Photo Gallery – Marion County, Tennessee

Last updated: May 4, 2026

A collection of photographs documenting the places, history, and heritage of Marion County. Images are grouped thematically: places, historical scenes, and notable figures.

Places

Overlook of the Sequatchie Valley — Sequatchie Valley Overlook: The heart of Marion County

Jasper courthouse square — Jasper Courthouse Square: County seat and civic center

The Marion County Courthouse in Jasper — The Marion County Courthouse, completed in the mid-1920s after the 1922 fire. Photo: Tholcomb, CC BY-SA 3.0.

South Pittsburg City Hall, built in 1887 as the First National Bank — South Pittsburg City Hall, built in 1887 as the First National Bank. NRHP-listed. Photo: Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0.

Princess Theatre in South Pittsburg — South Pittsburg Princess Theatre: Historic entertainment venue

Whitwell against the Cumberland Plateau — Whitwell & the Cumberland Plateau: Mountain town backdrop

Monteagle Assembly entrance — Monteagle Assembly Entrance: Historic mountain retreat

Historic railroad depot in Orme — Orme Railroad Depot: Connection to the NC&StL Railway

Powells Crossroads town hall — Powells Crossroads Town Hall: Small-town governance

Tennessee River Gorge photograph by Mathew Brady — Tennessee River Gorge: Mathew Brady photograph, 1860s

Entrance to Nickajack Cave — Nickajack Cave: Historic cave with archaeological and cultural significance

Nickajack Lake — Nickajack Lake: TVA reservoir and recreation area

Foster Falls waterfall — Foster Falls: Waterfall and natural heritage site

Cumberland Trail at Eagle Bluff — Cumberland Trail: Long-distance hiking trail through Marion County

Walls of Jericho on the Tennessee side — Walls of Jericho (Tennessee side, 2016): The falls at the limestone box canyon at the Tennessee–Alabama line, reached on the TN trailhead in James D. Martin Skyline WMA

Sequatchie River near Whitwell — Sequatchie River near Whitwell: The valley's namesake waterway in Marion County

Tennessee River Gorge from Julia Falls Outlook — Tennessee River Gorge: View from Julia Falls Outlook, 2023

Foster Falls in 1939 — Foster Falls (1939): TVA photograph of the 60-foot waterfall on the Cumberland Plateau

Nickajack Lake seen from Sand Mountain, 2013 — Nickajack Lake from Sand Mountain (2013): Looking across the Tennessee River Gorge toward the north rim, where Mullins Cove lies below Raccoon Mountain

Nickajack Lake from Tennessee State Route 377 above the causeway — Nickajack Lake from TN-377 (2016): Plateau-rim view of the lake with the Tennessee State Route 156 causeway crossing below; the same ridgeline carries Aetna Mountain Road up to the hamlet inland

Houses along Hales Bar Road at Haletown, 2016 — Hales Bar Road at Haletown (2016): North-bank river road opposite the former Ladd worker village, threading between Nickajack Lake and the gorge walls

Griffith Creek along TN-108, 2015 — Griffith Creek at TN-108 (2015): The plateau-bench creek that gives the small Cumberland Plateau community of Griffith Creek its name, along the TN-108 corridor between Whitwell and Palmer

View along TN-108 near Palmer, 2015 — TN-108 near Palmer (2015): The plateau-bench road corridor that carries TN-108 north out of Marion County toward southern Grundy County, threading the small communities of Griffith Creek and Palmer

Tennessee River Gorge from Julia Falls Outlook, 2023 (alternate view) — Tennessee River Gorge from Julia Falls Outlook (2023, alternate view): A second look down the gorge from the outlook in Prentice Cooper, near the stretch where Suck Creek enters the river from the north bank

Rural Marion County farm scene near Powells Crossroads, 2014 — Rural Marion County farm (2014): Small-farm landscape representative of the plateau coves and Sequatchie Valley bottomlands, including the country around Ladds Cove at the Battle Creek headwaters

Tennessee State Routes 28 and 283 at Whitwell, 2015 — TN-28 and TN-283 at Whitwell (2015): The Sequatchie Valley road corridor through Whitwell, the spine that runs south past Mineral Springs at the lower end of the valley

Sequatchie Valley from a Cumberland Plateau ridge near TN-111 in Marion County, 2010 — Sequatchie Valley from a Marion County ridge (2010): View out over the same Sequatchie Valley that Jasper Highlands fronts from the Jasper Mountain rim

Wide aerial view of Nickajack Cave — Nickajack Cave from across the lake (aerial): cave mouth set into the forested hillside above the green water. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Close aerial view of Nickajack Cave entrance — Nickajack Cave entrance (close aerial): limestone bluff and cave mouth with the green-tinted lake water. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Nickajack Cave in summer — Nickajack Cave in summer, with buoys visible marking the protected bat habitat. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Aerial view of Marion County Park on Nickajack Lake — Marion County Park on Nickajack Lake: the peninsula with loop drive, boat ramp, and picnic areas. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Aerial view of the Shelby Rhinehart Bridge — Shelby Rhinehart "Blue Bridge" (aerial): US-72 crossing the Tennessee River at South Pittsburg. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Aerial view of the Tennessee River and US-41 bridge — Tennessee River and US-41 bridge near Haletown, with Cumberland Plateau mountains and barge traffic. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Aerial view of Foster Falls — Foster Falls (aerial): the waterfall plunging into the dark plunge pool in the forested gorge. Community photo: Johnny Byers.

