Historic Montvale items are sought for on-site display
Originally published: January 10. 2007 3:01AMLast modified: January 10. 2007 12:00AM
The first step in the preservation of Montvale has been completed. The Harmony Group has purchased the East Tennessee YMCA camp.
A group of Friends of Camp Montvale, a nonprofit group, hopes to lease the area and continue operation of a camp there.
There is a second phase of this project which Dr. Otto Slater, local dentist and partner in the Harmony Group, is particularly concerned with and that is the preservation of the Montvale history.
In 1830, the site was an unclaimed wilderness. Then Daniel D. Foute operated a two-story log hotel of 10 rooms there from 1832 to 1850. In 1834 he purchased Black Sulphur Spring, located two or three miles away beside Montvale Road.
In 1850, the 3,840 acres, including Black Sulphur Spring, was transferred to Asa Watson of Mississippi. In 1853, he replaced the log hotel with a three-story, seven-gabled frame building with 60 cottages adjoining. Guests came from far and near, especially from Georgia, Alabama and Louisiana.
In 1860, a group including Sterling Lanier and his sons, Sidney and William B. Lanier, purchased Montvale Springs. It was during this time that young Sidney Lanier, grandson of one of the owners, spent his summers between his 15th and 19th years. He went on to become a famous poet, author and musician. The setting for his only novel, "Tiger Lilies," was Montvale.
In 1863, the property was sold to Joseph L. King of Knoxville.
On May 13, 1896, the hotel burned and the property was sold through chancery court to Andrew Gamble in 1899. Gamble built a smaller hotel that attracted guests from 12 states.
In 1911, Ludwig Pflanze purchased the hotel and operated it until it burned Nov. 21, 1933.
Since 1948, a YMCA camp has operated at the site.
This is a brief summary of the illustrious 177-year history of the site since it has been occupied by white settlers.
Now, as part of the preservation of Montvale, Dr. Slater is very interested in saving information, photographs and souvenirs of the history of Montvale which he hopes to collect into an on-site display for the present and future generations to enjoy and fully appreciate.
Readers are invited to call Dr. Slater's office (977-7110) or home (984-7989) to offer items they would like to place in the exhibit.
Montvale is indeed a historic treasure of Blount County. We owe it to our forefathers, as well as present and future generations, to preserve this part of our heritage through photographs and pertinent keepsakes from this lovely place at the foot of Chilhowee Mountain.
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