FARRAGUT www.ShopperNewsNow.com
|
www.facebook.com/ShopperNewsNow
Miracle Makers Asked to describe Knox County Schools’ Partners in Education program in 10 words or so, Scott Bacon smiles and quotes retired educator Reuben Hunter. “It’s the community coming into the schools and schools going out into the community.”
➤
See Jake Mabe’s story on page A-9
NEIGHBORHOOD BUZZ
Rezoning meetings set Knox County Schools will conduct a series of meetings about elementary school rezoning that will result from the construction of the new school at Northshore Town Center. Attendance zones of A.L. Lotts Elementary, Farragut Primary, Farragut Intermediate, Hardin Valley Elementary, Blue Grass, Ball Camp and Cedar Bluff elementary schools will be primarily affected, although some other schools may experience a lesser impact. The meetings are designed to provide a zoning overview and garner parent and community insight prior to developing an attendance zone proposal. The schedule: ■ Hardin Valley Elementary School, 11445 Hardin Valley Road, Monday, Sept. 24 ■ Farragut Intermediate School, 208 West End Boulevard, Tuesday, Oct. 2 ■ Cedar Bluff Elementary School, 705 North Cedar Bluff Road, Tuesday, Oct. 9 ■ First Baptist Concord Westlake Campus, 9635 Westland Drive, Thursday, Oct. 11 Meetings will be hosted by the PTAs of A.L. Lotts and Blue Grass schools. All are from 6-8 p.m. A series of follow-up meetings will be scheduled to discuss the attendance zones developed based on information garnered during these meetings.
Index Coffee Break A2 Sherri Gardner Howell A3 Government/Politics A4 Marvin West/Lynn Hutton A5 Jake Mabe A6 Faith A7 Kids A8,11,12 Miracle Maker A9 Business A13 Calendar A14 Health/Lifestyles Sect B
news@ShopperNewsNow.com ads@ShopperNewsNow.com GENERAL MANAGER Shannon Carey shannon@ShopperNewsNow.com EDITOR Sherri Gardner Howell gardners@tds.net FARRAGUT REPORTER Suzanne Foree Neal papernews@tds.net ADVERTISING SALES Jim Brannon brannonj@ShopperNewsNow.com Debbie Moss mossd@ShopperNewsNow.com Shopper-News is a member of KNS Media Group, published weekly at 10512 Lexington Drive, Suite 500, Knoxville, TN, and distributed to 33,237 homes in Farragut, Karns and Hardin Valley.
September 24, 2012
The Russell House story House has historic past, but will it find a future? By Suzanne Foree Neal The Russell House on the corner of Kingston Pike and Campbell Station Road has stories to tell of Civil War battles, mischievous twins, healing and heartache. The story that is not known is what its next chapter will be. Most recently home to Avery and Anna Mae Russell, late parents of Charlie Russell and Ann Owens, the Russell house got a nod to a possible future last week when the town of Farragut authorized town attorney Tom Hale to spend up to $20,000 to look into the structure and grounds of the house, which dates to 1834 or earlier, when the Federal-style house was owned by Samuel Martin, who operated it as either an inn or a tavern, or both, depending on which stories are true. The land had been owned by Col. David Campbell, who first built a block house on the site to shelter travelers passing through to Knoxville. Campbell moved on and Samuel Martin bought the property in 1834. Whether the house was built by Campbell or Martin is disputed, but what is known for certain is that by the time of the Battle of Campbell’s Station on Nov. 16, 1863, the property was owned by Matthew Russell. When Russell bought the house just before the Civil War, he maintained it as a private residence. During the battle of Campbell’s Station, the house served as a hospital for both sides. Faint blood stains can still be seen in the hardwood floors. An old photo, circa 1900, in the Farragut Folklife Museum shows women in long dresses standing on the second-floor balcony of the house overlooking Kingston Pike. In the 1930s, a widening of Kingston Pike took off the balcony in favor of the covered front porch it has today. The house has remained in the Russell family for six generations. Conversations with the town of Farragut concerning the Rus-
Farragut has approved $20,000 for the town’s attorney, Tom Hale, to look into the structure of the Russell house and surrounding soil at the corner of Kingston Pike and Campbell Station Road.
