Boyds Creek:

When you think
about historic
preservation in
East Tennessee,
Sevier County
may not top your
list of success stories. The county is a
gateway community to the most visited
National Park in the country, which has
resulted in sprawling development
centered on tourists. Hiding away safely, at
least for now, on Boyds Creek Highway
(also known as the Old Knoxville
Highway and the Old Sevierville
Highway) is an impressive collection of
antebellum houses dating to the early days
of settlement in East Tennessee. The
historic road was the main trade route
from Knoxville to Virginia and the site of
John Sevier’s battle with the Cherokee
Indians in December 1780.

For historical and geographical
reference, this area of Sevier County is a
continuation of Knox County’s French
Broad River Corridor where early houses
also dot the rural landscape. Historic
houses like the circa 1815 William
Campbell House, circa 1796 McNutt-
Campbell-Kennedy House, and the circa
1795 Thomas Frazier House, combined
with the houses along Boyds Creek
Highway, make this area one of the best
collections of Federal style houses in the
southeast.

Two houses, in particular, along Boyds
Creek Highway are ripe for preservation.
One, Wheatlands, was built in 1825 and
aptly named for its historically large wheat
crops. Timothy Chandler settled the farm
and later passed the land and holdings to
his son, John Chandler. At one time, the
house sat on 3,700 acres making it one of
the largest farms in the county. After the
wood farm home burned in 1824, John
built the house that exists today.

The federal style brick home has had
very few exterior modifications since its
construction. A few changes, such as the
Victorian era front porch and stained glass
windows, add charm and character to the
house and without degrading its character.
The present owner has done a meticulous
job of stabilizing, cleaning, and securing
the building while it has been on the
market. In addition to the house, several
outbuildings still remain on the property,
completing the pastoral picture. The
smokehouse is built with hand hewn logs
assembled with half dovetail notches,
which is very common in this region and
is especially evident in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park.

On a recent visit to Wheatlands,
archaeologist Charlie Faulkner discovered
a treasure trove of artifacts unassumingly
resting in a cardboard box in the dining
room. During the latest work on the
house, the excavation crews working to
enlarge the crawl space uncovered a slew
of pottery pieces, metal items, and some
small toys. Artifacts like these
help date the house and the
history of the surrounding lands.

Another important building
along Boyds Creek Highway is
the circa 1795 Buckingham
House that rests high above the
French Broad River. This house
could possibly be the oldest
surviving house in Sevier County.
The house overlooks the
farmland that is still used today
by the owner and his family. The
small brick house is laid with two
common brick bonds. The front
façade is more decorative and
features the glazed-head Flemish Bond,
while the other sides are English Bond.
The bricks are handmade, most likely
onsite with clay from the river banks.

Thomas Buckingham, