The Monteagle Eagle Comes Home to Roost

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer
The majestic Monteagle Hotel burned in 1950, but the symbolic eagle statue continued to grace the front lawn until one dark and stormy night in November of 1952. The eagle mysteriously vanished. Perched on a globe atop a stone mound, the 70 pound eagle with a six-foot plus wing span appeared to have been excised from its roost with tin snips. Just days later the eagle reappeared at Tennessee Tech, the eagle’s pot-metal finish hidden beneath a coat of lustrous gold paint befitting the school’s revered mascot, the golden eagle. Suspended from the ceiling in Memorial Gym to rally enthusiasm for the big Thanksgiving game against the school’s arch rival MTSU, the noble eagle had the desired effect. The student body roared approval. But chagrinned Tech President Everett Derryberry rushed up to the stage demanding to know how the eagle came into the students’ possession.
Unknown to the three students who masterminded the middle of the night hijack, Derryberry had recently heard the hotel burned and contacted hotel owner John Harton about purchasing the eagle for a school emblem. Back in Monteagle, tempers flared when the town learned of their eagle’s fate. A group of incensed citizens were rumored to plot stealing the eagle back. But the Tech students had fallen in love with the eagle and had hidden it away under lock and key. Harton, a former state treasurer, initially refused to sell or donate the eagle to the school. Finally Governor Frank G. Clement, Harton’s longtime friend, negotiated a compromise. Harton accepted $500 as payment for the eagle. Tech mounted the eagle atop the library and later moved it to a perch on the administration building, now Derryberry Hall.
Fast forward to 2013. The Harton family had made the former hotel grounds available to the city of Monteagle for use as a park. Within the park, the stone mound had acquired a new eagle statue fashioned by local iron artist Jamey Chernicky. The Laurel Lake Garden Club tended the array of plantings surrounding the eagle statue and while the women watered and weeded, a seed bloomed into an idea: Let’s get the original eagle back. The garden club women joined forces with the civic group Monteagle Women for a Better Tomorrow, and a small coalition of women paid a visit to current Tech President Phil Oldham.
When they walked into Oldham’s office, spokesperson for the group Iva Michelle Russell zeroed in on a picture of actor John Belushi, renowned for his frat-boy mischief in the film “Animal House.”
“When I saw the Belushi picture, I knew it would go well,” Russell said. A friendly, good-humored exchange followed with the women joking about how many bake sales it would take to purchase the eagle statue, and a few days later Oldham contacted the women with an idea. He proposed Tech create two exact replicas of the eagle, one for Tech and one for the town.Tech removed the eagle from Derryberry Hall and through a combination of high-tech scanning, modeling and 3-D printing made a mold. Before being delivered to a local foundry, the mold was used to make a plaster cast of the original eagle which is on display in the lobby at the Monteagle City Hall. Traditional metal casting and finishing techniques were employed to produce the two aluminum replicas. Weighing more than 400 pounds and sporting a shimmering golden finish, Monteagle’s eagle will be unveiled at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 24, in Harton Park mounted on the same stone mound the original eagle once called home. The sister replica eagle will grace the entrance to Derryberry Hall.
Weather and age have taken their toll on the original eagle. Too fragile for outdoor display, the original will be enshrined in a glass case for viewing at the student union. While no one living can account for the eagle’s exact age, photos from the WWII era show returning soldiers pictured with the eagle, so she’s at least 70 years old.
The unveiling ceremony will include Monteagle Elementary School children reading their winning essays on Monteagle history and the official announcement of the eagle’s name, with the winning name selected from among the ideas submitted by students at MES.
Jamey Chernicky’s eagle, which has been standing guard at the Harton Park roost since 2011, has found a new home at the Monteagle Pavillion.
One legend has it that the town’s name is based on the Native American name for the location, Eagle Mountain, honoring the golden eagles who inhabit the region.
Like the mythological bird the phoenix that obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor, the Monteagle eagle will return to her roost in an aura of glory, splendor and good feelings all around.