Map of Marion County and surrounding counties — Map of Marion County, Tennessee, and surrounding counties. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Marion County census districts, 1830 to 1870s — Marion County census districts, 1830 to 1870s. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Cemetery near Richard Hardy Memorial School, Richard City — Cemetery near Richard Hardy Memorial School in Richard City. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Headstones at the Richard City cemetery — Headstones at the Richard City cemetery, including Della E. Burkhalter (d. 1941). Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Holly Avenue in Richard City — Holly Avenue, Richard City. Photo: Brian Stansberry, 2015 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Jasper Masonic Hall — Masonic Hall in Jasper, one of the town's historic civic buildings.

Kimball Town Hall — Town Hall in Kimball, a community on the Sequatchie Valley floor.

Welcome to New Hope sign — Welcome sign at the entrance to New Hope, a small community in the Sequatchie Valley.

US-41 junction at Haletown — US-41 junction at Haletown, near the site of Hales Bar Dam.

Houses in the Sequatchie community — Houses in the Sequatchie community along the Sequatchie Valley floor.

Sequatchie Elementary School class photograph, 1929 — Sequatchie Elementary School class, 1929. Photo brought in by Mrs. Virginia T. Jenno; scan via TNGenWeb Marion County (contributed by Euline Harris, 2006). Public domain (pre-1930 publication).

Sequatchie Valley from the Cumberland Plateau, 2013 — Sequatchie Valley from the Cumberland Plateau rim. Photo: J. Stephen Conn, 2013 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-NC 2.0).

Chapel on the Hill, c. 1895 — South Pittsburg Primitive Baptist Church (now Chapel on the Hill), c. 1895. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

Sweetens Cove Primitive Baptist Church — Sweetens Cove Primitive Baptist Church, one of Marion County's historic rural congregations.

Dixie Diner, Richard City — Dixie Diner (later Richard City Cafe), a cement-stucco building in Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Dixie Hospital, Richard City — Dixie Hospital at Richard City, a multi-story cement-stucco building. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

First Baptist Church, Richard City — Richard City First Baptist Church, a cement-stucco church with a bell tower. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Pyramid cottage, Richard City — Pyramid cottage in Richard City, cement-stucco construction with steeply pitched roof. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Dixie cottage, Richard City — Dixie cottage in Richard City, one-story cement-stucco with front gable. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Four Square home, Richard City — Four Square style home in Richard City, two-story cement-stucco construction. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Bungalow style superintendent's home — Bungalow style superintendent's home in Richard City, cement-stucco with cross-gable roof. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Garage at 1814 Hamilton Avenue — Cement-stucco garage at 1814 Hamilton Avenue, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Storage shed at 624 Nineteenth Street — Cement-stucco storage shed at 624 Nineteenth Street, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Cement utility pole in Richard City — Obelisk-form cement utility pole in Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Cement fencing along a Richard City street — Cement-post-and-rail fencing along a Townsite street in Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Cement fencing at 1814 Hamilton Avenue — Cement fencing with rectangular posts at 1814 Hamilton Avenue, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Coppinger Cove, a secluded hollow on the Cumberland Plateau escarpment — Coppinger Cove, a secluded hollow on the western escarpment of the Cumberland Plateau. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Looking north from Coppinger Cove toward the plateau escarpment — Looking north from Coppinger Cove toward the Cumberland Plateau escarpment. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Coppinger Cove Baptist Church on Coppinger Cove Road — Coppinger Cove Baptist Church, 1365 Coppinger Cove Road, Sequatchie. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Sequatchie Cove Farm in Coppinger Cove — Sequatchie Cove Farm, a 300-acre diversified operation along the Little Sequatchie River. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Sequatchie Cove Creamery on Coppinger Cove Road — Sequatchie Cove Creamery on Coppinger Cove Road, home of the "Coppinger" washed-rind cheese. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Sequatchie Cave entrance in the lower Sequatchie Valley — Sequatchie Cave, protected as the Sequatchie Cave State Natural Area. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Cave snails from Sequatchie Cave — Cave snails from the Sequatchie Cave system, home to the federally endangered Royal Snail. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Cumberland Mountain Church of God on Mount Olive Road — Cumberland Mountain Church of God, 4902 Mount Olive Road. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Mount Olive Cemetery on the Cumberland Plateau above Whitwell — Mount Olive Cemetery, the community burial ground on the ridgetop above Whitwell. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

Headstones at Mount Olive Cemetery — Headstones at Mount Olive Cemetery. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

The swinging bridge at Camp Glancy on the Little Sequatchie River — The swinging bridge at Camp Glancy, a retreat center on the Little Sequatchie River near the Sequatchie community. Originally a Girl Scout camp (1929 to 1942) on 27 acres donated by Glancy Sherman. Photo: Tyce H, 2026.

