 60 years in the pulpit. Described as the type of pastor who was "a pastor to everyone," he constantly reached out to the community at large and will always be remembered for trying to unite all people of faith.
These markers are an important recognition and acknowledgment of the contributions of members of Bristol's African American community to not only the fabric of the Bristol community, but also our society at large.
To view clips of the event, please visit BHA's YouTube Channel by clicking on the following links:
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New BHA Library Exhibit:
Postcards from the Past
Featuring many images drawn from our region's rich visual treasures, BHA's new Postcards From the Past exhibit takes an in-depth look at history, geography, and landmarks through the medium of postcards and the stories they tell. Postcards can open up the past in ways that might surprise. Few of them come with detailed explanations, so some images elicit questions and a desire to learn more about the subject. Postcards serve as a sometimes poignant or sentimental reminder that memory and historical understanding are intertwined.
BHA's exhibit cabinet is located on the second floor of the Bristol Public Library at the Goode Street entrance near the circulation desk. The well-preserved photos and decorative cards highlight historical area locations and events including the construction of South Holston Dam, the Big Creek Summer Resort area and the trolley car route that transported vacationing guests to and from the resort in the 1930's. Other interesting cards feature churches, beautiful landscapes, hotels, and scenic views. Some hearken back to businesses of the day such as the Twin City Coal and Wood Company's card (which also served as a calendar) containing the slogan, "The coal that needs no kindling." Of the almost four hundred cards in BHA's collection, approximately 70 are on display.
BHA would love to feature YOUR collection! If you have items that you would like to share for a future exhibit, or for more information about BHA's Library Exhibit program, please contact Special Exhibits Chair, Joyce Kistner, at joyceannkistner@gmail.com.
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THE HISTORY OF LEE HIGHWAY
by Joyce Kistner
Final Chapter
Part VI
Euclid Avenue – Lee Highway
Many people do not know that Euclid Avenue was designed to become our “Main Street” in Bristol, Virginia. The section of Euclid from Commonwealth Avenue traveling westward was a dirt road until July 15, 1942, when the City Council voted to allot $120,000 for street and public works construction. In the early 1940's, there were a few homes, Sparger Mill and one filing station (at the intersection of Euclid and Gate City Highway) in the area, but homes and businesses continued to grow along this section of Lee Highway from the mid-40's to current times.
The west end of Euclid was beginning to develop, and a temporary school was built in the early 1940's. The building consisted of four rooms built on stilts to keep it out of the water that drained underneath it when it rained. Martin Hassinger donated the wood for its construction. An outdoor toilet was used by teachers and students alike. This writer was a student there from around 1945-1946. It was replaced by a much-needed, larger, modern brick edifice named Stonewall Jackson Elementary School which opened in September 1948. Clarence B. Kearfott was the architect, and the builder was E.J. Hobbs Construction Company. An addition to the main building opened ten years later in 1958.
While driving down Lee Highway 11WS, in a southerly direction, near Douglas School the highway abruptly stops at the intersection of Moore Street, Martin Luther King Boulevard, and Oakview Avenue, an intersection known as “Five Points.” I drove back up to Euclid Avenue, turned left, and followed the route to Commonwealth Avenue. Close by were two Virginia state markers, one for 11W North, and one for 11S, which leads to the continuation of Lee Highway, past Bristol Regional Medical Center and the Pinnacle shopping center, on to Kingsport.
Among the many old homes that are still visible from the Lee Highway is a magnificently displayed plantation house that can be seen going along the 11WS roadway in Max Meadows. It was built in 1839 -1840 by Joseph M. Garrock. The house, constructed in the Greek Revival architectural style, is a beauty. It was placed on the National Registor of Historic Places in 1976. In later years, besides serving as a home, it has been used as a museum, restaurant, and special events venue. Its slave quarters and outbuildings were moved to Abingdon, Virginia.
Latest Lee Highway News
Route 29 in Arlington County, Virginia, has been officially renamed Langston Boulevard after the county board voted to drop the Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s name. On July 17, 2021 the Arlington Virginia County Board voted to rename the section of Route 29/ Lee Highway that runs from Rosslyn to Falls Church to Langston Boulevard, after John M. Langston, a trailblazing
abolitionist and the first black Congressman elected from Virginia. It is perceived by some as an act of poetic justice that a name tied to racism will be replaced by that of a man who was one of the first African Americans to hold elective office in the United States. The new name will be approved at the July 17, 2022, Arlington County Board meeting, though it could take nearly a
year for signage to be changed along the highway, a process estimated to cost taxpayers $300,000.
