You’ll meet a preacher who made a living marrying courting couples across the Tennessee-Virginia state line. And you’ll hear about the Black Shawl – a downtown establishment that you might call an “escort service” – operated by Pocahontas Hale.
There’s also The Ol’ Pea Picker, Tennessee Ernie Ford, and stories of how this boy from Bristol became famous for songs like “Sixteen Tons.”
All this – and more – are part of a “U.S. History – Special Topics/The History of Bristol – 1852-1935,” a course focused on the Twin City, being offered this summer by East Tennessee State University.
“It’s not so much shocking things,” said the instructor, Gary Rose. “But we base this thing on the creation of the city being on railroads, liquor and prostitution.”
The latter “tended to follow the railroad camps,” said Rose, the site coordinator for the department of e-learning at East Tennessee State University’s Bristol campus.
Still, that’s only part of the history Rose explores.
“We will concentrate on the life and times of the people who by their faith and deeds made Bristol Tennessee-Virginia ‘A Good Place to Live,’” said Rose, 57.
Stories of the state line running through the center of Bristol factors heavily into presentations. “The state line determined what government did what,” Rose said. “And, of course, the law was different in Tennessee and Virginia.”
What makes this course unique?
“We do extensive field work,” Rose said. “Students say the field work is what makes the class different from a normal history class.”
The July 19 session explores the architecture of the Paramount Center for the Arts – “the theater’s history and what part it played in Bristol.”
Students also hear from local historians, such as V.N. “Bud” Phillips, Tim Buchanan, Bill Hartley and Shelia Steele Hunt.
This year marks the third semester for Rose teaching this course. Still, he said, he never tires answering questions about Bristol founder Joseph Anderson or whether Tennessee Ernie Ford promoted a positive or negative image of Bristol to the world.
This course, Rose added, “seems to have a great appeal to area teachers seeking a re-certification course.”
The class starts on July 8 and runs through August 7. It’s a senior-level elective course and can be audited. The class meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-9 p.m., at the Bristol campus and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students can register by gold link.
For more information, call (423) 844-6300.
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