History

The entrance to Russell Cave — Russell Cave entrance (Doran's Cove, just over the Alabama line): the shelter cave below South Pittsburg whose floor held a roughly 9,000-year record of human occupation, excavated in 1956 by South Pittsburg coal miners for the Smithsonian. Photo: Fredlyfish4, 2014 (CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons).

Visitors touring the Russell Cave shelter, about 1965 — Russell Cave National Monument (c. 1965): visitors tour the cave shelter along the stone walkway a few years after the 1961 establishment of the national monument. Photo: National Park Service (public domain, via Wikimedia Commons).

Battle of Lookout Mountain lithograph — Battle of Lookout Mountain (Nov. 24, 1863): fought just east of Marion County in Hamilton County; Kurz & Allison lithograph.

Whiteside trestle photographed by George N. Barnard in 1864 — Whiteside Trestle (Jan. 8, 1864): George N. Barnard photograph of the 780-foot Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad trestle at Whiteside, rebuilt by U.S. Military Railroads as part of the Chattanooga supply line. One of the earliest surviving photographs of Marion County.

Map of the Siege of Fort McCook, August 27, 1862 — The Siege of Fort McCook (Aug. 27, 1862): Custom regimental movement map showing the Federal garrison at Fort McCook (44th Indiana, 2nd Ohio Artillery, 9th Brigade under Harris) and the Confederate force that crossed at Bridgeport and shelled the fort from the east bank. Map by Carden Brown, 2026, used with permission.

Capt. W. E. Merrill's 1863 topographical map of Jasper and vicinity — Jasper and Vicinity (July 24, 1863): Federal topographical sketch map by Capt. W. E. Merrill, Chief of Topographical Engineers, drawn in the field weeks before the Chickamauga Campaign. Shows Jasper, Bridgeport, Shellmound, Sweeden's Cove, the Battle Creek road, the Sequatchie Valley road, and Lowry's, Alley's, Lover's, and Kelly's ferries. Public domain (Federal-government work). Contributed by Carden Brown.

The Suck rapid on the Tennessee River, Harper's Weekly engraving, 1864 — The Suck (1864): Harper's Weekly engraving of The Suck rapid on the Tennessee River, the obstruction at the head of the Tennessee River Gorge that gave Suck Creek its name. The rapids were drowned in the 20th century by Hales Bar and later Nickajack impoundment.

Battle of Missionary Ridge lithograph — Battle of Missionary Ridge (Nov. 25, 1863): fought just east of Marion County in Hamilton County; Kurz & Allison lithograph.

NC&StL Railway locomotive — NC&StL Railway Locomotive: Industrial era transportation

Hales Bar Dam in 1949 — Hales Bar Dam (1949): Hydroelectric infrastructure

Nickajack Dam — Nickajack Dam: TVA hydroelectric project

Interstate 24 near Monteagle, 1967 — Interstate 24 (1967): Modern transportation infrastructure near Monteagle

Scopes Trial participants Bryan and Darrow, 1925 — Scopes Trial (1925): William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, at a trial presided over by Marion County–born Judge John T. Raulston (Dayton, Rhea County).

Tennessee Historical Commission marker for the 1927 Christmas Night Shootout, South Pittsburg — 1927 Christmas Night Shootout marker: Tennessee Historical Commission marker 2B-32 at the corner of Cedar Avenue and Third Street in South Pittsburg, dedicated July 20, 2014, marking the location of the December 25, 1927 gun battle that killed Marion County Sheriff Wash Coppinger and five other officers. Photo: Tyce H.

Historic Jasper commercial building — Jasper Commercial Block: Historic downtown architecture

Hales Bar Dam powerhouse, 2013 — Hales Bar Dam Powerhouse (2013): The surviving powerhouse from the 1913 dam, now a marina and event venue

Hales Bar powerhouse from the marina dock, 2017 — Hales Bar Powerhouse (2017): View from the marina dock; the only major original structure from the Guild-era worksite still standing

Hales Bar Dam turbine cross-section diagram — Hales Bar Dam Turbine: Cross-section diagram of one of the dam's eight original turbines (TVA, 1972)

Interior of a beehive coke oven at Dunlap — Beehive Coke Oven: Interior view of a Sequatchie Valley coke oven at Dunlap, showing the firebrick lining

NC&StL Dixie Flyer and Dixie Limited timetable, 1930 — NC&StL Timetable (1930): Schedules for the Dixie Flyer and Dixie Limited passenger trains

Shelby Rhinehart Bridge at South Pittsburg — Shelby Rhinehart Bridge (1981): The "Blue Bridge" carrying SR-156 over the Tennessee River at South Pittsburg

Trail of Tears marker in Monteagle along U.S. Route 41 — Trail of Tears Marker, Monteagle (2016): Bell Route marker along U.S. Route 41 on Monteagle Mountain; John Bell's detachment crossed the plateau here in 1838 and camped near Martin Springs on the descent into the Sequatchie Valley

