[wp-timeline]
Timeline of Smith County History
-1776 – US Revolutionary War began
-1782 – US Revolutionary War ends
-1787-1789 – Tilman Dixon built Dixona, located in Dixon Springs.
-1789 – William Walton, our first settler, built his home on the north side of the Cumberland River, opposite the mouth of the Caney Fork River.
-1799 – Smith County established from Western District of North Carolina set aside for military grants for service in the Revolutionary War
October 31, 1800 – Dixon Spring’s post office opened.
-1801 – Jackson County was created from part of Smith County and Indian lands
-1803 – Carthage established from 50 acres of land donated by William Walton
-1806 – Carthage post office opened.
-1806 – White County was created from parts of Jackson and Smith counties
-1807 – The original Smith County Courthouse was built in the same location as the present day courthouse.
-1807 – The Carthage Gazette began publication.
-1807 – Warren County was created from parts of White, Jackson, Smith counties and Indian lands
-June 1812 – War of 1812 begins
-December 1814 – War of 1812 ends
-January 1815 – Battle of New Orleans. Two companies of Smith County soldiers fought in the battle under the command of Andrew Jackson.
-April 1815 – Round Lick post office opened.
-April 11, 1816 – Free and Accepted Masons Carthage Benevolent Lodge No. 14 organized
-1819 – Montgomery post office opened.
-May 18, 1821 – Lancaster post office opened.
-1821 – Alexander post office opened. In 1838, this became part of Dekalb County.
-August 8, 1823 – Gordonsville post office opened.
-February 1824 – Mulberry Grove post office opened.
-1824 – Montgomery post office closed.
-1827 – Bratton’s post office opened. In 1842, this became part of Macon County.
-1827 – Mulberry Grove post office closed.
-May 7, 1830 – Round Lick post office closed.
-1830 – Brevard’s post office opened.
-1830 – Rome post office opened.
-1830 – Pleasant Shade post office opened and closed.
-December 1832 – Bagdad post office opened.
-January 10, 1833 – Pleasant Shade post office re-opened.
-January 19, 1833 – Witchers Crossroads (or Wichers Crossroads) post office opened.
-1833 – Salt Lick Creek post office opened. In 1842, this became part of Macon County.
-1834 – New Durham post office opened and closed.
-1834 – Clinton College established by Dr. Francis Gordon in present day New Middleton.
-March 17, 1835 – Clinton College post office opened. Now known as New Middleton.
-1836 – Cannon County was created from parts of Rutherford, Smith and Warren counties
-1837 – Brevard’s post office closed.
-1837 – Meadorville post office opened. This became part of Macon County in 1842 and the post office closed in 1913.
-1838 – Coopers post office opened. This became part of Macon County in 1842 and the post office closed in 1844.
-1840 – William’s Mill post office opened.
-1842 – William’s Mill post office closed.
-1842 – Macon County was created from parts of Smith and Sumner counties
-October 7, 1843 – Rome was incorporated.
-February 26, 1844 – Convenient post office opened. This area is now called Elmwood.
-1844 – Stone Bridge post office opened.
-May 13, 1846 – Mexican War begins. Four companies of soldiers from Smith County fought in this war.
-April 17, 1848 – Peyton’s Creek post office opened.
-July 4, 1848 – Mexican War ends.
-1849 – Stone Bridge post office closed.
-January 1851 – Montrose post office opened.
-January 1854 – Witchers Crossroads (or Wichers Crossroads) post office renamed to Gibbs Crossroads.
-1854 – Clinton College post office renamed to New Middleton.
-1854 – Putnam County was created from parts of Fentress, Jackson, Smith, White and Overton counties
-1855 – Bairdsville post office opened. This area is now called Sykes.
-1855 – Chestnut Mound post office opened.
-October 10, 1856 – New Middleton Masonic Lodge #249 organized
-January 30, 1857 – Peyton’s Creek post office closed.
-December 30, 1857 – Peyton’s Creek post office re-opened.
-January 16, 1858 – Jennings Fork post office opened. This town no longer exists and is now known as Grant.
-1860 – Bairdsville post office closed. This area is now called Sykes.
-April 12, 1861 – Civil War begins as Confederate troops attack Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC. An estimated 1200 Smith Countians served in the Confederate Army.
-April 26, 1865 – Civil War ends
-February 14, 1866 – Difficult post office opened.
-September 1866 – Pleasant Shade post office closed.
