COUNTIES
Along The Byway
Campbell County
Created in 1806, the county is named in honor of Arthur Campbell.
Visitor Center
Campbell County Chamber of Commerce
1016 Main St.
Jacksboro, TN 37757
Phone: 423-566-0329
Founded: 1806
Population: 40,716
Total Area: 498 square miles
Water Area: 18 square miles
Density: 81.76 residents/square mile
County Seat: Jacksboro – Population: 1,887
Largest City: LaFollette – Population: 7,926
The Cumberland Historic Byway continues through the Powell Valley westward on SR 63 and crosses into Campbell County. Created in 1806 from portions of Anderson and Claiborne counties, the county is named in honor of Arthur Campbell, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and a Revolutionary War officer. While farming was the predominant economic activity for the first settlers of this picturesque landscape, its wide, navigable rivers and abundant forestland facilitated timber harvesting as well as iron and coal extraction from the Antebellum period onward. Rail transportation transformed the region into a coal mining center for many decades. Yet as “King Coal” declined in the early 1980s, tourism and light manufacturing emerged to take its place as a major economic driver, thanks in large measure to the construction of Interstate 75 through the county. The Tennessee Valley Authority’s development of Norris Lake and its 750 miles of shoreline has proven to be one the county’s biggest boons, as the lake’s boundless recreational opportunities and natural charms have attracted many tourists and retirees alike to the county. The Campbell County portion of the Cumberland Historic Byway features another of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s historical markers. Titled “Kirby Smith Invades Kentucky,” the marker is located on US 25 W and describes the movement of Confederate Major General Kirby Smith through Roger’s Gap.
One of the county’s architectural treasures is the Smith-Little-Mars House. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 for its architectural significance, the building was originally constructed in 1840 as a two-story, center-hall-plan house. In the 1890s, however, the house was altered to reflect the popular Victorian Era Queen Anne style. The name of the house derives from several owners, the first of whom was Frank Smith, whose slaves constructed the house. After the Civil War, Joshua Little, a circuit preacher of the Powell Valley region, purchased the house and later sold it to his son, Silas, in the late 1890s. Silas Little amassed a small fortune in the Knoxville clothing industry and is responsible for transforming the house with its Victorian Era architectural embellishments. According to the NRHP nomination form, this house has been linked to other brick Antebellum homes constructed in Campbell and Claiborne counties as having been constructed by slaves belonging to John Kincaid II. In fact, the date “1840” and initials purported to be from the slaves who built the house are said to be carved into wood beams under the house.
For its local significance as an excellent example of Federal style architecture, the Kincaid-Howard House was also listed on the National Register in 1976. Located in Fincastle on SR 63, the house was constructed in 1845 by John Kincaid II, a prominent landowner of the Powell Valley region who was also an attorney and money lender. According to local tradition, Kincaid acquired most of his wealth from a secret silver mine that he operated in Union County. As Kincaid’s wealth accumulated, so did his landholdings, which were maintained by a large contingent of enslaved African Americans. Kincaid’s slaves were used for the construction of his house, which features exterior walls four bricks thick, generously proportioned rooms with 12-foot-high ceilings, and interior woodwork characteristic of the Antebellum period. Overall, Kincaid’s slaves built ten houses for him throughout the Powell Valley.
Likely as a result of his extensive land and slave holdings, Kincaid sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War. Kincaid later swore his loyalty to the Union and became a lawyer, money lender, and farmer. On February 22, 1865, John Kincaid II was killed by a pair of former Confederates who were unable to repay a loan Kincaid had made to them. The property was acquired next by Kincaid’s son-in-law, Henry Sutton. After passing through several hands, the house was eventually purchased in 1927 by Dr. P.T. Howard, who later added the large, two-story porch.
Near the southwest end of the Powell Valley is the town of LaFollette and the National Register-listed home of the town’s founder, Harvey LaFollette. The LaFollette House is recognized for its local significance as an excellent example of Victorian Era architecture and for its association with the founder and namesake of the town.
Prior to 1889, the area comprising present-day LaFollette consisted of wooded areas and farmland owned largely by John Douglas. In 1889, a group of Kentucky investors purchased Douglas’s lands in order to capitalize on the region’s iron and coal reserves. Initially, the town was called Big Creek Gap, but it was changed to LaFollette following the arrival Harvey LaFollette, who lost no time in purchasing the lands from the developers. In order to encourage growth and development, LaFollette ordered the construction of eleven miles of railroad track to link the town to Vespar, Tennessee. LaFollette’s railroad provided merchants and developers with access to the Southern Railway, which was extended to Caryville in 1897. At its peak, the LaFollette Coal and Iron Company operated one of the largest iron furnaces in the South, along with a number of coke ovens. The town of LaFollette grew from a population of 366 in 1900 to 3,056 by 1920. Henry LaFollette later sold his industrial interests to James Sterchi in 1928 and moved to New York.