Betsy Pack's deed donating the Jasper town site, 1820 — Betsy Pack's deed donating the Jasper town site (1820). Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Betsy Pack historical marker in Jasper — Betsy Pack historical marker in Jasper, honoring the Cherokee woman who donated the land for the county seat. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

First Marion County Courthouse, Jasper — First Marion County Courthouse in Jasper (built 1820s). Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Second Marion County Courthouse, Jasper — Second Marion County Courthouse in Jasper (built 1882). Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1887 — Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1887. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

First National Bank building, South Pittsburg — First National Bank building, at the corner of Elm Avenue and 3rd Street, South Pittsburg. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1924 — Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1924. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1928 — Cedar Avenue, South Pittsburg, 1928. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

1902 Sanborn fire-insurance key map of South Pittsburg — 1902 Sanborn fire-insurance key map of South Pittsburg, showing the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad furnaces in operation, the street grid, and the Tennessee River. Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1913 Sanborn fire-insurance map of South Pittsburg, furnaces idle — 1913 Sanborn fire-insurance key map of South Pittsburg, the TCI furnace complex now labeled “Not in Operation.” Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

1902 Sanborn fire-insurance map of the Cedar Avenue commercial core, South Pittsburg — 1902 Sanborn fire-insurance plate of the Cedar Avenue commercial core, with the Blacklock Foundry Co. (the future Lodge Manufacturing) at Cedar Avenue and First Street. Library of Congress, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Penn-Dixie Cement Corporation plant at Richard City — Penn-Dixie Cement Corporation plant at Richard City. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Dixie Portland Cement quarry, Richard City — Dixie Portland Cement quarry at Richard City. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Cement quarry, c. 1927 — Dixie Portland Cement quarry at Richard City, c. 1927. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Cement quarry, Richard City, c. 1927, alternate view — Dixie Portland Cement quarry at Richard City, c. 1927 (alternate view). Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Inn, Richard City, c. 1911 — Dixie Inn at Richard City, c. 1911. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Eagle Pencil Company steamboat on the Tennessee River — Eagle Pencil Company steamboat on the Tennessee River. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Eagle Pencil Company steamboat, alternate view — Eagle Pencil Company steamboat, alternate view. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Railroad bridge at Bridgeport, Alabama — Railroad bridge at Bridgeport, Alabama, on the Nashville and Chattanooga line. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Map of Marion County railroad lines — Map of Marion County railroad lines. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Teaching certificate issued to Lewis Ayers, 1859 — Teaching certificate issued to Lewis Ayers by Marion County, 1859. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

New Hope Academy report card, 1886 — New Hope Academy report card, 1886. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Pryor Institute commencement program, 1902 — Pryor Institute commencement program, Jasper, 1902. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Marion County High School girls basketball team, 1916 — Marion County High School girls basketball team, 1916. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

South Pittsburg High School building, 1924 — South Pittsburg High School building, 1924. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

Marion County High School class, 1927 — Marion County High School class photo, 1927. Public domain (pre-1930), via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

McReynolds High School, South Pittsburg — McReynolds High School, the Black high school in South Pittsburg during the segregation era. Photo: Tyce H.

Richard Hardy Memorial School play cast, 1958 — Richard Hardy Memorial School play cast, 1958. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Memorial School frontal view — Dixie Portland Memorial School (later Richard Hardy Memorial School), frontal view. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Memorial School faculty, 1926-27 — Faculty of the Dixie Portland Memorial School, 1926-27, with sixteen named staff. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Lanier Literary Society, May 1927 — Lanier Literary Society, Dixie Portland Memorial School, May 20, 1927. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

4-H Garden Club of Richard City — 4-H Garden Club of Richard City with leader Carl P. Archer. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

9th Grade Graduates, May 1928 — 9th Grade Graduates, May 1928. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Memorial School Auditorium — Dixie Portland Memorial School Auditorium. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Dixie Portland Memorial School Library — Dixie Portland Memorial School Library. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

Monday Parade from RHMS to Penn-Dixie plant — Pupils and teachers parade from Richard Hardy Memorial to the Penn-Dixie Cement plant. Courtesy of the Richard Hardy Memorial School archive.

1865 Army map of Marion County — 1865 U.S. Army map of Marion County, Tennessee. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

1881 map of Copenhagen, Marion County — 1881 map of Copenhagen (now Richard City), Marion County. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

1896 railroad map of Marion County — 1896 railroad map of Marion County, Tennessee. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

An NC&StL steam train at Whitwell in the snow, 1920s — A Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway train on the Sequatchie Valley line at Whitwell during a snow, 1920s. Carson Camp collection, via the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

Battle of Wauhatchie map, 1895 — Map of the Battle of Wauhatchie (Oct. 28-29, 1863), from an 1895 official record.

NC&StL Railway system map — Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway system map showing the main line through Marion County.

Transport steamer on the Tennessee River — Union transport steamer Lookout on the Tennessee River. Photograph by Mathew Brady, Library of Congress.

Battle Creek mine entrance, 1912 — Entrance to a Battle Creek coal mine, 1912. Public domain, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb.

