Thursday, December 11, 2008

Saving History


I live in a community very rich in history. Monteagle has been a famous southern resort town since the late 1800's. It was a hideout for Al Capone. There was a lucrative bootleg whiskey and moonshine business running out of various "joints" during and after prohibition. Highlander Folk School created enough interest to inspire people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Eleanor Roosevelt and enough controversy to have every local, state and federal government agency gunning for it. And then there is the rich educational history surrounding our famous neighbors University of the South and Sewanee Military Academy/St Andrews plus the prolific book writing and art creation that has been nurtured here in the glorious mountain paradise we call home.

But Monteagle is a strange little town. We can't decide who we really are or where we really come from, so we have a hodgepodge of historical preservation efforts by different interested parties with different viewpoints. It would be frustrating if it wasn't kind of comical. The other problem with Monteagle is that most of its history has gone up in smoke...literally.

So until we get our long range plan in place, a few of us insanely dedicated people find victory where we can get it. The most recent victory is saving the Monteagle Motel sign from the wrecking ball. This historic building has been vacant since the early 90's when one of our old summer family members (I think he is 4th or 5th generation) opened a cool jazz club in the main building that housed the old Diner.
Peter's father had designed the arch that connected the old sign to the main building so he had a special place in his heart for the location...plus it is right in the center of town!

Anyway, I digress. Those of us who had grandparents or parents that hung out at the old Diner, the place has very special memories and the cool, retro Monteagle Motel sign is just apart of the fabric of our community.

What are we going to do with it? Who the heck knows, but it has been saved for another day and another purpose. The old building is now rubble and we will have a fancy new CVS with a drive-thru pharmacy that many of our elderly citizens are looking forward to having here. I guess we have to make room for progress. But I just can't help but yearn for a simpler day and time. Saving History sure is bittersweet.

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