...I REMEMBER OUR BOX NUMBER, WHICH USED A DIAL-TYPE LOCK,,OUR NUMBER WAS 34...THE TRAIN CARRIED MAIL FROM KNOXVILLE TO THE KENTUCKY AREA, WITH STOPS ALONG THE WAY AND DROPPED OFF BAGS OF MAIL AT THE DEPOTS;;;;
IF IT IS OF FURTHER INTEREST, WHILE I STILL HAVE SOME OF MY MEMORY, I WOULD BE GLAD TO TALK WITH BROWN......INEZ JENNINGS, WHO MARRIED KYLE KIVETT, IS MOTHER OF JOHNNY, AND THINGS HE TELLS IS MORE THAN SECOND HAND..I LIVED THERE AS A YOUTH AND USING SOME OF THE PICTURES YOU HAVE COLLECTED COULD GIVE A LITTLE MORE ACCURATE STORY OF HOW THINGS LOOKED WHEN I WAS A YOUTH....
BEFORE FRANK LANE BUILT HIS STORE, THERE WAS A LARGER TWO STORY STORE THERE OWNED BY THE BREEDINGS AND WELCH'S..........MRS. BREEDING WAS A LEABOW I THINK AND THE ORIGINAL STORE THERE HAD A BACK PORCH OVERLOOKING THE RAILWAY STATION WHERE PEOPLE COULD GATHER AND WATCH THE PASSENGERS GET OFF AND ON THE TRAINS....................AND IN THE 1930'S, ONE COULD BUY A BOLOGNY AND WEINER SANDWICH FOR 10 CENTS....AND A COKE OR OTHER SODA FOR 5.. HAWK CAMPBELL OPERATED THE FIRST LITTLE STORE CLOSE TO WHERE THE PRESENT BRICK STORE STOOD...I ATE THERE MANY TIMES WHEN I COULD GET 5 OR 10 CENTS..OR MAYBE A QUARTER......
I STILL LIKE YOUR STORIES, EVEN THO SOMETIMES THEY SEEM TO HAVE GONE THROUGH TWO OR THREE HANDS BEFORE...........I HOPE YOU HAVE A GOOD VISIT IN FLORIDA........HELEN IS STILL HAVING LOTS OF PAIN FROM HER FALL.........CAN WALK A LITTLE O.K, BUT THE SITTING EVEN ON A PILLOW WITH CENTER REMOVED IS STILL PAINFUL.........WILL TRY TO TALK TO THE NURSE TOMORROW NOW THAT IT SEEMS MOST HELP WILL BE GETTING BACK TO WORK SPITE OF THE DELUGE OF RAIN WE HAVE BEEN AND STILL ARE HAVING...LOVE ..UNCLE FATE
The Lone Mountain Store and Post Office has long been a part of the community outside Tazewell. License plates on the wall date back to the 1950's, but the store's history goes back much further."Well over 170 something, probably closer to 200 (years). A long time, a long time," owner Inez Davis said.
Davis bought the store in 1990. All sorts of products have filled the shelves during that time.
"Everything, just about, that could be thought of," she said. "Even at one time we had some clothing; a general store, little bit of everything."
Saturday marks the final time the sign in the window will say "open". Business slowed so much Davis had to close the store December 31st. Starting Monday, mail will no longer be delivered to the post office.
The community successfully petitioned to keep it open in 2003. This time there was no such luck.
"Its just one of those things, we can't stop this time. It's a done thing," Davis said.
Current P.O. Box customers can keep their box number and zip code, they'll just have to drive to the New Tazewell Post Office to pick up their mail.
"It's going to cause some of them to drive farther, a few have put up boxes on the route to get it so it will be closer and not so inconvenient. Some are going to go on because they're afraid for their mail to be in a box on the route," Davis said.
She says she is sad to close the doors, but remains optimistic about the future.
"It's going to be different, but everything has a reason. There will be something down the way," Davis said.
The building is currently up for sale. Davis is considering going back to school and starting a new career.
10:09 PM, Jan 9, 2010 |