Coke ovens in the Sequatchie Valley — Beehive coke ovens in the Sequatchie Valley near Dunlap, representative of the ovens that operated in Marion County.

Dunlap coke ovens, 2014 — Dunlap Coke Ovens Historic Site. Photo: Brian Stansberry, 2014 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Tennessee Consolidated Coal mine entrance near Jasper, 1974 — Tennessee Consolidated Coal Company mine entrance near Jasper. Photo: Jack Corn, 1974 (National Archives, EPA Documerica).

Norris Dam under construction, 1936 — Norris Dam under construction, 1936. TVA's first dam, predecessor to the Marion County dams. TVA Archives.

Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant — TVA's Raccoon Mountain Pumped-Storage Plant, on the Marion-Hamilton county line.

Quarried mountainside at Richard City, early 1900s — Quarried mountainside at the Dixie Portland Cement site, Richard City, early 1900s. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Dynamite blasting at Richard City quarry — Dynamite blasting the mountainside for cement production, Richard City, early 1900s. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Dixie Portland administration building — Dixie Portland Cement Company administration building, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Vulcan Materials plant at Richard City — Vulcan Materials quarry facility at the former Dixie Portland site, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Vulcan Materials operations at Richard City — Vulcan Materials operations at the Richard City plant site. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Penn-Dixie baseball team — Penn-Dixie Cement Company baseball team, Richard City. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Sequatchie Supply Store circa 1947, brick-front building with hanging sign and a 1940s automobile out front — Sequatchie Supply Store, c. 1947. Built by Glancy Sherman in 1890 as the village's commercial anchor; photographed in mid-century operation. Scan via TNGenWeb Marion County, contributed by Richard Bloss.

Glancy Manor, November 1962 — Glancy Manor, November 1962. The castle-shaped stone home Sherman built for Bertha in 1927. Scan via TNGenWeb Marion County, contributed by Suzanne Ferguson.

Formal parlor of Glancy Manor, mid-twentieth century interior view with grandfather clock, chandelier, and ornate cabinetry — Formal parlor of Glancy Manor, mid-twentieth century. Scan via TNGenWeb Marion County, contributed by Suzanne Ferguson.

Notable Figures

Francis Marion, 'The Swamp Fox' — Francis Marion (1732–1795): Revolutionary War hero and county namesake

Sequoyah — Sequoyah (c. 1770–1843): Cherokee leader and creator of the syllabary

Hopkins Turney — Hopkins Turney (1797–1857): U.S. Congressman and Senator from Marion County

Peter Turney, 1907 — Peter Turney (1827–1903): Confederate colonel, Chief Justice of Tennessee, and Governor of Tennessee (1893–1897), born in Jasper

Judge John T. Raulston, 1925 — Judge John T. Raulston (1868–1956): Judge in the Scopes Trial

James B. Frazier — James B. Frazier (1856–1937): Governor and U.S. Senator from Tennessee

Tom Stewart — Tom Stewart (1892–1972): U.S. Senator and Scopes Trial prosecutor, educated at the Pryor Institute in Jasper

Foster V. Brown — Foster V. Brown (1852–1937): U.S. Congressman who practiced law in Jasper

Sam D. McReynolds — Sam D. McReynolds (1872–1939): U.S. Congressman representing Marion County's 3rd District

James Bowron (left) with James A. Farrell, 1914 — James Bowron (1844–1928, left) with James A. Farrell: British industrialist who launched Marion County's coal and iron era

Jobyna Ralston, 1924 — Jobyna Ralston (1899–1967): Silent-film actress from South Pittsburg

Jacob Saylors with the St. Louis Battlehawks, 2024 — Jacob Saylors (b. 2000): Jasper-born NFL player, Marion County High School #8 retired

Culture & Heritage

Lodge cast-iron skillet — Lodge Cast Iron Skillet: American manufacturing icon since 1896

National Cornbread Festival banner — National Cornbread Festival: Celebrating Southern and Appalachian culinary tradition

Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Ebenezer Cumberland Presbyterian Church (ca. 1914), near Jasper

Whitwell Cumberland Presbyterian Church — Whitwell Cumberland Presbyterian Church (ca. 1892), Gothic Revival

Chapel on the Hill, South Pittsburg — Chapel on the Hill (1888 Primitive Baptist), restored sandstone meeting house at Elm Avenue and Eighth Street, South Pittsburg

Front of the Old South Pittsburg Hospital — Old South Pittsburg Hospital (1959 to 1998), 1100 Holly Avenue, South Pittsburg

OSPHPRC monument sign at the Old South Pittsburg Hospital — OSPHPRC monument sign at the entrance to the Old South Pittsburg Hospital Paranormal Research Center

South Pittsburg Primitive Baptist Church minutes, 1886 — South Pittsburg Primitive Baptist Church minutes, 1886, recording the founding congregation of what became the Chapel on the Hill. Courtesy of the South Pittsburg Historic Preservation Society.

Marion County map — Marion County Map: Geographic boundaries and communities

Education

Richard Hardy Memorial School exterior, 2015 — Richard Hardy Memorial School, Richard City. Photo: Brian Stansberry, 2015 (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0).