Mountain Homecoming in Monteagle

Mountain Homecoming is a fall tradition of welcoming back folks who have left but have never forgotten their roots or their memories here on the Mountain. This event starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 24.
This year, the Town of Monteagle has partnered with the South Cumberland Area Chamber of Commerce, Tracy City Street Rodders and Margo Shea, visiting professor at the Univeristy of the South and with the Places Project, to bring together a day filled with activities that are sure to appeal to everyone in the family.
The biggest event kicks off the day when the new and improved Monteagle Eagle returns home from her perch on Derryberry Hall at Tennessee Tech University and lands back home at Harton Park, 64 years after she mysteriously flew the coop.
Events for the day include: 10 a.m., Tennessee Tech/Monteagle Eagle unveiling, Harton Park; 10 a.m., Places Project booth opens; 10 a.m.–noon, Pop-up Museum object drop-off; 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Fire on the Mountain Car Show, May Justus Library; 10 a.m.–4 p.m., History Celebration, Monteagle Town Hall; 11 a.m.–2 p.m., Chamber Chili Cook-off, Monteagle Pavilion; 12:30 p.m., “Lightening Talks: Six Things You Didn’t Know about Monteagle’s History”; 2–4 p.m., Civil War Living History and Music, Hannah Pickett Park; and 2–4 p.m., the Pop-up Museum opens.
The fourth annual Fire on the Mountain chili cook-off will be open for tasting at 11 a.m., and guests can sample as many types of chili as they want for $5 per person. Chili cook-off teams will represent some of the Mountain’s finest restaurants, businesses and community groups.
For more information go to http://monteaglechamber.com.

Same Bank, New Name :: Citizens State Bank Is Now Tower Community Bank

After an extensive branding initiative, executives with Tower Community Bank recently unveiled its new name. 

“We’re a solid bank that’s here to stay,” Tower Community Bank President and CEO Geoffrey Post said. “We wanted a name that better reflects our years of stability, our position as a pillar of advocacy for this community and our reputation for being a valued advisor and friend.”

Bank executives chose the name Tower in part for the physical tower at several of the branches and for what a tower represents—a higher standard.

“We don’t consider ourselves just bankers; we’re community leaders, neighbors and partners who provide real financial solutions that make people’s lives better,” Post explained.

Tower Community Bank, formerly Citizens State Bank, was founded in 1970 and is a locally owned, locally managed bank serving the citizens of the Sequatchie Valley, Monteagle mountain and South Central Tennessee.

Bank executives say they wanted a name that spoke strongly to the financial institution’s core values of being strong, solid, permanent, committed and visionary. Bank officials are quick to point out that the bank is still the same— same employees, same branches, same website. Customers can continue to use their same checks, credit cards and debit cards. They can continue with their same automatic payments and direct deposits.

Mountain Goat Trail Celebrates Opening

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance and the town of Monteagle are hosting the formal grand opening of the Mountain Goat Trail Phase III segment, between Monteagle and Sewanee, at 11 a.m., today (Friday), May 15, at Tom’s Place, 335 W. Main St., (across from CVS and Papa Ron’s in Monteagle).

Monteagle Mayor Marilyn Campbell Rodman will lead the ceremony recognizing the completion of the trail and of the Pedestrian Enhancement Project in Monteagle. Elected officials and representatives from the Tennessee Departments of Transportation and of Environment and Conservation will be on hand to help celebrate.

The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert the abandoned Mountain Goat railroad right-of-way into a multiuse recreational corridor connecting Grundy, Marion and Franklin counties. The completed Mountain Goat Trail could bring more than $1.2 million in annual economic benefits to the area, according to a report by the Babson Center for Global Commerce at Sewanee. When completed, the trail will connect Cowan to Palmer.

Mountain Goat Trail Grand Opening on May 15

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance and the town of Monteagle are hosting the formal grand opening of the Mountain Goat Trail Phase III segment, between Monteagle and Sewanee, on Friday, May 15. The event will take place at 11 a.m., at Tom’s Place, 335 W. Main St., Monteagle.