The A.E. Perkins House in Jacksboro was listed on the National Register in 1997 for its local significance as an exceptional example of Colonial Revival architecture. Originally constructed in 1850 by James Williams as a simple, two-story frame house, the building was acquired by local businessman Alexander Early Perkins in 1930, who proceeded to renovate the building to reflect the then highly fashionable Colonial Revival style. The house features an impressive two-story portico supported by a series of classically inspired columns and includes an intricate floor plan highlighted by handcrafted fireplace mantles. The A.E. Perkins House well illustrates the powerful influence 20th-century modernity had on rural communities. Plumbing, lighting, electricity, labor-saving appliances, and even linoleum flooring all contributed to the modernization trend of the American home.
Cultural Sites
Upper Cumberland Quilt Trail
Multiple Counties in TN
The Upper Cumberland Quilt Trail is part of a commitment to preserve the historical craft of traditional quilting. By following the maps, you will see not only the beautiful and historic barns owned by local farm families, but also gorgeous quilt squares displayed on businesses and homes in the various communities. Quilt squares range from 2’x2’ to 8’x8’ wood squares. The blocks are replicas of treasured family heirlooms. In painting their favorite patterns on barns, businesses, and homes, we are honoring local quilters who are well known for their skills of using every piece of scrap fabric to create a beautiful work of art that is also a useful item in the home.
Louie Bluie Music & Arts Festival
LaFollette, Tennessee
The mission of the Louie Bluie Music and Arts Festival is to celebrate the life and art of Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong — a nationally acclaimed string band musician, artist, storyteller, and jewelry maker who came from Campbell County — and to showcase the music, art, and crafts of Campbell county and the region. One of East Tennessee’s most beloved festivals, the Louie Bluie Music & Arts Festival features a wide variety of music, from blues to bluegrass, as well as handmade crafts, regional food and beverages, storytelling, children’s art and fun zone, and a judged art and quilt show. Old-time musicians and string bands in the region play throughout the day, along with musicians and actors who were influenced by the festival’s namesake and Campbell County Tennessee native Howard “Louie Bluie” Armstrong.
Historic Sites
Campbell County Historical Museum
LaFollette, Tennessee
The Campbell County Historical Society maintains a genealogical library at its headquarters in cooperation with the LaFollette Public Library. The collection contains books on genealogy and local history. It also includes an extensive microfilm collection of court records, deeds, marriage records, census schedules, and back issues of the LaFollette Press. These materials are non circulating.
LaFollette House
LaFollette, Tennessee
LaFollette House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 for its local significance as an excellent example of Victorian Era architecture and for its association with Harvey LaFollette, the founder of the town which bears his name. Prior to 1889, the area comprising present-day LaFollette consisted of wooded areas and farmland owned largely by John Douglas. In 1889, a group of Kentucky investors purchased Douglas’ lands in order to capitalize on the region’s iron and coal reserves. The initial town was called Big Creek but changed to LaFollette following the arrival Harvey LaFollette, who purchased the lands purchased by the developers. In order to encourage growth and development, LaFollette ordered the construction of eleven miles of railroad track to link the town to Vespar, Tennessee. LaFollette’s railroad provided merchants and developers with access to the Southern Railway, which allowed the town to grow from a population of 366 in 1900 to 3,056 by 1920.
A.E. Perkins House
The A.E. Perkins House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 for its local significance as an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture. Originally constructed in 1850 by James Williams as a simple, two-story frame house, the building was acquired in 1930by local businessman Alexander Early Perkins who proceeded to renovate the building to reflect the highly fashionable Colonial Revival style. The house features an impressive two-story portico supported by a series of classically inspired columns and includes an intricate floor plan that is highlighted by handcrafted fireplace mantles.
Historical Marker: Kirby Smith Invades Kentucky
The Kirby Smith Invades Kentucky historical marker is located on U.S. 25 W and describes the movement of Confederate Major General Kirby Smith through Roger’s Gap.