William Reuben Lehr in graduation cap holding his RHMS honorary diploma, 2013 — William Reuben Lehr with his Richard Hardy Memorial School honorary high school diploma, awarded under Tennessee's veteran honorary diploma program on Father's Day, 2013. Lehr left RHMS at 15 to enlist for the Korean War as a mortar gunner. Family photograph, contributed by his daughter Cathy.

Historical photograph of the Richard Hardy Memorial School front facade — Richard Hardy Memorial School front facade with Doric portico. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Portrait of Richard Hardy — Orville Richard Hardy (1868 to 1927), Dixie Portland Cement president and school namesake. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Bronze memorial tablet listing World War I veterans — Bronze tablet in the memorial lobby listing 72 Richard City residents who served in World War I. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Dixie Portland Memorial School News, 1927 — Dixie Portland Memorial School News, May 20, 1927. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Portrait of Professor John B. Brown — Professor John B. Brown, first superintendent of the Dixie Portland Memorial School. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Portrait of Professor Robert N. Chenault — Professor Robert N. Chenault, second superintendent of the school. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Portico entablature detail with diamond and bulls-eye motif — Detail of the portico entablature featuring alternating diamond and bulls-eye motif. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Left entrance to the school — Left entrance with solid oak double doors and a globe lantern. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Pedimented parapet above the portico entrance — Pedimented parapet above the portico entrance with bulls-eye frieze and carved building name. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Double corner pilasters on the building wing — Double corner pilasters at the corner of a wing, rising through two stories. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Rear facade of the left wing — Rear facade of the left wing. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Side facade of the left wing — Side facade of the left wing. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Side facade of the right wing — Side facade of the right wing. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Rear facade of the right wing — Rear facade of the right wing. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Palladian style windows of the auditorium — Palladian style windows at the base of the T plan, the auditorium wing. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

First floor corridor from the memorial lobby — First floor corridor viewed from the memorial lobby entrance, with terrazzo floor and globe lanterns. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Cast iron stairwell with oak handrails — Stairwell with cast iron rails and solid oak handrails. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Richard Hardy Memorial School library, c. 1927 — The school library, c. 1927. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Auditorium seating with Dixie Portland initials — Auditorium theater seats with cast iron aisle enclosures embossed with D and P for Dixie Portland. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Auditorium stage — Auditorium stage with ornamental stucco proscenium. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Rear of the auditorium showing balcony — View from the stage toward the rear of the auditorium, showing walnut seats and balcony. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Original 1926 student desks — Original 1926 walnut student desks, still in use. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Kindergarten fireplace — Cement and cast iron fireplace in the kindergarten room with a nursery-figure frieze. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

First floor plan, 1931 — Richard Hardy Memorial School first floor plan, from a 1931 article. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Foods laboratory at the school — Foods laboratory at the Dixie Portland Memorial School. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Sewing laboratory at the school — Sewing laboratory at the Dixie Portland Memorial School. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Manual training shop — Manual training shop at the Dixie Portland Memorial School. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

Special class students at the loom — Special class at the loom, Dixie Portland Memorial School. Source: Wilkerson 2003 thesis.

First floor plan — Richard Hardy Memorial School, first floor plan. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Second floor plan — Richard Hardy Memorial School, second floor plan. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Third floor plan — Richard Hardy Memorial School, third floor plan. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Foods laboratory — Foods laboratory at the Dixie Portland Memorial School. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Home Economics kitchen — Dixie Portland Home Economics kitchen. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Manual training shop — Manual training shop at Dixie Portland Memorial School. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Manual training shop, second view — Manual training shop, second view. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Special class at work — Special class of Dixie Portland Memorial School at work. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

School library, second view — Dixie Portland Memorial School library, second view. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Literary Club, 1927 — Literary Club, May 20, 1927. Teacher: Miss Jeannette Michael. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Musical display with Mrs. Robert Crisp and piano pupils — Musical display at Richard Hardy Memorial. Mrs. Robert Crisp with her piano pupils. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Health Pageant, 1930 — Health Pageant, Richard Hardy Memorial School, June 1930. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Unknown group, possibly Girl Scouts — Unknown group, possibly Girl Scouts. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Physical examinations at the school — Physical examinations at Dixie Portland Memorial School. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Kindergarten class — Kindergarten class at Richard Hardy Memorial School. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Captioned kindergarten class photo — Kindergarten class with Miss A. Murdock and students identified by name. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

First grade classroom — First grade classroom. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Second grade classroom — Second grade classroom. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Third grade classroom — Third grade classroom. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

9th Grade Graduates, May 1928, second photograph — 9th Grade Graduates, May 1928 (second photograph). Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

10th Grade Graduates, May 1930 — 10th Grade Graduates, May 1930. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Second grade class — Second grade class, year unknown. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

American Education Week observance — American Education Week observance, 7th and 8th grade. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

RHMS class of 1927 reunion, 1982 — Richard Hardy Memorial School class of 1927 reunion, 1982. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Unidentified photograph from RHMS — Unidentified photograph. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Unidentified photograph from RHMS — Unidentified photograph. Courtesy of Richard Hardy Memorial School, via RootsWeb/TNGenWeb Marion County.