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BHA'S 2022 RHYTHM AND ROOTS REUNION PARKING FUNDRAISER A GREAT SUCCESS
BHA's most important annual fundraising event was a grand success, bringing in much-needed funds of over $10,000 to date. It is not too late to make a donation. If you could not work the event but would love to help, please donate now! Checks made to BHA can be sent to P.O. Box 204, Bristol, TN, 37621, or you may donate online at the BHA website's link via PayPal. Please note "Parking Donation" on your check or in the PayPal designation field.
Thank you to all who parked in BHA lots,
donated extra funds, and/or donated
time and energy parking cars for this event.
BHA is grateful for your support and donations!
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Merchant of the Month:
CDR Frame Shop and Art Gallery
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The Bristol Historical Association offers a wide selection of Bristol-themed fine quality merchandise and giftware, including mugs, cups, hats, t-shirts, note cards, artwork, a cookbook, and many other unique items inspired by our region’s rich history. This merchandise is available at the various shops listed on our website.
This month's featured merchant is CDR Frame Shop and Art Gallery located at 1010 Commonwealth Avenue in Bristol, Virginia. If you are an art lover or just want a unique gift, you’ll find it here. CDR Frame Shop & Art Gallery also specializes in custom matting and framing.
Their artist gallery features handmade wares, original paintings, prints, pottery & jewelry from dozens of local artists.
Please visit them, “shop local,” and support our community businesses as well as BHA. Merchandise sales support our mission, projects, programs, exhibits, and educational initiatives.
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Additional volunteers are needed for website and newsletter support!
If you have basic computer skills and are willing to help, please contact us at
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Did you know that BTES airs Bristol Historical Association programs up to three times per day on its local television station (channels 7(SD) and 207 HD) for BTES cable customers? So if you missed one of our informative programs, you can view it there! The channel typically airs the same program several times over the course of two consecutive weeks. The times that these programs air changes every day.
Not a BTES customer? Don't despair! Chances are you know someone who is, so take the opportunity to arrange a visit during one of the air times and enjoy a friendly visit along with the program! Cable customers can find air times by looking at their channel guide, and the schedule is available online to the public at large at
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Not a Member?
Need to Renew your Membership?
Click HERE for a Membership Form
or simply send your check to BHA
P.O. Box 204 Bristol, TN 37621
Did you know that a variety of membership levels are available?
When you renew or join this year, please consider the new "One Hundred Club" level. A donation and membership totaling one hundred dollars or more establish you as a member of the "One Hundred Club."
Membership levels:
Individual $40
Family $55
Researcher $50-$99
One-Hundred Club $100+
Historian $200-$249
Virginia Intermont Legacy $50 ($20 supports preservation of VI Records)
Business Partner $100+
Lifetime Membership (Individual) $1000
Please consider adding a donation to your membership dues at any level. Any gift is very greatly appreciated! For those of you who have already renewed at any of these levels and/or given a little extra above and beyond your membership dues, BHA thanks you for helping fund our mission of identifying, preserving, interpreting, and promoting Bristol's History! BHA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The Bristol Historical Association is dedicated to the Identification, Preservation, Interpretation and Presentation of local history. We need your support to continue this mission.
Your donation will support ongoing programs and activities, such as our historical speaker series, school education program, and the acquisition of a downtown headquarters, all of which help BHA make connections between the past and the present. When you make this donation, you become an investor and partner in the future of an organization that preserves and celebrates the best of our community's history.
As a member of BHA, you will enjoy participation in all BHA events and programs while supporting its vital mission. As we embark into our 42nd year, there is a renewed focus to be faithful to our founding principles and broaden our efforts to educate a new generation.
If you are not already a member of BHA, we encourage you to join today. Just click on the link below to join BHA or to renew your annual membership. And remember, BHA memberships make great gifts!
All past newsletters are on our website and available for reading.
Click the following link for a membership application and information about membership levels:
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK AT
VIEW VIDEOS ON BHA'S YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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You can read past newsletters and stories and view both historical and modern photos on our newly designed website, always up to date with the latest news.
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Western view from East Hill Cemetery near sunset
Did you know that Bristol's East Hill Cemetery is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places?
Look for more images in future newsletters from East Hill that highlight the granite memorials honoring the men and women who fashioned our twin city.
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Editor and Photographer, Amy Hopper
Writer and Designer, Susan Long
Consultant and Proofreader, Carolyn Williams
Contributing Writer Gail Fleenor
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