About 13 miles north of this close-knit town, construction for the Dale Hollow Dam began in 1942. The project was completed in 1943, the year this town drowned.
Some 74 families lived in the town's 441.54 acreage area and more in the area outside the town. Willow Grove was a town nestled in the Obey River valley and on the eastern side of Iron's Creek. It was located 13 miles from Celina, the county seat and was said to have gotten its name from a grove of willow trees, which surrounded a spring.
Willow Grove was founded as a settlement by five families from New York. Four of the five families were: the Edward Irons family; the Hill family the Barber family; and the Sprowl family. They bought their land from the Cherokee Indians who were a very peaceable tribe. The chief of the tribe was Knettle Carrier, son of Chief Obed and brother of Chief Doublehead.
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| Due to low water levels in Dale Hollow Lake, remains of the Willow Grove School can be seen in this Sept 2007 aerial photo. |
The people of Willow Grove were not for the dam and lake. They held town meetings to discuss the building of the dam and could not get any action taken against the project. They did not know how to fight the government, and the government was determined to build the dam. As time went on, the people realized the dam was going to be built. They had to prepare to move their belongings, their families, and even their cemeteries to new locations. Most of the people moved several of their belongings by truck and drove their cattle and livestock in herds.
The hardest thing was digging up the graves from all the cemeteries. They moved most of the graves to St. John's Cemetery and Fellowship Cemeteries. If they could not find anything under the grave markers, they would take a bit of dirt and rebury it at one of the other cemeteries. [Comment from Zach C: Eddie Irons' grave is said to be the only known grave to remain under the lake due to it being located under the concrete stairs of the school house.]
The corp also moved graves to the Donaldson Cemetery in the Pea Ridge community of Clay county.
On July 18, 1942, the people of Willow Grove met as a whole for the last time on the school grounds. Dr. Clark gave his heart touching farewell speech to the community.
Click here to read The History of Dale Hollow Lake by Darren & Sheryl Shell
Just one problem. It was Dale Hollow Dam not Wolf Creek. Wolf Creek is farther north in KY on the Cumberland River.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greg. Post has been corrected!
DeleteI just found out that I have family roots in Willow Grove, and came across this while searching for pictures. Thank you for writing this, and for giving me a glimpse of the town. The schoolhouse remains are a melancholy sight.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Keith. Graves were moved to the St. John's Cemetery and Fellowship Cemetery. www.findagrave.com has a few listings posted for those places.
DeleteMine too. Over 5 relatives and their families were forced out of Willow Grove and some of them ironically then went to serve Uncle Sam in the war. Not even a plaque at the campground to honor those who lived there (nor at any other TN lake for that matter).
DeleteMy father helped move those graves, heard him tell some eerie stories about it, my family's were also from the Willow Grove area.
DeleteIt was like that here in Taylor Co. with the town of Knifley. Green River Reservoir took it.
ReplyDeleteI understand many Knifley residents were forced to vacate their homes for the impoundment of the Green River Reservoir, but I haven't found information indicating any part of the town went under water as a result.
DeleteThere is (or was) a good book you can purchase on this and the rest of the communities affected by the dam at Sunset Marina on Dale Hollow. Eddie Irons' grave is said to be the only known grave to remain under the lake due to in being located under the school house's concrete stairs.
ReplyDeleteThe book is The History of Dale Hollow Lake. Darren and Sheryl Shell from Willow Grove Resort are the authors of the book. It can be purchased at the marina or by calling 931.823.6616. The book has lots of information and pictures!
DeleteTheir book is also available at Amazon.com.
DeleteI have a few class pictures from the 1930s
DeleteMy mother's grandfather was Bulis Cordell Marcom and I've yet to find ANY photos of him. we've been searching for years. He died when he was 35 in 1934. He was married to Veva Brown who taught at the school.
DeleteVery neat article. I grew up less than a mile from where the school house foundation picture was taken. My grandparents Haltie and Annie Colson lived in the town before it was flooded and was forced to move. They lived about a half mile away from the lake until they passed away about 10 years ago. Beautiful lake.
ReplyDeleteI too, am a product of that community. My parents, Edward and Cleo Johnson, are buried at Fellowship along with my sister, Jackie Johnson Conner Newby. My brother, Jerry, is buried in the Willow Grove Church of Christ Cemetary. Our home was located near Maple Grove School on Cleo Johnson Road. Not only a beautiful lake, but the clearest lake at 100 ft. in the United States.
ReplyDeleteI remember my mother telling of being a spectator at a football game at Willow Grove. I wonder if anyone still alive today remembers games played there in the area where the lake is now. (She was born in 1914.)
ReplyDeleteI have been a scuba diver since 1967. I made numerous dives in Dale Hollow Lake. It was sad to see but about 90% of the house , barns & yes even the school house was still standing. Their tractors and farm equipment remained behind, I have seen all these things on the lakt bottom. There was even desks still in the school house. Very sad
ReplyDeleteHello Marc,
DeleteMy father and his 8 bothers and sisters attended this school. His family farm is underwater. Do you have any photos of Willow Grover underwater? Do you plan any more dives there? We would love to meet you there.
Pat Buford Valle
Patvalle@live.com
If I can figure out how, I will post the family photo taken on the day of the exodus.
Hi Adam ... send me that picture and I'll add it to this post. Send to greatoaksgrow@gmail.com. Judi
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