Dedication of New City Hall, 1992. Mayor Bob Putman at the podium. File photo originally published in “A Pictorial History of McKenzie, Tennessee,” by The McKenzie Banner in October 2004. more

It seems 1996 was a transitional year for McKenzie as three memorable and iconic businesses locked their doors for a final time. Moseley Seed and Feed, Wrinkles Hardware and Forestwood Restaurant. While working on the story for John Moseley, I came across the story of Lou Sherwood’s retirement written by Linda Bolton. more

I stood in line behind a young lady at the “Just Love Coffee Café” in Nolensville, Tennessee, trying to get a better look at the tattoo running down her left forearm…without looking like I was trying to get a better look at the tattoo running down her left forearm! more

For 65 years, Moseley Seed and Produce was a fixture in McKenzie. The business was synonymous with John H. Moseley, but the story of the feed store begins with his father, George Leonard Moseley (1887-1962). more

There are tremendous advantages to growing up in a small town. For one thing, it doesn’t take long to get from one end of it to the other. more

Back in the 1950s, it wasn’t uncommon for families in the rural south to have a garden and sell their surplus crops for a little extra money. In Gleason, the cash crop was sweet potatoes, earning the little municipality the title of Tater Town, USA. Many households in Gleason raised a plot of sweet potatoes. During the harvest, the potatoes were brought to a central warehouse and were sent out to various vendors in the county. more

The first bit of “story telling” I can remember was about a dog and a bone. This wayward hound was crossing over a small stream on an equally small bridge (the Childcraft book had pictures) carrying a bone in his mouth. Mother read how the dog saw his own reflection and, greedy for the “other dog’s possessions,” opened his mouth to bark, thereby dropping his bone. more

On June 3, 1934, local Civilian Conservation Corps. (CCC) camps were granted the authority to enroll fifteen local men. The purpose behind the authorization was to bring in individuals with local knowledge and experience. The locals would be more familiar with the area and had certain training and experience that could be used to the camp’s advantage. Some of the locals enrolled at the camp were Bailess Simmons, Morris Beadles, Howard Sparks, David Chandler, Hugh Brooks, Wilburn Aden, Graden Featherstone and Joe McClure. more

Folks, we’ve got to nip this in the bud. And I’m not talking leftover Easter lilies! It may be the stupidest idea in the history of the known world. You’ve got to wonder who sits around and thinks this stuff up…. more

On April 5, 1933, through an executive order, Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps or CCC. This “New Deal” legislation was designed to put hundreds of thousands of young men to work on environmental conservation projects. By July 1, 1933, 1,433 work camps were established and employing 300,000 men. It was the most rapid peacetime mobilization in American history. more

Call me old fashion. Outdated. A dinosaur who somehow escaped the tar pit. And sure, I hear the comments. The game is too slow. The pitcher takes too long to deliver the ball. The batter steps out of the box after every pitch. They scratch and spit and argue over every close play. Tied games go on forever. more

In recent weeks, Mother Nature has waged war in the Southeast with a barrage of heavy rains and tornadoes. With each passing tornado watch and warning, we dodged a serious bullet. In 1997, that was not the case. more

One Easter Mom dressed me, Leon and David Mark just alike. Good golly Lord America! It was like one of those Egyptian plagues! more

Me and Leon would get into an ugly staring contest by crossing our eyes and sticking out our tongues at each other. Mom would invariably say, “You boys stop that. You do it long enough and your eyes will stick that way!” more

If you look at McKenzie High School football over the last 40 years, there has been one fairly consistent face on the sidelines, Randy Thomas. He stands out as a superior and great teacher/coach. The 2020 football season marked his swan song in athletics, and at the end of the 2020-2021 school season, he will officially retire from education. more

March 30th is the date to observe National Doctor’s Day. This special day is observed by hospitals and communities throughout the country. more

The Inglenook Book Club met in March at the McKenzie Farmer’s Market. Our hostesses were Geneva Johnson and Shirley Martin, who had decorated tables with a St. Patrick’s Day theme in green and gold St. Pat symbols, along with packaged snack treats for everyone. more

The very first newspaper story I wrote was about a cat; that was back in March of 1984. The skinny, hungry-looking feline actually showed up on our back steps in 1976. I told Cathy right off not to feed that cat. more

Let us now take a look at what conditions around Bethel and McKenzie were, especially, during the early 1930s… I think you should be made aware of some of the hardships your parents and grandparents went through. Bethel students should learn something about how your school survived those times and what the school did to help provide an education for a large number of young folks. more

I think Leviticus is still in the Bible. With all the modern translations out there now, it’s a little hard to know for sure. The word, when translated into English, means “Hard to read; … more