Mayor Marilyn Campbell Rodman will lead the ceremony recognizing the completion of the trail and of the Pedestrian Enhancement Project in Monteagle. Elected officials and representatives from the Tennessee Departments of Transportation and of Environment and Conservation will be on hand to help celebrate these projects.

Ground Breaking Set for Mountain Goat Trail & Pedestrian Project

Official ground-breaking ceremonies will be on Monday, Aug. 25 for the Monteagle-to-Sewanee portion of the Mountain Goat Trail as well as for the Monteagle pedestrian enhancement project.

The ceremonies will begin at 4 p.m., next to Monteagle City Hall, for the pedestrian enhancement project. At 4:30 p.m., the group will gather next to Dollar General in Monteagle to break ground for the Mountain Goat Trail project.

“These two projects will improve our quality of life in Monteagle, Sewanee and the surrounding area,” said Marilyn Rodman Campbell, mayor of Monteagle. “By expanding walking and cycling opportunities, we’re helping make our communities safer, healthier and happier.” 

The three-mile Monteagle-to-Sewanee section of the Mountain Goat Trail will extend from the Dollar General store in Monteagle west to the current end of the paved trail on Highway 156 in Sewanee. With the completion of the new segment, the Mountain Goat Trail will be a five-mile walking and biking path linking Monteagle and Sewanee.

“This is the culmination of years of work by so many people. The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) especially wants to thank the landowners along the Monteagle-Sewanee section of the Trail who donated easements and made this  possible,” said Janice Thomas, MGTA board president.

The pedestrian corridor extension project will install about 2,000 feet of five-foot-wide sidewalks on the east side of Highway 64 beginning at Dubose Street heading south to Elgin Drive. The sidewalk will extend access to the multi-use trail and park in downtown Monteagle. A new pedestrian crosswalk will also be created across Highway 64 at the Monteagle City Ball Park. The town of Monteagle was awarded a $216,320 grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) for this project.

The Mountain Goat Trail project is being funded by a TDOT Transportation Enhancement grant. The MGTA funded five years of engineering and development costs totaling more than $140,000, made possible by the financial support of individuals and private foundations. At the June 30 Monteagle City Council meeting, MGTA board members presented the Town of Monteagle with a check for $85,843.68 toward construction costs for the project.

The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project that is converting an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin counties on the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee.

For Three New Mountain Shops, the Mantra is Local

by Leslie Lytle, Messenger Staff Writer

Frequently when a new business comes to a community, it is the brainchild of corporate numbers crunchers who live thousands of miles away. An entirely different business model inspired the Mountain Goat Market, Amish Hippie and Crescent Café. The owners of these new Monteagle businesses have strong ties to the community.

Mountain Goat Market owners Eric and Spenser Duncan were raised on the Mountain and graduated from Grundy County High School. Before opening the market, Spenser taught at Monteagle Elementary School, and Eric worked as an electrician. They lived just down the street from Richie’s Market, located on the corner of Main and Laurel Lake Road. When Richie’s closed and the building went up for sale, the enterprising young couple—Eric, 29, and Spenser, 23—decided to reinvent the market as a grocery store specializing in organic and natural foods.

The Mountain Goat Market also has a deli offering a vast array of meat and cheeses. The deli’s bread and coffee come from Chattanooga-area vendors, and the Duncans use local produce as much as possible. Deli customers can eat on the spacious front porch or a small inside dining area where a quaint and curious sign reads “Please Do Park Here.” In the 1940s, the building was a Greyhound Bus terminal.

The Market is open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Saturday. When the Mountain Goat Trail is completed, it will pass directly in front of the store. In conjunction with Monteagle Mountain SummerFest, the Market is hosting local musicians every Friday and Saturday at noon on the porch from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Amish Hippie owner Marla Sitten’s connection to the mountaintop is through the Nashville music scene. J. D. Oliver, owner of the Smoke House Restaurant and Lodge, hired Sitten to bring music acts to perform at the Smoke House. When Village Wines & Spirits moved to a larger building, Sitten decided the location next to the Smoke House was perfect for a store whose theme found common ground in the peace-love hippie ethic and the simple living Christian ethic of the Amish community.