Kincaid-Howard House
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997 for its local significance as an excellent example of Colonial Revival architecture. Originally constructed in 1850 by James Williams as a simple, two-story frame house, the building was acquired by local businessman Alexander Early Perkins in 1930 who proceeded to renovate the building to reflect the highly fashionable Colonial Revival style. The house features an impressive two-story portico supported by a series of classically inspired columns and includes an intricate floor plan that is highlighted by handcrafted fireplace mantles.
Smith-Little-Mars House
The Smith-Little-Mars House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 for its architectural significance. Originally constructed in 1840 as a two-story, center-hall-plan house, the building was later altered in the 1890s in the popular Victorian Era Queen Anne style. The name of the house derives from several owners, the first of whom was Frank Smith, whose slaves constructed the house. After the Civil War, Joshua Little, a circuit preacher of the Powell Valley region, purchased the house and later sold the house to his son, Silas, in the late 1890s. Silas Little amassed a small fortune in the Knoxville clothing industry and is responsible for transforming the house with its Victorian Era architectural embellishments. According to the NRHP nomination form, this house has been linked to other brick Antebellum homes constructed in Campbell and Claiborne counties as having been constructed by slaves belonging to John Kincaid II. In fact, the date “1840” and initials purported to be from the slaves who built the house are said to be carved into wood beams under the house.
Fraterville Mining Disaster/Longfield Cemetery
Due to its abundance of national resources, this Appalachian region once produced most of the nation’s coal. In the late 1800s, new rail lines meant new coal lines near Coak Creek (now Lake City). With opportunity soon came tragedy; the worst mining disaster in Tennessee history occurred on May 19, 1902. An unexplained explosion trapped men in the mines. Most died instantly, and the trapped miners who survived the initial explosion scribed their epitaphs and farewell wishes into the walls of the cave. Some of the inscriptions were later transferred to the headstones of the miners’ graves, found at Longfield Cemetery and others nearby.
Moonshine Exhibit at Hampton Inn
Visit one of America’s top 10 Hampton Inns to see the llamas grazing alongside the lake and mountain vistas; décor and memorabilia tell the true story of an East Tennessee bootlegger’s final, fatal run-in with revenuers.
Recreational Sites
North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area
Morgan, Scott & Campbell Counties, Tennessee
The North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area encompasses 140,000 acres of the Cumberland Mountains in Scott County, Campbell County, Anderson County, and Morgan County. The scenic WMA encompasses the Baker Highway corridor along the Scott-Campbell county line east of Huntsville and is popular for its ATV riding and wildlife viewing opportunities. Several hundred miles of trails within the WMA are managed by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. Hunting is also popular on the WMA. Whitetail deer, eastern wild turkey, and wild boar are the most popular game animals, but a variety of upland birds and small game can be hunted on the WMA, as well. The WMA is home to the second-largest free-roaming elk herd east of the Mississippi River. Tennessee’s elk reintroduction program has been ongoing since 2000, and elk are a common sight in and around the WMA.
Cove Lake State Park
Caryville, Tennessee
Cove Lake State Park’s 673 acres are situated in a beautiful mountain valley setting on the eastern edge of the Cumberland Mountains. There are scenic nature trails and bike trails leading through the open grasslands and woodlands. In the winter, several hundred Canada Geese make this lakeshore their feeding ground. Nearby is the Devil’s Race Track, whose steep pinnacle rock affords a panoramic view.
Indian River Marina
Jacksboro, Tennessee
At Indian River Marina, you can have a nice time at a reasonable cost. The Indian River Boat Dock was established in 1958 but has been under current ownership since August 1995. Located at the top of Big Creek at Point 8, the marina is known for being easily accessed and near some of the best and smoothest water on Norris Lake. Beautiful landscapes sprinkled with pieces of outdoor art anchor the marina shoreline. Down at the boat dock restaurant and store, the plant and art atmosphere is blended with music that gives the experience of great food and memorable times.
Deerfield Resort
LaFollette, Tennessee
Discover the splendor of East Tennessee’s finest scenery on this 1,000-acre peninsula of Norris Lake. Bobby Clampett’s 6,800-yard course design stretches through this beautiful resort and gives you a challenge graced with vistas of the lake and mountains. Arrive by land, air or water, and your golf cart will be waiting to bring you to the first tee. Deerfield Resort is located between the Cumberland Mountains and the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on Norris Lake. Deerfield Resort is the only development on the lake with a private airstrip, a championship golf course, swimming pools, a children’s playground, tennis courts, and more.
