Christmas Tour of Homes
December 8, 2001
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The Chapel on the Hill
Corner of Elm Avenue & 8th Street
In 1886, Owen Russell Beene engaged Angus McRae, a Sewanee contractor, to build the Primitive Baptist Church in South Pittsburg. The stones for the structure were quarried in Sewanee, Tennessee. After a 1954 fire, the members repaired the church, omitting a bell tower. With declining membership, the building stood unused for twenty years. In July 2001, the building was added to South Pittsburg Historic District in the National Register of Historic Places. The Society is restoring the structure. O. R. Beene's great great grandchildren include Bebe Fuque and Neil Kirkpatrick. Last surviving local church member is Helen Clay.
Below are the following structures featured in the South Pittsburg (Tennessee) Historic Preservation Society, Inc.'s - 2001 Christmas Tour of Homes:
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The Lee House
1006 Elm Avenue
The Lees built this house in 1916. They had barns for the chickens and their dairy. The Lee descendants remained in the house until the Charles Atnip family became the owners for seven years. Jeff Matthews bought the house in 1992 and five years later he and Cyndi enlarged the house from 1500 square feet to 3600 square feet, keeping the character of the old house throughout the new part.
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The Jim & Judy Clepper House
911 Woodall Point
South Pittsburg Mountain
Jim and Judy Clepper’s new home sits on a 12 acre tract on the edge of South Pittsburg Mountain. The house built by Randall Smith in 2001 is covered with concrete boards called hardiboard and stone. A 72 foot porch is a favorite spot for relaxing and enjoying the view of the Tennessee River and miles into Alabama.
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Picture to be added later!
The Sam & Ida Jayne Hoye House
925 Woodall Point
South Pittsburg Mountain
"Almost Heaven,” the home of Sam and Ida Jayne Hoye was completed in the spring of 2001. All the rooms on the bluff side feature sliding glass or French doors, and the view is of Richard City, Bridgeport, and the Tennessee River. The house, pool, and guest house were constructed to frame “what God created,” and were designed as a center for entertainment. Visitors who knew the late Bill and Johnnie Hewgley will recognize Ida Jayne’s parents’ talents in wood and paint.
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The Holly Avenue Methodist Church
Corner of Holly Avenue & Fifth Street
The Southern Methodist Church was established in 1880 at the corner of Holly Avenue and Fifth Street. It was the first church constructed in South Pittsburg. The present church replaced the small frame building in 1930. The congregation adopted the name Holly Avenue Methodist in 1942.
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The Mary Hunter office building
Corner of Cedar Avenue & Fourth Street
The 1909 John J. Ingle drugstore building, recently renovated into office space by Mary Hunter, had served for 90 years as a community drugstore. After John Ingle, came Dave and Thornton Clepper, Virgil Thomas, Jim Melton, and John Pittman as druggist. Western Union had an office as part of the Drugstore. For a while the telephone company had an office upstairs and later it was used as an union hall for the men at US Stove Co. The second floor served at other times as a doctor’s office for Houston Price and Jimmy Havron and then Swafford law office.
The first CHRISTMAS TOUR OF HOMES, sponsored by the Historic Preservation Society of South Pittsburg was held December 8, 2001. Prepaid tickets were $8.00 and tickets bought the day of the tour at the Primitive Baptist Church (name was changed later to Chapel on the hill) were $10.00. The tour was a big success in raising money for our preservation projects, as well as being an enjoyable social affair. We had visitors from many miles away and from several different states. They all said they would like to attend again next year.
Barbara Clepper