Flora

Large-flowered skullcap — Large-flowered skullcap (Scutellaria montana): federally threatened plant of the Tennessee River Gorge

Bloodroot in bloom — Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis): an early spring ephemeral of cove forests

Fire pink wildflower — Fire pink (Silene virginica): scarlet hummingbird-pollinated wildflower of plateau rocky woods

Cardinal flower — Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): streamside wildflower of late summer

Passionflower — Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata): Tennessee's state wildflower

Mountain laurel in bloom — Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia): a heath of the sandstone rim and plateau bluffs

Large-flowered trillium — Large-flowered trillium (Trillium grandiflorum): a spring wildflower of rich mesic woods

Sweet Betsy trillium — Sweet Betsy trillium (Trillium cuneatum): a mottled-leaf trillium of Tennessee cove forests

Dutchman's breeches — Dutchman's breeches (Dicentra cucullaria): a delicate spring ephemeral of rich coves

Virginia bluebells — Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica): an early spring ephemeral of moist bottomlands

Pink lady's slipper orchid — Pink lady's slipper (Cypripedium acaule): an acid-soil orchid of plateau pine-oak woods

Cranefly orchid — Cranefly orchid (Tipularia discolor): a wintergreen orchid of deciduous forests

Mayapple — Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum): umbrella-leafed perennial of forest floors

Walking fern — Walking fern (Asplenium rhizophyllum): grows on shaded limestone outcrops, propagating at leaf tips

Christmas fern — Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides): an evergreen fern of woodland slopes

Tulip poplar flower — Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera): Tennessee's state tree, dominant in Marion County cove forests

White oak tree — White oak (Quercus alba): canopy dominant of Marion County ridges

Chestnut oak tree — Chestnut oak (Quercus montana): dominant on dry sandstone-capped ridgetops

Shagbark hickory bark — Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata): unmistakable plates of peeling bark

Eastern hemlock — Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis): a conifer of shaded gorge slopes, threatened by hemlock woolly adelgid

American chestnut — American chestnut (Castanea dentata): once dominant in Marion County forests, reduced to stump sprouts by chestnut blight

American sycamore with mottled white and cream bark — American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis): camouflage-mottled bark and the largest hardwood diameter in the eastern U.S., lining the Sequatchie River and Tennessee River bottoms

Bigleaf magnolia with very large leaves — Bigleaf magnolia (Magnolia macrophylla): the largest leaves and flowers of any temperate North American tree, scattered through Marion's coves

American smoketree with feathery seed plumes — American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus): a Tennessee special-concern species of limestone bluffs, with feathery pinkish seed plumes that give the tree its name

Sourwood with drooping white flower clusters — Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum): the source of sourwood honey, a cottage industry in Marion County for generations; brilliant red fall foliage

River cane stand — River cane (Arundinaria gigantea): North America's only native bamboo, now the subject of TRGT restoration

Little bluestem in autumn with coppery foliage and fluffy white seed heads — Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): the most widespread native warm-season grass on the Cumberland Plateau, turning copper-bronze in autumn

Hairawn muhly with pink-purple cloud of inflorescences — Hairawn muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris): billowing pink-purple seed clouds in October on dry, rocky plateau sites

Broomsedge in an old field showing characteristic tawny winter color — Broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus): the signature grass of abandoned Marion County pastures, turning whole hillsides tawny copper through winter

River oats with flat dangling seed heads in autumn — River oats (Chasmanthium latifolium): flat, dangling oat-like seed heads on arching stems along streams and rich bottomland woods

Japanese honeysuckle — Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica): a fragrant invasive vine blanketing forest edges

Kudzu covering trees — Kudzu (Pueraria montana): invasive vine that transforms Southern roadsides

Garlic mustard in flower — Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata): a severe-threat biennial invading forest understories

Chinese bush-clover — Chinese bush-clover (Lespedeza cuneata): a former erosion-control planting now a severe-threat invader of roadsides and old fields

Parrot feather aquatic plant — Parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum): an aquatic invasive that forms dense mats in ponds and slow streams

American chestnut killed by chestnut blight — Chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica): the fungal pathogen that eliminated the American chestnut as a canopy tree

Hemlock woolly adelgid egg sacs on hemlock branch — Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae): cottony egg sacs on eastern hemlock, an active threat in Marion County gorges

Emerald ash borer adult beetle — Emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis): the invasive beetle devastating North American ash species

Spotted lanternfly adult with wings spread — Spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula): a plant-sap feeder confirmed in Tennessee in 2024

Sassafras tree killed by laurel wilt — Laurel wilt (Raffaelea lauricola): a fungal disease threatening sassafras and spicebush across the Southeast

Morel mushroom — Morel (Morchella esculenta): April fruiting under tulip poplar and elm

Chanterelle mushroom — Chanterelle (Cantharellus sp.): summer fruiting under oak and beech

