Category: People
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Maybe Fun Fest Means a Little Bit More
We all remember the Dr. Seuss book, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. The grouchy grinch lives on a neighboring mountain and each year when the citizens of Whoville come out to hold hands, sing songs, and celebrate Christmas, their joy plucked his last nerve. So, he decided to steal all the presents–to take away the…
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Kingsport’s Largest Generation Might Surprise You
What’s the largest generation living in Kingsport today? The answer surprised me—it might surprise you too. Millennials have just surpassed Boomers as the city’s largest demographic–just barely–but the gap is likely to grow as older generations age and younger generations fill their void. Kingsport also has the highest percentage of Gen Alpha (under 10 years…
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Rewriting My Roots: Uncovering the German Influence in Appalachia
I’ve always taken pride in my Scots-Irish heritage, believing my ancestors’ lives mirrored the plot of Outlander, where Jamie and Claire settle in North Carolina, building a life among native tribes. As war with England looms, they fight to protect their home and loved ones—just as they did in Scotland. Their story closely parallels that…
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The Very First Census Provides Shocking Insights
On a recent visit to the Kingsport Public Library, I came across a stack of books slated for removal. Most were duplicates of old census records for various Tennessee counties and surrounding states. Since these records are now readily available online, it makes sense that Kingsport wouldn’t need to store documents for counties in Middle…
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Patriots to Pioneers: Tracing My Connection to Becky Boone
I grew up hearing stories about my father’s roots in Clintwood, Virginia, in Dickenson County. It’s just over an hour’s drive north of Kingsport, Tennessee, near Virginia’s border with Kentucky. I still treasure my copy of Meet Virginia’s Baby, a book highlighting Dickenson County, the youngest in the Commonwealth, formed in 1880. What I didn’t…
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Kingsport in the 1890s, the Bridge Between the Boat Yard and the Model City: The E.C. Barnes Story
Many know Kingsport as the “Model City” incorporated in 1917, but it didn’t happen from a blank slate with a big bang. Before the planned city, there was a thriving riverport community. King’s Port (or Boat Yard) was settled in 1761, incorporated in 1822, and faded after the Civil War as railroads replaced boats as…
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Cornerstone of a Community: The Stone Family Story
Tom Parham was recently inducted into the Dobyns-Bennett High School Alumni Hall of Fame. These are Jeff Fleming’s remarks upon his induction. I want to tell you a story with all the triumphs, tragedies, and unexpected twists of a bestseller. But this isn’t fiction—it’s the story of the Stone family, a family whose history is…
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From France with Love, Germaine Bus
One of the last articles I wrote must have sounded too much like a eulogy, because I got phone calls asking what happened. I said, “Oh, I’m sorry. Nothing happened. It was a milestone birthday and I’ve learned to tell people how you feel before you can’t.” When we moved to our home in 2002,…
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Kingsport’s Bain vs. Batman’s Bane
If you know anything about Batman, you know that Bane is a villain. But Kingsport’s Bain is one of the good guys. I’m always fascinated to learn the names of the people who built this town from scratch, names that were otherwise unfamiliar to me and perhaps lost to time. They may not have been…
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John Campbell: 4th Quarter
April 10, 2024. Today is John Campbell’s 75th birthday. The start of his 4th quarter. If you know John, you know he loves sports, especially UT football. So, 4th quarter seems like the most appropriate reference. 4th Quarter is a rallying cry. Players hold up 4 fingers. Fans respond with applause. You can acquiesce or…
Kingsport Spirit 