Small community keeps rural feel in spite of development
Photo by Michael Patrick
The community of Talbott is part of Jefferson and Hamblen counties. This is the view from U.S. Highway 11E at the Talbott Post Office looking south into the community.
Jefferson County
- Population: 49,372 (2006 Census estimate)
- Founded: 1792 from parts of Hawkins and Greene counties; named after statesman and President Thomas Jefferson
- County seat: Dandridge; population 2,445; named after George Washington's wife, Martha Dandridge Custis Washington
Other cities/towns:
- Jefferson City, population 8,028; originally named Mossy Creek for the vivid, green moss growing on the banks of the creek
- White Pine, population 2,087; originally known as Dandridge Crossing; White Pine was chosen by Postmaster Esquire Richard White, who wrote the name down as he sat in his cabin, looking out at tall white pine trees.
- Baneberry, population 447; county's newest incorporated city (1987); once called Lakeland; named after the bitter, poisonous mountain herb and the local golf resort
- Attractions: Baneberry Golf and Resort; Douglas and Cherokee lakes
Hamblen County
- Population: 61,062 (2006 Census estimate)
- Founded: 1870, from Jefferson, Grainger, and Greene counties; name in honor of Hezekiah Hamblen, an early settler, landowner and lawyer
- County seat: Morristown; population, 27,020; named after Gideon Morris, area's first European settler and farmer; boyhood home of Davy Crockett
- Attractions: Cherokee Lake; Crockett Tavern & Museum; Panther Creek State Park
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Just a few miles past Jefferson City on U.S. Highway 11E, tucked into a corner of Jefferson County and smack up against the Hamblen County line, lies the unincorporated community of Talbott.
It is a community that stubbornly retains a rural and agricultural feel, even as the number of farms declines and suburban-style houses slowly proliferate.
Talbott Elementary School is part of the Jefferson County school system. But in 1977 a new Talbott Post Office was built just inside Hamblen County, and today, more people with Talbott addresses live in Hamblen County than in Jefferson County. In both counties, a number of businesses that bear Talbott addresses line the front of the highway.
Still, to many East Tennesseans, the name "Talbott" causes them to first think of the Jefferson County farming community. Surrounding the surviving farms today are the homes of many people who work in Morristown or Jefferson City.
"Yeah, that's the going thing now," said Hugh Lamb, who owns a 245-acre beef cattle farm. At 70, he has lived and farmed in Talbott for most of his life and has seen the community change gradually.
"Lots of factories around here attracting workers," he said. "Used to be, Talbott had its own train depot, grocery store, some other businesses."
Five years ago, Vietnam veteran Roger Gillam, 60, retired and moved to Talbott. He lives next to a man who still farms.
"It sure is nice around here," he said. "It's like living in the country, but it's so close to Morristown and Jefferson City, every convenience you need is close by."
Celia Brady, postmaster at the modern post office, said that between 1,200 and 1,300 Talbott delivery addresses served by carriers from the post office are in Jefferson County, while about 2,100 are in Hamblen County.
Talbott Elementary School has 230 pupils, "all country kids," whose parents range from farm laborers to professionals, said Principal Judy Walters. "This is a really good community because everyone is stable. The parents of the kids here show a lot of interest in them. I am really pleased with that."
Near the school is an old Talbott institution with a new name: Marv's Country Store.
For years, it was called "Big Red's" when it was owned by Billy John Cureton, who has since sold it to another man, who in turn leased it to Marvin Ford, who is now in the process of buying it.
The "Loafers welcome" sign encourages conversation at the small restaurant and booths that Ford has installed, and old-time Talbott residents often gather to swap stories.
"Some of them might be exaggerated just a little bit," manager Angie Tolliver said with a wink.
Tolliver, 35, and Ford, 68, are both lifelong Talbott residents. "When I was growing up, I couldn't wait to get out, and I moved to Morristown," Tolliver said. "Then after a while, I couldn't wait to get back."
Longtime residents remember things like the post office and the train depot. Howard "Foy" Wells, 70, a retired furniture maker, remembers when blacktop roads and electric power came to the community.
"But I think the biggest thing to ever hit Talbott was when we got cable TV," Tolliver said.
Still, the creeping growth and changes are always in the back of everyone's minds. They hope the community's rural roots are strong enough to retain some of its rural feel and character.
"Feels like it's closing in sometimes, but I think it's going to be rural for a long time yet," Ford said.
"It's still a place where you feel like you don't have to lock your doors," Tolliver said. "Even our rough characters are honest."
Jim Balloch can be reached at 865-342-6315.
© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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