Our Town: Whitwell
WHITWELL, Tenn. (WDEF) — Head about 40 minutes northwest of Chattanooga and you’ll find the town formerly known as Cheekville.
It’s now known as Whitwell: named after the man who made coal mining the heart of the city, Thomas Whitwell.
But in 1981, tragedy struck.
“We had an explosion in the Tennessee Consolidated Coal Mines,” said Coal Miners Museum employee Jerry McCurry.
He says 13 miners lost their lives in the explosion.
The mine officially closed in 1997. To learn more about Whitwell’s coal mining history, visit the museum.
“It’s really sad… It went from such a booming industry to pretty much shut down overnight,” Bolt Farm Treehouse owner Tori Bolt said.
The mines may have closed, but City Manager Lonnie Cleek says Whitwell’s population is increasing.
“It seems like we have people moving here. I mean, it’s a beautiful valley, great place to live,” Cleek said.
Nestled between Dunlap and Jasper, Whitwell has a population of about 1,700. And one business owner is hoping to help Whitwell grow.
Tori and Seth Bolt are the owners of Bolt Farm Treehouse.
“We want to be a beacon of hope, a beacon of light. And [we] are just honored at the opportunity we have to put Whitwell on the map in travel and hospitality, and to create jobs,” Tori Bolt said.
Her husband, Seth Bolt, is plays bass for the rock band NeedToBreathe.
He and his wife Tori recently moved to Whitwell to start this mountaintop resort.
“He personally felt the need to have a little place in nature to escape,” Bolt said of her husband.
Thanks to the Treehouse, Whitwell is attracting many visitors, including celebrities. Some who have stayed at Bolt Farm Treehouse include Brian Kelley from Florida Georgia Line, country music singer Kelsea Ballerini and Rudy Pankow from Outer Banks.
And Tori says it’s all because of Whitwell’s beauty.
“Everyone just welcomed us with open arms. And we were like, ‘we could see this.’ Not only for the property, but… to call home,” Bolt added.
According to Bolt, one of Whitwell’s beauties is its people.
An example of this is when the city’s “hometown heroes” visited the library’s summer reading program for the children. Firefighters and police officers read books to children, let them explore a patrol car and firetruck, and allowed them to play in water from the truck’s hose.
“The people here are wonderful. And they’ve been so good to us,” said Julia Bailey, owner of The Chef’s Restaurant in Whitwell.
If you ask anyone where to eat, they will probably direct you to The Chef’s. This family restaurant features southern meals, including catfish.
“We’re just a small, family business and we love our customers. And we all take care of each other,” Bailey explained.
It may seem small, but you can find plenty to do in Whitwell.
The Children’s Holocaust Memorial sits at Whitwell Middle School, which is also home to the Paper Clips Project.
Sitting along the Sequatchie River is Ketner’s Mill, which has hosted yearly festivals since 1977.
A newer addition to the town is Veteran’s Memorial Park.
It’s also part of the future Heritage Memorial Center. City Manager Cleek says they do not have a date for when groundbreaking will begin, but a nonprofit is now collecting funds for the project. Keep up to date with the progress on their Facebook page.
The center will be a one-stop-shop for guests to visit the Holocaust Memorial, Coal Miner’s Museum, Library and Veteran’s Park.
“We’re trying our best to move forward steadily,” City Manager Cleek said.
Whitwell is hosting a concert on September 2 at Whitwell High School to raise funds for the project. It’s the First Annual Coal Miners and Veterans Memorial Concert, featuring musical guests and vendors. The concert will begin at 5 p.m. central time and all proceeds will go toward the Heritage Memorial Center.
“We’d love to do more for our people, but we will get there,” Cleek added. “We’re not going to quit.”
