Thursday, December 22, 2016

Danville, TN: A town torn down by the TVA

While studying the Memphis, Clarksville & Louisville Railroad, I came across a statement that the first trains started running in 1861 when the bridge across the Tennessee River was completed. But I had a hard time finding Danville. When I Google it, the closest one offered was in Kentucky. Later, I discovered that if I explicitly specified "danville tn" I got the correct area. The problem is that the town no longer exists. It was torn down in 1942 by the TVA to make room for the Kentucky Lake when the Kentucky Dam's reseviour finished filling in 1945.

When the 120 residents were notified in 1937 that there town was going to be wiped off the map "up to 24 trains per day passed through in the 1930s. The community boasted a steamboat landing, several stores and saloons, a post office, hotel, and Masonic hall." [ExploreKentuckyLake]

No comments:

Post a Comment