1	History of Bristol BY JOYCE KISTNER
2	Early Bristol Early Bristol Cherokee Indian. 1756 – Indians traded to the Loyal Co. of England – 50,000 acres of land, horses, rifles, wampum, firewater. Our present states had not been designated. Indians called Red Men in the South. Agricultural people – raised corn and potatoes “Great Spirit”
3	Early Bristol Happy Hunting Ground MEET CAMP First name for Bristol. Favorite animals who could talk Animal gods Rabbit, dog, squirrel, rattlesnake
4	Early Bristol Frontier Women Helped with building a cabin, planting crops, carding wool for clothing, rocked the cradle, used a gun when necessary, helped sick neighbors and protected against Indian raids. They had much courage.
5	Early Bristol Founders of Bristol John Taylor – surveyed 1946 acres – claimed for himself. Named it Sapling Grove. General Evan Shelby – Shelby’s Fort, a trading post (located near the E.W. King House near Beaver Creek, close to Applebee’s Restaurant.) Held 400 people. Never attacked by an Indian raid. 1,000 people immigrants – Kentucky-Tennessee around 1776. A customer was Daniel Boone. Traded pelt there for gun powder, food, clothing. Called “Long Hunter”
6	Early Bristol Two facts: found a copper kettle – 1776. “D. Boone killed a bar.” Came through Shady Valley up through TN. To Piedmont, Ave., and on to Long Island or Island Road. Born in Limestone, TN.
7	Early Bristol Sapling Grove 1771: Isaac Baker – 973 acres -VA. Sold land – Col. James King – 1794. Came to Bristol 1769-1776. He was a Patriot – Revolutionary War. Owned first ironworks – largest landowner, nail factory. Business on Steele Creek. Iron used as bartering item King’s Meadow. $10,000 for 50,000 acres. Solar Hill – below King’s Meadow. Telescope research from Smithsonian Institute. 1825 – Telescope story Rev. James King – son of Col. James King, founded King College and a Presbyterian Church in Paperville, TN. Confederate soldier could go to college. Free to be a minister.
8	Early Bristol Joseph R. Anderson – Blountville, TN (store clerk, banker, landowner). Bought 100 acres from his father-in-law, Rev. James King. 48 in TN and 52 in VA. Mr. Anderson married Rev. King’s daughter. Father of Melinda.
9	Early Bristol Names of Bristol: Sapling Grove, Kings Meadow, Meet Camp, Bristol, TN., Goodsonville, VA. Joseph Anderson was mayor –Bristol TN. Bristol, TN was named after Bristol, England.
10	Bristol Mayor – Bristol, Tenn. 1856 Bristol, England (iron ore) Industrial City Col. Samuel E. Goodson – 1856 Goodsonville, VA – Goodson changed to Bristol VA 1890 Anderson – Goodson. Land where union station donated (40 acres) property
11	Bristol Where is VA/TN state line? 1881- Both cities agreed to place line in center of the street – resolution. Two state legislative groups approve 1903 – TN ceded to VA
12	Bristol Brass marker – Birthplace of Country Music 410 State Street “Bristol Sessions” monument erected. Maybelle, Sara, and A. P. Carter classic: “Sunny Side of Life” country music hall of fame.
13	Bristol “Keep on the Sunny Side” There’s a dark and troubled side of life. There’s a bright and sunny side too . Though we meet with darkness and strife it’s the sunny side we also may view. Keep on the sunny side always on the sunny side, keep on the sunny side of life. It will help us everyday, it will brighten all the way, if we keep on the sunny side of life.
14	Bristol Tennessee Ernie Ford – “Sixteen Tons” country music museum Alliance – mural “Rhythm and Roots”
15	Bristol Paramount Center for the Arts Theater Bristol (children in action – on stage) Bristol Motor Speedway Bush Nascar attend: 160,000 people
16	Bristol Bristol Railroad History – Why did we need a railroad? Isolated part of the country because of: rugged terrain, Roads were a path – horse trail Trees were cleared for Conestoga wagon to pass. Bad weather turned these roads into rivers of mud. Railroad – quick method of travel (all weather road).
17	Bristol Lynchburg – 1830 No support – 1837 Va. Legislature 1848 – gathered half million dollars (2 days). 8,000 people raised the money in Lynchburg for railroad Bristol (small hamlet) 800 people (1856) 1880 – 40,000 population growth due to railroad connection (combined cities) First train with freight and passengers in Roanoke (Big Lick) 1852. Train in Bristol 1856 – Big celebration – 204 miles Railroad Company VA - TN
18	Bristol 3 day trip $5.00 to the cities of Bristol, TN – Joseph R. Anderson and Goodson VA – Samuel E. Goodson 120 ladies dressed in white 6-8,000 people – dancing, barbecue and music VA – TN – KY – GA – Over rocks, hills, valleys, 5 tunnels, 254 bridges. Low paid labor laid the track 5 feet apart to match the TN/VA border.