In addition to hippie-inspired vintage clothing, incense, tobacco accessories, and handmade Cherokee and Navaho jewelry, the Amish Hippie offers goat-milk lotions and soaps, broom and baskets made by members of the Amish community in Ethridge, Tennessee. Sitten’s Amish Hippie brand jam, jellies, and pickles are locally made using local produce when in season.

Customers who want to sit and chat in the book nook located in the center of the store can enjoy Amish Hippie- brand spiced tea, coca mocha and locally made key lime pie. In the future, Sitten hopes to carry Amish furniture and offer a venue for local artists to market their work. The Amish Hippie is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Crescent Café, an on-site food truck owned and operated by Mooney’s Market and Emporium, takes the concept of using local produce to its logical conclusion. Crescent Café chef Carol Manganaro bases her recipes on what’s available locally and what’s in season. The Café offers fresh-made juice, smoothies, wraps and salads. The Beatrix Potter, a summer smoothie, was inspired by the abundance of local beets, complimented by apples, carrots, celery, lemon and mint.

Café diners can eat outside at picnic tables or in the closed-in back porch. The Café is open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Crescent Café’s wraps and salads can often be found in the cooler in Mooney’s when the Café is closed.

Located on Highway 41A between Sewanee and Monteagle, Mooney’s is celebrating its second anniversary this summer. 

Owner Joan Thomas said her vision was “to offer products not available on the Mountain to reduce the greenhouse gases caused by automobiles and help save the planet.” Mooney’s is open seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 6 pm. The market specializes in local and organic products, including grains, cereals, snacks, condiments, and produce, as well as gardening and knitting supplies, antiques and art.

Governor Haslam Comes to Plateau to Announce Major Grants

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Department of Transportation Commissioner John Schroer were on the Mountain on July 8 to announce two transportation alternative grants for Monteagle and Tracy City, connecting downtown districts to trails and making other enhancements. A large crowd, including city officials from Monteagle and Tracy City, friends and community leaders gathered on the breezy morning to welcome the governor and the good news. 

The town of Monteagle was awarded a $216,320 grant for the Pedestrian Corridor Extension Project. The project will install approximately 2,000 feet of 5-foot sidewalks on the east side of Highway 64 beginning at Dubose Street heading south to Elgin Drive. The sidewalk will extend access to the multiuse trail and park in downtown Monteagle. A new pedestrian crosswalk will also be created across Highway 64 at the Monteagle City Ball Park.

Tracy City received a $603,569 grant to fund the Downtown Sidewalk and Mountain Goat Trail Connector Project. The project will provide pedestrian and bicycle enhancements to the historic downtown business district, including a multi-use path and trailhead parking. The grant will also fund a key section of the Mountain Goat Trail, a projected 35-plus mile trail linking Franklin and Grundy Counties. 

“This is a lot of hard work,” Haslam said, “but it is significant to the area. I think this will make people want to live here.”

The transportation alternative grant is made possible through a federally funded program formerly known as transportation enhancement and is administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).

“The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance is honored to have been asked by the Town of Tracy City to collaborate on this grant proposal,” said Janice Thomas, board president of the MGTA. “Our thanks to Gov. Haslam for coming here to recognize the value of the Mountain Goat Trail to Tracy City, Grundy County and the whole South Cumberland Plateau.”

The Tracy City project will create  a 10-foot wide asphalt trail beginning at Tracy City Elementary School and following the railbed into downtown Tracy City to Altamont Street (Highway 41/150). The project will turn north and follow Altamont Street across Laurel and Colyar Streets and end at Nathurst Street, from which point future projects will reconnect it to the railbed.