-September 1866 – Peyton’s Creek post office closed.
-September 22, 1866 – Convenient post office closed. This area is now known as Elmwood.
-December 22, 1866 – Lancaster post office closed.
-1866 – New Middleton Royal Arch Masons Chapter No. 55 organized
-August 13, 1867 – Montrose post office closed.
-July 23, 1869 – Snow Creek post office opened. This area is now called Elmwood.
-1870 – Trousdale County was created from parts of Wilson, Macon, Smith and Sumner counties
-April, 1871 – Peyton’s Creek post office re-opened.
-February 13, 1871 – Jennings Fork post office renamed to Grant.
-June 7, 1871 – Snow Creek post office closed. This area is now called Elmwood.
-July 10, 1871 – Snow Creek post office re-opened. This area is now called Elmwood.
-October 2, 1871 – Cordell Hull born in Overton County, Tennessee
-November 25, 1871 – Peyton’s Creek post office closed.
-May 25, 1872 – Montrose post office re-opened.
-1872 – Peyton’s Creek (also known as Buzzard’s Roost) renamed to Monoville.
-November 10, 1873 – Difficult Lodge No. 451, Free and Accepted Masons organized
-October, 1874 – Lancaster post office re-opened.
-1875 – Riddleton post office opened.
-October 18, 1875 – Stonewall post office opened.
-July 28, 1876 – Pleasant Shade post office re-opened.
-1876 – Montrose post office closed.
-1878 – Cundall’s Mill post office opened.
-1879 – The original Smith County Courthouse was torn down and the current one completed
-July 28, 1879 – Lancaster post office re-closed.
-1879 – Brush Creek post office opened.
-January 5, 1880 – Defeated post office opened. This post office was once named Montrose.
-February 28, 1881 – Rome repealed the incorporation of 1843.
-1881 – Cundall’s Mill post office closed.
-May 28, 1882 – Snow Creek post office renamed to Elmwood.
-April 4, 1882 – Enoch post office opened. This town no longer exists and is part of South Carthage.
-December 26, 1882 – Enigma post office opened.
-1883 – Knobton post office opened.
-June 13, 1884 – Monoville post office opened.
-August 12, 1885 – Monoville post office closed.
-August 31, 1885 – Monoville post office re-opened.
-October 27, 1885 – Lancaster post office re-opened.
-April 9, 1886 – Sykes post office opened. The town was renamed from Bairdsville to Sykes.
-1886 – Hickman post office opened.
-1886 – Maggart post office opened.
-May 16, 1887 – Kempville post office opened.
-October 28, 1887 – Lancaster post office closed.
-December 28, 1888 – Lancaster post office re-opened.
-1889 – Bluff Creek post office opened.
-January 28, 1890 – Carthage Royal Arch Masons Chapter No. 128 organized
-1890 – Bridges post office opened.
-1891 – Marada post office opened.
-1892 – Bagdad post office moved to another location in Bagdad that is part of Jackson County.
-November 18, 1892 – Dixon Spring’s post office renamed to Dixon Spring.
-1893 – Oliver post office opened.
-1894 – A post office called Hogans was opened and closed.
-1895 – Knobton post office closed.
-1896 – Brush Creek post office renamed to Tuxedo, but only for a couple of months.
-1896 – Spanish-American War begins
-1897 – Tuxedo post office renamed back to Brush Creek.
-December 10, 1898 – Treaty of Paris signed, ending the Spanish-American War
-May 21, 1900 – Punch post office opened. This town was known as Jonesboro prior to 1900 and is also known as Watervale.
-April 1, 1900 – The old Stonewall Bridge completed. This is the first bridge in the county.
-1900 – Cowenville post office opened.
-1901 – Dows post office opened.
-November 11, 1902 – Club Springs post office opened.
-1903 – Maggart post office closed.
-1903 – Dows post office closed.
-December 15, 1904 – Club Springs post office closed.
-1904 – Cowenville post office closed.
-May 18, 1905 – Enigma post office closed.
-April 30, 1906 – Grant post office closed.
-1906 – Bluff Creek post office closed.
-April, 1907 – Kempville post office closed.
-October 31, 1907 – Enoch post office closed. This town no longer exists and is part of South -Carthage.
-October 31, 1907 – Punch post office closed. This town no longer exists and is part of South -Carthage.
-1907 – Marada post office closed.