19	Bristol Use of trains and their local history. Bristol connected 1858 rail lines from east coast to the Mississippi River during the civil war. War between the states caused many hardships Confederate – union soldiers Saltville – 8,025 tons of salt shipped. Used for preserving food, medicine, gunpowder.
20	Bristol That progress stopped when – union soldiers burned train stations from Bristol to Lynchburg, except Glade Spring. Many bridges and 8,000 cross-ties, 5-6 miles of track burned. Over 100 graves of Confederate soldiers in East Hill Cemetery. General George Stoneman’s Raider burned train stations 1863 (91 days train shut down). Transfer of goods happened in Bristol (parallel parking) on tracks.
21	Bristol Continued reasons for use of trains: Farmers – sold 3 times more vegetables. Bristol sold 1 million bushels of wheat. Lands along the railroad lines across in value. 12 months carried 50,000 passengers 1860-70. Faster and safer way to travel 17 mineral springs – health treatment (people visited) From Bristol – train carried manufactured goods: barrels, furniture, carriages, coal, lumber, shoes.
22	Bristol 1869 – merging of many train companies: East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia because of the war. VA – TN line (no more). Now a line from Lynchburg to Dalton, GA. 1872 The first Pullman car was brought to Bristol. Bristol – key city of railroad. 1883 – Norfolk and Western expanded coal hauling capacity through the mineral rich areas of Southwest VA. Freight shipped East and West.
23	Bristol 1891 – Bristol was the only railroad center between Lynchburg VA and Knoxville, TN. 1901 – Bristol Terminal points of Norfolk and Western and the Southern met in Bristol. Norfolk and Western = VA side, Southern ended on the TN side. Southern said “This was an entrance to the manufacturing and commercial centers – Atlanta and Savannah, GA., Mobile, AL., Memphis, TN., New Orleans, LA.
24	Bristol Travel and speed on train – leave Bristol at night – be in Washington, D.C. for breakfast. Car today – 7 hours. Louisville (overnight) today – 6 hours. A line from Glade Spring to Saltville 9 ½ miles long – outlet for salt, produce. 1800s – Bristol to Appalachia.
25	Bristol National publication distributed Christmas presents, turkeys food. Great crowds met at every stop for employees from Bristol to Appalachia.
26	Bristol 1948 – Freedom Train Longest train tour in history. Every state – to make Americans aware. Children learned about their heritage, and civic affairs. Displayed: 127 documents 27 Marine guards Cargo
27	Bristol Bristol railroad was in a crucial confederacy strategy two tracks met at the state line, the VA-TN –East TN and VA was the only rail between VA and Confederate capital – Richmond with the lower South Junction. Armies provisions – grains, veg., fruits, Salt = preserved meat South – horses, mules, lead mines in Wythe Co., logs
28	Bristol Bristol – the Key Connection 15 year slow down 1880s New South not built on the plantation. Coal, timber reserves iron tobacco. A.D. Reynolds Tannery - hides of animals George Carter – combined coal, iron, coke co. Industrial revolution Fairmount Hotel – 1889 – burned 1901. Near Fairmount School. Street Cars – 1900s – Harmeling Opera House.
29	Bristol Bristol sign – 1910 – building State St. and Third St. Bristol VA – TENN push (1914) Bristol's new sign: $500.00 - 1920s. 1332 bulbs – 2 cities keep it lit. Purpose: welcome all visitors
30	Bristol Marrying parson – Burroughs Bristol wedding spot Marrying center of the South – 11 pm train couples wedding – nights lodging Eloping couples – cane, top hat, umbrellas, lantern $1.00 Marriage license - $10.00
31	Bristol A New Line New River Depot (now Radford) Coal deposits at Pocahontas, VA 1883 Clinch Valley Railroad – coal fields Bluefield (Graham) to Norton 104 miles long. 1891 (finished). This opened many new coal mines. Other lines into West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland and North Carolina. Aided – Southwest VA and opened new markets and development. The railroad continued to grow. In 5 years, 6 great railroads merged. A system of 8,000 miles of tracks. With other mergers, Bristol was a part of 27,000 mile network.
32	Bristol Bristol – Train service: Norfolk and Southern – 2008 25 trains a day Items transported: Frozen foods, boxes of goods, chemicals, cars.
33	Bristol 1. The day I met…. 2. Why Bristol needed the train. 3. My family in Bristol. 4. My pioneer life in Southwest VA. 5. Cherokees in Bristol area. 6. My first train ride. 7. A day working in my cabin. 8. A scary Indian story. 9. Pioneer – Indian foods. 10. The key train town – why? 11. The train after the war. 12 Fort Shelby 13. My favorite part….