Kingsport Spirit

With all of the beautiful decorations in Downtown Kingsport at Glen Bruce Park, someone asked me how the park got its name.

When I first heard, “Glen Bruce”, it sounded like the name of a Scottish manor house from Braveheart or Outlander, but in reality, it’s a first and last name.

A 1968 Times-News article describes Glen Bruce as a true pioneer. He came to Kingsport in 1915 from Wise, Virginia, when the model city had only 700 inhabitants. He worked for Kingsport Brick and eventually became president of General Shale (the merger of Kingsport Brick and Johnson City Shale).

He was a charter member of the Chamber of Commerce, vice president of Kingsport Improvement Company (headed by J. Fred Johnson that “built” Kingsport), and director of First National Bank and Kingsport Federal Savings & Loan.

In addition to his business roles, he also served as an alderman and Mayor during World War II, and also served on community chest and the hospital board.

He died 3 months after the park, named in his honor, opened.

He is buried in Oak Hill Cemetery with a simple, flat headstone that reads, Glen Bruce 1890-1968.

Clearly, he was a humble man who gave unselfishly to his community. When asked if he ever regretted choosing Kingsport as a place to live, he replied “It’s the best place in the world.”

Our community was built on the shoulders of people like Glen Bruce. It’s only fitting that the park bears his name.