“Enhancing transportation options and connections,” Haslam said, “will increase pedestrian and visitor traffic to businesses and recreation areas. Tennessee’s downtowns are the heart of our communities, and improvements like these improve our cities’ and towns’ livability and the quality of life for residents.”

Through these grants, TDOT has funded more than $306 million in non-traditional transportation projects,” Schroer said. “This program has assisted communities all over the state in their efforts to revitalize downtowns, highlight historic areas, provide alternative means of transportation and increase opportunities for economic development,” Schroer said.

A variety of activities, such as the restoration of historic facilities, bike and pedestrian trails, landscaping and other non-traditional transportation projects, are eligible for grant funds under the federal program. 

Additional reporting by Patrick Dean and Rhonda Pilkington

TDOT Approves Mountain Goat Trail for Monteagle-Sewanee Segment

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) and the Town of Monteagle have approved the contract for construction of Phase II of the Mountain Goat Trail between Monteagle and Sewanee. Construction is due to begin by August 1st.

Monteagle Mayor Marilyn Campbell Rodman said, “My thanks first to God, and then to those who began this project eight years ago—April Alvarez, Clayton Rogers and Iva Michelle Russell—as well as those who’ve carried the project forward. I’d also like to thank Lisa Dunn and TDOT for their help.”

“After a great deal of hard work by many, many people, Phase II of the Mountain Goat Trail is about to become a reality,” said Janice Thomas, board president of the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA). “We are so grateful to the mayor and aldermen of Monteagle for making this happen,” she said.
The three-mile Phase II section of the trail will extend from the Dollar General store in Monteagle west to the current terminus of the trail on Highway 156 in Sewanee. It will create a five-mile walking and biking path linking the towns of Monteagle and Sewanee.

The Phase II project is being funded by a TDOT Transportation Enhancement grant. The MGTA funded five years of engineering and development costs totaling more than $140,000 with the help of many individuals and private foundations. At the June 30 Monteagle City Council meeting, MGTA board members presented the Town of Monteagle with a check for $85,843.68 toward construction costs for the project.

Local contractor Blevins Enterprise of Grundy County submitted the winning bidof $640,179.69 for the project. The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned rail- road right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin counties on the Cumberland Plateau in Middle Tennessee. When finished, the trail will be 35–40 miles in length, climbing from Cowan onto the Cumberland Plateau and passing through the towns of Sewanee, Monteagle, Tracy City, Coalmont, Gruetli-Laager and Palmer.

For more information go to <www.mountaingoattrail.org>. 

MGTA and Land Trust Reach Campaign Goal: New Land Adds 22 Acres to Monteagle-Tracy City Segment of the Trail

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance (MGTA) and the Land Trust for Tennessee (LTTN) announced on Jan. 8 the successful completion of a capital campaign. As a result, 22 acres of the former Mountain Goat Railroad bed between Monteagle and Tracy City are now owned by the MGTA.

“The acquisition of this important section of railroad bed puts us closer to our ultimate goal: a multi-use path from Cowan to Palmer. We are so grateful to the Land Trust for Tennessee for collaborating with us on this effort,” said Janice Thomas, board president of the MGTA.

“The Mountain Goat Trail is an excellent economic development opportunity for the South Cumberland region,” said Jeanie Nelson, executive director of LTTN. “It also connects several amazing cultural and natural resources that are so important to the area.” 

The acquired property constitutes approximately 60 percent of the rail bed between Monteagle and Tracy City. When constructed, the trail between Monteagle and Tracy City will be approximately 5.6 miles long. Construction is due to begin this year on a three-mile section between Sewanee and Monteagle as well as two one-mile sections between Tracy City and Palmer.

The campaign raised more than $83,000 to acquire the property. Challenge gifts from the Cammack Family Foundation and Doug Ferris were instrumental in reaching the campaign goal.

