Colonial Hall

Photo from Roane Heritage Commission

The National Register of Historic Places has listed two locations in Oliver Springs.

The National Register of Historic Places is the Nation's official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect our historic and archeological resources. Properties listed on the Register include districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that are significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. The National Register is administered by the National Park Service, which is part of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

COLONIAL HALL Spring and Main Streets.   (09/11/1975)  75001774  (PHOTO ABOVE)

The oldest standing building in Oliver Springs, Colonial Hall was built in 1830 of logs by Lewis Rector.  Some of the original building remains, though additions and modifications have been made over time.  The house, outbuildings, and grounds were purchased in 1881 by Col. John G. Scott, who subdivided the land and laid out streets in 1882 from the house west towards Kingston Avenue.  Home of Mr. & Mrs. Brian Burnette. 

Newspaper article about restoration. 

OLIVER SPRINGS BANKING COMPANY 110 E. Tri County Blvd   (04/14/1992) 92000357

Built in the early 1900s with locally-made brick and operated by the Sienknecht family. Photo from OSHS archives

In addition to the Southern RR Depot Library site, other buildings of historic interest include:

	J. C. Bradford Home - 115 Morgan Street -  Built in the late 1800's and formerly the site of a private finishing and teacher preparatory school named The Smithsonian Institute, operated by Col. William P. Smith.   Dan and Barbara Palmer are in the process of restoring the Bradford home and have already completed additional work not shown in this photo.   Oak Ridger newspaper article about restoration
	Cumberland Presbyterian Church - Winter's Gap Road at Spring Street - The oldest standing church in Oliver Springs.  The original frame structure was completed in 1892.  In 1920, it was replaced with the current brick building, which incorporated the original stained glass windows and other materials.
	Doyle Home - 301 Pine St - Built in 1863 by William Doyle. Mr. Doyle had married Sally M. Smith, daughter to Eliza Jane Wiley Smith and Colonel William Payne Smith. (see article at bottom of page) William Payne Smith's father was Merriweather Smith, one of the Commissioners responsible for the chartering of the town of Kingston, Tn., in 1799. This house was sold to Thomas Franklin Abston, then passed to his son Luther Abston and wife Lorena, who owned the house for 46 years. Currently it is the home of James D. "Jim" Kelly (son of James and Carolyn Abston Kelly), wife Pat, and daughter Julie, who represent the fourth and fifth generation of Abstons to call this house their home.   Photo by PMc

• H. Sienknecht Store - Tri-County Boulevard -  Two story structure built 1901-1902 from local bricks and was the largest department store in the tri-county area at the time.  Also housed the town's first bank, chartered in 1904, until a separate bank could be built.

	J. S. Keebler Home -110 Roane Street -  JOHN J. KEEBLER built a home in the 1890s, and later sold to FRANK L. LADD  This home was owned for many years by  FAITH TAYLOR EVANS, and now belongs to the Terry Holland family.   Keebler also built a department store in 1886, and was a brother-in-law to DR. HENRY C. SIENKNECHT.
	Keebler home and barn, ca 1915-1920.  Top of Presbyterian Church on left.  L&N Trestle in distance on right.   Both photos contributed by Terry Holland.

• Morrison Home - 411 Kingston Avenue - built at the turn of the century

	Parnell Home - 315 West Spring Street Built in the 1890's. Beautifully maintained by the Hall family, it sits across the street from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, with a lovely view of the mountains.  Photo by PatMc

• Rose Terrace -   Photo and history.  Childhood home of Dora Ladd, mother of U.S. Senator Howard Baker, Jr. (use Back button to return to this site) This house appears briefly in the first few minutes of October Sky too.  

	Sharp Funeral Home - 115 Roane Street - Former home of the J. K. Butler family, built after Rose Terrace was sold.  This 1890s building was converted into a funeral home with upstairs residence.  Photo is ca 1950.  Present building has been enlarged and remodeled.

• Thomas Phillips Home - 210 Spring Street - built in 1890

	William Walker Home - 601 Walker Avenue - built in 1890s -
	Dr. Joseph Walker home - next door. Both photos, PatMc

• (across the street from the Joseph Walker home is a house built- possibly by the Walkers-in the early 1900s, which was used in the movie, October Sky as the teacher's house. Home of Walls family)

Wiley Home (Hannah House) - 807 Wiley Street -    Built in 1880 by the Wiley family, it is the former home of Harvey H. Hannah, state Senator from Oliver Springs. Currently being refurbished by present owners, Mr. & Mrs. Eddie Coker. (Robbie's note: I have recently seen the results of the restoration efforts and the house has indeed been gloriously and painstakingly restored) Oak Ridger newspaper article about restoration

Many of the old homes in Oliver Springs have connections to the WILEY family.  Their genealogy is shown on the Roots of Roane County, TN web site.  Use your Back button to return to this page. http://www.roanetn.com/wileytom.htm

ELIZA JANE WILEY, daughter of Henry H. Wiley, born March 16, 1823 in Grainger County, TN. married first COL. WILLIAM PAYNE SMITH who was the son of Merriweather Smith. 

   The picture at left is of Eliza Jane Wiley near the end of her life, at approximately 90 years of age.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Here is another photograph of Eliza Jane Wiley Smith Mitchell, graciously provided by Mike Hart of Beaumont, Texas. Eliza Jane Wiley Smith is Mike Hart's great-great-great-grandmother!!

Their daughter, SALLY M. SMITH, born 1845, married in 1863, WILLIAM S. DOYLE. They lived in, and probably built, the Doyle home, above.. (Now home of JAMES D. KELLY family)

Their daughter, the beautiful MARY JOSEPHINE SMITH, born 1843, married J.W. Vannerson, and apparently migrated to Marshall County, Kentucky, where she died on April 29, 1867 at the tender age of 24. (Thanks to Mike Hart of Beaumont, Texas, for providing both the information and the precious image of his Great-great grandmother Mary Josephine Smith Vannerson!)
Their son, WILLIAM P. SMITH, JR. born 1847, married MARY JANE MITCHELL. In the late 1880’s he built and operated a school on Morgan Street in Oliver Springs which was known as the Smithsonian Institute. It was a finishing school and a teachers' institute. The school building was bought by Benjamin Bradford of New York City and remodeled into a mansion with imported wall paper and furnished with elegant furniture. The house was sold to OTIS AND JANICE GROSS, who lived there many years before it's sale to the present owners, the Palmers.  Mrs. Palmer is a Smith descendant, and she and her husband have an antique business in the old Sienknecht store building.  

After Col. Smith’s death in 1847, Eliza J. Wiley Smith married JABEZ GILEAD MITCHELL.  Their daughter,  ELIZA JANE “LIDA” MITCHELL, (1855-1929) married WILLIAM CAMPBELL WALKER. They first lived on Main Street, but built a fine home in the 1890s with an observation tower on Walker Avenue - later WILLIAM DEADERICK home. 

LUCY GEERS, daughter of Martha Elizabeth and William Stephen Geers, married DR. JOSEPH D. WALKER. They built a home on the corner of Walker Street and Kingston Avenue, next door to his brother, which was sold to Mr. and Mrs. ARTHUR DEADERICK in 1941.

• Oliver Springs Hotel - 114 Railroad Avenue   Remains of 150-room landmark hotel that was built in 1894-95 and burned in 1905.   Under the remains lies the famous spring that brought the town such fame and contributed to the town's name.
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See other houses on Photos pages