Hen of the woods mushroom — Hen of the woods (Grifola frondosa): a shelf fungus found in overlapping clusters at the base of oaks in autumn

Jack o'lantern mushroom — Jack o'lantern (Omphalotus olearius): a toxic look-alike of chanterelles that glows faintly in the dark

Destroying angel mushroom — Destroying angel (Amanita bisporigera): deadly toxic white amanita of Eastern hardwood forests

False morel — False morel (Gyromitra sp.): brain-shaped lookalike of true morels, contains toxins

Yellow fringed orchid — Yellow fringed orchid (Platanthera ciliaris): among the showiest native orchids, with deeply fringed orange-yellow flowers

White fringeless orchid — White fringeless orchid (Platanthera integrilabia): federally endangered bog orchid of Cumberland Plateau seeps

Yellow lady's slipper orchid — Yellow lady's slipper (Cypripedium parviflorum): a rare orchid of limestone-influenced cove floors

Dwarf crested iris — Dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata): a low-growing native iris of shaded stream banks

Jack-in-the-pulpit — Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum): a woodland arum that changes sex year to year

Canada lily — Canada lily (Lilium canadense): a rare native lily of moist meadows and stream margins

Fauna

Bald eagle — Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus): now nesting on Nickajack Lake after 20th-century absence

Cerulean warbler — Cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea): globally declining canopy songbird of the Tennessee River Gorge

Pileated woodpecker — Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus): crow-sized woodpecker of mature forests

Wood thrush — Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina): declining forest songbird with a flute-like song

Louisiana waterthrush — Louisiana waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla): a streamside warbler of rocky headwater creeks

Worm-eating warbler — Worm-eating warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum): forages in dead leaf clusters on steep wooded slopes

Eastern wild turkey — Eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo): restored to Marion County forests after near-extirpation

White-tailed deer buck — White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): recovered from near-extirpation a century ago

American black bear — American black bear (Ursus americanus): increasingly reported in the plateau forests of Marion County

North American river otter — River otter (Lontra canadensis): reintroduced; now established on the Tennessee and Sequatchie Rivers

Eastern cottontail rabbit — Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus): common in fields, clearings, and forest edges

Eastern red bat — Eastern red bat (Lasiurus borealis): a solitary foliage-roosting bat of Marion County forests

Gray bat colony — Gray bat (Myotis grisescens): federally endangered cave bat; Nickajack Cave was a historic colony

Indiana bat — Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis): federally endangered bat that hibernates in Marion County caves

Northern long-eared bat — Northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis): federally endangered, declining from white-nose syndrome

Eastern hellbender salamander — Eastern hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis): largest salamander in North America; proposed endangered in 2024

Tennessee cave salamander — Tennessee cave salamander (Gyrinophilus palleucus): a neotenic cave-dwelling salamander, state-listed

Green salamander — Green salamander (Aneides aeneus): a rock-crevice specialist of the Cumberland Plateau escarpment

Timber rattlesnake coiled — Timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus): resident of plateau ridges and rocky talus slopes

Copperhead snake — Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix): the most common venomous snake in Marion County

Northern water snake — Northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon): a nonvenomous snake of river and lake margins, often mistaken for a cottonmouth

Eastern box turtle — Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina): a long-lived terrestrial turtle of forests and meadows

Five-lined skink — Five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus): a common lizard of woodland edges, juveniles with bright blue tails

Eastern fence lizard — Eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus): a sandstone- and stone-wall sunner; males flash a bright blue throat and belly

Common snapping turtle — Common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina): the heavy-bodied apex turtle of every Marion pond and slough

American bullfrog — American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus): the “jug-o-rum” bass voice of Marion's summer pond edges

Spring peeper — Spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer): a tiny treefrog whose late-winter chorus carries a quarter mile

Spotted salamander — Spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum): the black-and-yellow mole salamander that migrates to vernal pools on the first warm rainy nights of late winter

Snail darter — Snail darter (Percina tanasi): once believed extinct, central to the Tellico Dam controversy and now found in streams including the Sequatchie

Lake sturgeon — Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens): an ancient fish being restored to the Tennessee River system

Paddlefish — Paddlefish (Polyodon spathula): a prehistoric filter-feeder of the Tennessee River

Freshwater mussel — Freshwater mussel: the Tennessee River watershed is a global hotspot for mussel diversity, with many species endangered

Zebra swallowtail butterfly — Zebra swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus): caterpillars feed only on pawpaw

Monarch butterfly — Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus): passes through Marion County on its annual migration

Luna moth — Luna moth (Actias luna): silk moth with pale green wings and long hindwing tails

Adult Sequatchie caddisfly — Sequatchie caddisfly (Glyphopsyche sequatchie): endemic to four Marion County spring-fed streams, type locality at Sequatchie Cave State Natural Area

Photo Credits & Sources

Kurz & Allison lithographs, Library of Congress
Mathew Brady photographs (Tennessee River Gorge), Library of Congress
Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) historical photographs, TVA Archives
Tennessee Encyclopedia – Marion County
Data USA – Marion County, TN