A recent study by Sewanee’s Babson Center for Global Commerce predicts the trail will add $1.2 million in annual revenue to the economy of the South Cumberland Plateau. The supporting data includes studies of other rail-trail projects, local demographic statistics and formulas for calculating effects of tourism on a local economy. “The construction of the trail benefits the local communities in many ways ranging from offering a habitat for better outdoor education for local schools to offering community members a place to exercise,” the report concluded.

The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the Cumberland Plateau. For more information visit <www.mountaingoattrail.org>.

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes for future generations. To date, The Land Trust for Tennessee has protected more than 91,000 acres statewide. For more information go to <www.landtrusttn.org>.

MGTA Announces Capital Campaign With Major Challenge Gift

The Mountain Goat Trail Alliance, in partnership with the Land Trust for Tennessee, has begun a major new capital campaign, with a significant boost from one of the Mountain Goat Trail Alliance’s (MGTA) board members. 

To kick off the effort, the Ward and Shelley Cammack Family Foundation Inc. is making a $10,000 challenge gift, recently announced by MGTA board member Ward Cammack and his wife, Shelley Cammack. 

“The intent of this gift is to make it contingent upon attracting additional and substantial commitments at this crucial juncture. We want to help make this rails-to-trails conversion a reality by bringing in additional gifts to match that of the Foundation,” the Cammacks said.

The goal of the campaign, co-chaired by Steve Burnett and Gayle VanHooser, is $83,000. The campaign is focused on raising the funds to acquire a majority of the rail bed that would complete the trail between Monteagle and Tracy City, and for operating expenses. 

“With the financing for phase II of the Mountain Goat Trail between Sewanee and Monteagle well in hand, we are focusing our fund-raising efforts on phase III, the Monteagle-to-Tracy City segment,” said MGTA board president Janice Thomas. “The Cammack Foundation’s challenge gift will allow us to build on the momentum created by our recent successes, and to take one step closer to our goal: completing the Mountain Goat Trail from Cowan to Palmer.”

Land Trust for Tennessee and MGTA staff are collaborating on materials, fund raising, publicity and other aspects of the campaign. In addition, the Land Trust will facilitate the process of acquiring land along the Mountain Goat Railroad corridor. 

“We are so pleased to partner on this extraordinary opportunity for the future of the Southern Plateau,” said Jean Nelson, president, The Land Trust for Tennessee. 

The Mountain Goat Trail is a rail-to-trail community outdoor recreation project to convert an abandoned railroad right-of-way into a multi-use recreational corridor between Grundy and Franklin Counties on the Cumberland Plateau. When complete, the trail will extend more than 35 miles from Cowan to Palmer along the historic Mountain Goat Railroad, which once brought coal and passengers to and from the Plateau. The trail will connect communities to some priceless natural areas, including Fiery Gizzard, and provide economic development opportunities and health benefits throughout the area. 

To learn more about the Mountain Goat Trail or make a donation to the campaign, visit <www.mountaingoat​trail.org>.

The Land Trust for Tennessee is a private, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, founded in 1999. Its mission is to preserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes for future generations. To date, The Land Trust for Tennessee has protected more than 88,000 acres of land and is working with numerous other landowners across the state. 

The Land Trust works with willing landowners to find ways to preserve forever the historic, scenic and natural values of their land. The organization is supported primarily by financial contributions from individuals and foundations. The Land Trust has offices in Nashville and Chattanooga. 

More information is available at <www.landtrusttn.org>.

TDEC Lifts Water Advisory for Little Fiery Gizzard Creek

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation has lifted a 13-year water contact advisory for Little Fiery Gizzard Creek and several of its tributaries in the Tracy City area of Grundy County. TDEC Deputy Commissioner Shari Meghreblian presided over a May 17 ceremony to announce the advisory lift. She was joined by Senator Janice Bowling, Representative Charles Curtiss, Tracy City Mayor Larry Phipps and Monteagle Mayor Marilyn Nixon, along with other local elected officials and members of the community. 

The water contact advisory was originally issued in 2000 due to operational problems at a small wastewater treatment facility at the Tracy City Elementary School and the presence of failing septic tanks at individual homes. 