-1907 – Oliver post office closed.
-1907 – Cordell Hull elected to US House of Representatives (first stint). Re-elected for 6 more terms. (1907-1921)
-December 26, 1907 – Al Gore, Sr. born in Jackson County
-February 1908 – Toll bridge crossing Cumberland River was opened ending the need for ferries into Carthage.
-1909 – Gordonsville incorporated. First Mayor was R. M. MacDonald.
-1909 – Bluff Creek post office re-opened.
-1890 – Bridges post office closed.
-1910 – Rome post office closed.
-1910 – Seabowisha post office opened.
-1912 – Seabowisha post office closed.
-1912 – Smith County 4-H Club organized
-February 28, 1913 – Bluff Creek post office closed.
-July 3, 1913 – The Carthage Courier began publication.
-1913 – Gordonsville High School constructed. The first high school in Smith County.
-1914 – Rome post office re-opened.
-1914 – Lancaster school built.
-June 1914 – World War I begins
-March 20, 1917 – US enters World War I conflict
-July 24, 1917 – Order of the Eastern Star, Carthage Chapter No. 190 organized
-November 11, 1918 – The Armistice is signed, ending World War I.
-1920 – Stonewall post office closed.
-1920 – One lane Sykes bridge built.
-September 15, 1921 – Dixon Spring post office renamed to Dixon Springs.
-1923 – Cordell Hull elected to US House of Representatives (second stint). Re-elected for 3 more terms. (1923-1931)
-1923 – Brush Creek post office renamed to North Alexandria.
-1926 – North Alexandria post office renamed back to Brush Creek.
-January 16, 1928 – United Daughters of the Confederacy, Captain Henry W. Hart Chapter organized
-January 31, 1929 – Defeated post office closed.
-1931 – Cordell Hull elected to US Senate (1931-1933)
-December 1932 – Rome post office closed.
-1932 – Lancaster school closed. Consolidated with Gordonsville.
-1932 – New Middleton Royal Arch Masons Chapter No. 55 held their last meeting.
-1933 – Cordell Hull appointed US Secretary of State (1933-1944)
-October 18, 1935 – Carthage Rotary Club organized
-May 3, 1936 – Cordell Hull Bridge opened
-September 1, 1939 – World War II begins
-1939 – Al Gore, Sr. elected to US House of Representatives (1939-1952)
-December 8, 1941 – US enters World War II after Japanese attack Pearl Harbor.
-September 2, 1945 – World War II ends
-1945 – Cordell Hull awarded Nobel Peace Prize for his role in forming the United Nations
-March 31, 1948 – Al Gore, Jr. born in Washington, DC
-June 1950 – Korean War begins
-August 2, 1951 – Carthage Lions Club organized
-1952 – Old Gordonsville High School demolished and new one built.
-1952 – Al Gore, Sr. elected to US Senate (1953-1970)
-July 1953 – Korean War ends
-July 23, 1955 – Cordell Hull died in Bethesda, Maryland at age 83.
-May 1957 – Difficult post office closed.
-August 31, 1957 – Sykes post office closed.
-May 1963 – Cordell Hull Dam construction began
-June 10, 1963 – South Carthage incorporated.
-November 29, 1965 – Smith County Historical and Genealogical Society organized
-1965 – New Middleton post office closed.
-1966 – Construction of Interstate 40 through Smith County was completed.
-November 1968 – US deploys troops to Vietnam War
-1971 – Smith County Chamber of Commerce established
-January 1973 – US involvement in Vietnam War ends
-November 1973 – Cordell Hull Dam construction completed
-April 17, 1976 – Daughters of the American Revolution, Caney Fork Chapter organized
-1976 – Al Gore, Jr. elected to US House of Representatives. Re-elected for 2 more terms. (1977-1982)
-August 1977 – Smith County Shrine Club organized
-1981 – Smith County Industrial Park built.
-1984 – Dana Corporation was the first manufacturer to locate in the Smith County Industrial Park.
-1984 – Al Gore, Jr. elected to US Senate (first stint)
-1988 – Al Gore, Jr. unsuccessful bid for US President Democratic nomination
-1990 – Al Gore, Jr. elected to US Senate (second stint)
-November 1992 – Al Gore, Jr. elected 45th US Vice President (1st term)
-November 1996 – Al Gore, Jr. re-elected US Vice President (2nd term)
-December 5, 1998 – Al Gore, Sr. died