Flat Hollow Marina
Speedwell, Tennessee
Flat Hollow Marina on Norris Lake, Tennessee, offers a variety of boating services such as boat rentals, which include pontoon and ski boats. Vacation rental accommodations include cabin rentals, luxury chalets, luxury houseboats, and floating houses. The marina also offers a restaurant with an outdoor eating area and a marine store full of boating supplies, accessories, and water toys. Boat slip rentals, boat launching, and docking are also available year-round. Their location is just across the lake from the beautiful new “Overlook Bay” development.
Powell Valley Resort and Marina
Powell Valley Resort is a full-service marina, only one mile off of the main highway, offering everything you need to make your Norris Lake vacation great.
Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area ATV access
The Royal Blue Wildlife Management Area offers parking and ATV access to Royal Blue WMA (140,000 acres).
The Greens at Deerfield Resort
Discover the splendor of East Tennessee’s finest scenery on this 1,000-acre peninsula of Norris Lake. Bobby Clampett’s 6,800-yard course design stretches through this beautiful resort and gives you a challenge graced with vistas of the lake and mountains. Arrive by land, air or water, and your golf cart will be waiting to bring you to the first tee. Deerfield Resort is located between the Cumberland Mountains and the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains on Norris Lake. Deerfield Resort is the only development on the lake with a private airstrip, a championship golf course, swimming pools, a children’s playground, tennis courts, and more.
Sundquist Wildlife Management Area at Hatfield Knob
The Sundquist Wildlife Management area is approximately 70,000 acres and home to a diverse array of habitats and wildlife. It is the site of an Elk Reintroduction program and thus a great place for elk viewing. The area is also an ideal spot for birdwatching, wildflowers, and butterflies. Sundquist WMA is known for its ATV riding opportunities as well as its wildlife. Sundquist WMA is home to a portion of the Cumberland Trail, a 300-mile hiking trail extending from Cumberland Gap in northern Tennessee to near Chickamauga National Park near Chattanooga in southern Tennessee, making it ideal for hiking.
Justin P. Wilson Cumberland Trail State Park
Caryville, Tennessee
The Cumberland Trail is an ambitious hiking trail project under development in East Tennessee. When completed, the Cumberland Trail (CT) will extend 300 miles from its northern terminus in the Cumberland Gap National Park (KY) to its southern terminus at the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park, located on Signal Mountain just outside of Chattanooga, Tennessee. This scenic footpath follows a line of high ridges and deep gorges lying along or near the rugged, eastern edge of Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau, offering a unique wilderness experience and many scenic views, waterfalls, landscapes, gorges, wildlife, and widely varying flora. As a remote, backcountry trail, it will meander through eleven Tennessee counties, primarily on public lands. These lands are managed by Tennessee’s Departments of Environment and Conservation (TDEC), Wildlife Resource Agency (TWRA), and Forestry.
Scenic Sites
Devil’s Racetrack Scenic Bluffs
Campbell County, Tennessee
This is a year-round hike but best enjoyed in the fall and early spring. There are many wildflowers and plants to be discovered, but also, unfortunately, poison ivy in warm-weather months. There are many rock walls, and at 3 miles, there is a natural opening called Window Rock with a great view. At the halfway point at 6.2 miles, the Eagle Rock lookout is a great place for lunch with a view. At 8.7 miles, the trail will descend down but continue straight for Devil’s Racetrack, which provides more valley views. Backtrack to descend to Bruce’s Creek triple falls. Follow the trail to the Bruce Gap Road parking lot.
Dining
Big Creek Market & Deli
Big Creek Market & Deli is a local, casual eatery just off the Byway in LaFollette.
Lucy’s Café
Lucy’s Café is a great place for a relaxed atmosphere, a cold drink, and good company.
Rickard Ridge BBQ
Rickard Ridge BBQ offers a gorgeous view of Cove Lake and the Cumberland Mountains. Make sure you bring a big appetite, because their goal is to provide you with a truly unique dining experience, whether you’re a BBQ connoisseur or just want some good eats! All of the meats are meticulously smoked by owner and BBQ pitmaster Mark Rickard, who has been part of an award-winning competitive BBQ team for several years and is now bringing the same quality and attention to detail that goes into a cookoff right to your table.
Scotty’s Hamburger
This local favorite has been serving up little burgers, great sandwiches, hearty breakfasts, and more, 24 hours a day since the 1970s.
The Diner
McCloud Mountain Restaurant
Unique in its location and views, McCloud Mountain Restaurant is a mountain-top restaurant perched atop the Cumberlands with a panoramic view that stretches as far as the Smoky Mountains.
Lodging
McCloud Mountain Lodge
McCloud Mountain Lodge offers a taste of what it is like to live among the clouds.