“This is great news for Grundy County, and today’s announcement is due to the efforts of many individuals and organizations, including both state and local governments, to expand sewer service into areas of Tracy City,” said Meghreblian. “Connecting homes, the elementary school and various businesses to the sewer service has resulted in decreased pathogen levels in the Little Fiery Gizzard watershed, and TDEC believes the public warning to avoid contact with the water is no longer necessary.” 

The Tennessee Water Quality Control Act requires that TDEC post signs and inform the public when bacteria in water or contaminants in sediment or fish tissue cause public heath to be unduly at risk from exposure. In 1999, elevated fecal coliform levels were found in Little Fiery Gizzard Creek, a tributary to Big Fiery Gizzard Creek. The elevated levels of bacteria were of particular concern because of the potential that children could come in contact with these streams within Tracy City. Additionally, there is a popular swimming area on the Little Fiery Gizzard within South Cumberland State Park, just downstream of the city. 

Additional sampling in 1999 documented that pathogen levels in the state park were safe, but were elevated upstream in Tracy City. Because of this elevated risk, the public was advised to avoid contact with Little Fiery Gizzard and several tributaries within Tracy City, and signs were posted in early 2000. 

In response to this public health issue, Tracy City and Monteagle officials accelerated negotiations for a connection between the two cities so that sewage from Tracy City could be transported to and treated at the Monteagle facility. In 2010, the sewer was expanded beyond the elementary school, and businesses and homes were connected to the new sewer system. Repairs to existing sewer lines were also completed. 

In 2010 and 2011, TDEC documented reduced pathogen levels in Tracy City area streams and will continue to monitor the area. In the meantime, the staff has begun the process of removing the posted warning signs in the area. 

Last year, TDEC announced that the seven-year sewer connection moratorium for the town of Monteagle had been lifted due to major improvements made to the town’s wastewater treatment plant and collection system and the town’s ability to meet the requirements of an Agreed Order issued in January 2005. 

In September 2009, Monteagle received $6.2 million through Tennessee’s State Revolving Fund loan program and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act dollars to begin infrastructure improvements. The project was funded with a 20-year, $3.72 million loan with an interest rate of 1.79 percent. Forty percent of the funding was in the form of principal forgiveness, which does not have to be repaid.

As a result of this funding and the town’s aggressive and consistent approach to resolving issues, Monteagle began operation of its Wastewater Treatment Plant #3 in December 2011. With the capacity of 500,000 gallons per day, 90 percent of the town’s infiltration and inflow has been removed from its collection system. In addition, manholes were replaced, and all of the old sewer lines were eliminated. 

As part of Monteagle’s overall improvements, local plant operators have implemented a Capacity, Management, Operations and Maintenance Plan and a Sewer Overflow Response Plan. Both Wastewater Treatment Plants #1 and #2 have been removed from service. 

With more than 2,900 employees working across the state, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation is a diverse and dynamic department, serving the state by safeguarding the health and safety of Tennessee citizens from environmental hazards; protecting and improving the quality of Tennessee’s land, air and water; and managing Tennessee’s 54 state parks, 83 natural areas and a variety of historical or archaeological sites. 

For more information about the department, go to <www.tn.gov/environ​ment>. 

Fog Festival Begins Today

Monteagle Mountain Chamber of Commerce announces its annual Fog Festival, Friday–Sunday, Feb. 15–17. During the Valentine’s Day weekend, there will be three days of activities, learning opportunities and open houses across the Cumberland Plateau. 

Fog Fest signs will be outside each participating business, and a brochure with a complete list of activities will be available at each location. 

There are many free tours, tastings, musical events and hikes. Area businesses and realtors are hosting open houses. Unique displays will include handmade jewelry, antique tea serving pieces and art exhibits. Special discounts and events will be at many of the participating businesses and restaurants across the Plateau.

For more information contact the Monteagle Mountain Chamber of Commerce at (931) 924-5353 or email <mmtnchamber@blomand.net>.