sell House have usually involved suggestions of moving the house from its present, original location nearer to Town Hall, something historic preservationists are against. Knox Heritage has listed the house on its “Fragile 15” list for 2012 and is urging Farragut not to move the house. While the house is on the National Register of Historic Places, that designation does not protect it. Moving the house will cause it to lose that National Register designation. Farragut town administrator David Smoak says the town knows that the Russell House is the oldest house still left in town. “We’ve been talking to the Russells for two years, and our goal has always been to preserve the home,” says Smoak. “We want to preserve it and bring it back to the way it was, but we have some limitations because it is so close to the road.” Charlie Russell says to really restore the house, there are several modern add-ons that would need to be removed. The four chimneys atop the house have been taken down and roofed over. One paint-
In this Town Hall painting by artist Paul Long, two Russell family homes can be seen amid the Civil War Battle of Campbell’s Station. The one in the foreground, the Frank Russell house, still stands behind Taco Bell and is the office for M&M Development. The one in the background is the Russell house owned by Charlie Russell and Ann Owens at the corner of Campbell Station Road and Kingston Pike. Photos by S.F. Neal
ing by Paul Long in Farragut Town Hall shows the Battle of Campbell’s Station, with the Russell house in the background and another historic Russell home, the Frank Russell home, in the foreground. The Frank Russell home sits behind Taco Bell and houses the offices of M&M Development. Charlie Russell says Matthew Russell and his twin brother, John, are often the subjects of family lore. “Matt and John were identical twins,” he says. “Once there was a gala at a hotel in Knoxville, and Matthew walked in to see John
standing in front of him. ‘Strange to find you here,’ he said, then noticed he was actually looking into a full-length mirror. When Matthew was killed during the Civil War, John went to retrieve the body from a rooming house where Matthew was laid out. When he saw him, John fainted. The innkeeper came in, and when she saw John getting up, she fainted.” What happens next to the Russell house may well be in the hands of the town of Farragut. “We just have to do our homework,” Smoak says.
FMPC makes short work of agenda By Suzanne Foree Neal
10512 Lexington Dr., Ste. 500 37932 (865) 218-WEST (9378)
twitter.com/shoppernewsnow
A great community newspaper
VOL. 6 NO. 39
IN THIS ISSUE
|
Annette Brun was introduced as the newest member of the Farragut Municipal Planning Commission last Thursday. If she expected trial by fire, it fizzled. Chair Rita Holladay declared the meeting over in 45 minutes, prompting an aside from Mayor Ralph McGill: “Word to the wise, Annette, it’s not always like this.” Brun said she’s “energized and excited for the opportunity to learn. I love this town.” The rapid-fire meeting checked off the following items with little discussion and unanimous approval: ■ A request to change the location of a driveway off Allen Kirby Road by 75 feet to create shared access for two existing houses and future ones that may be built on adjacent land.
■ A variance request from Donald Dickey for 10 percent open space reservation and construction of a walking trail/sidewalk along Smith Road because it only involved a minor resubdivision. ■ Rezoning of a lot on the south side of Parkside Drive between JCPenney and Tennessee State Bank from O-1-3 to C-1. ■ A request by Farragut Health Care Center to return to its original zoning after expansion plans were dropped and a site plan for a walking trail along Kingston Pike at Summit View Nursing Home. ■ A site plan for two additional classrooms at St. John Neumann School. ■ Renewal of a concept plan for The Villas at Anchor Park on Turkey Creek Road, variances to change the width of the streets and add sages to create a “dip”
feeling in an effort to slow traffic, change the configuration of on-street parking and approve the preliminary plat. ■ A preliminary plat for Karastone Farms (formerly Everett Hills) on the west side of Everett Road. Plans were approved about five years ago but a bankruptcy was involved. Infrastructure is in place and new owners requested a name change before starting construction. There will also be a walking trail for that section of Everett Road. ■ Businesses are reminded that the 90-day grace period to apply for a free license ends Friday, Oct. 12. After that, the license will cost a one-time fee of $15. Farragut has initiated the program in an effort to know what businesses are operating within the town and to be sure it’s getting its fair
SALES S ALES • SERVICE SERVICE • MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE
share of sales tax revenues. ■ Knoxville Area Transit passengers can get a free breakfast 6:30-7:45 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 2, when they ride the 102X-Farragut Express Route bus, compliments of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen. “Coffee & Bagels With the Board” is an effort to get more people to park and ride to work. KAT, its passengers, the Smart Trips Program and Farragut are teaming up to promote the use of the commuter route which takes passengers from the Park and Ride Lot on Campbell Station Road to the University of Tennessee and downtown via the interstate, operating during peak morning and afternoon hours, Monday through Friday. KAT will offer the express route service fare-free on Tuesdays in October and November to entice people to ride.
Get started on your Christmas Chris Shopping!!! Preserve those old Pr reels, slides & vhs tapes today!
20% OFF entire purchase
Family Fami Fa mily mi lyy Bus B Business u in us ines esss Se es Serv Serving r in rv ng You Y u for Yo ffo or Over Ovver 15 15 Years Ye ear as Old Tazewellll Pike 5715 57 15 O ld dT Pik Pi k • 687-2520 687 252 5 0
Cantrell’s Cares Financing available through TVA Energy Right program* *Restrictions May Apply
Bring your VHS, slides, Cannot be combined with any other discounts or offers. film and more into Coupon must be presented at time order is dropped off. Discount will the digital age. not be applied to previous orders or orders that are being processed.
Audio & Video Conversion
Expires 9/29/12 SN092412
686-5756
www.DigitizeItNow.com 12752 Kingston Pike, Renaissance Farragut, Ste 103, Bldg E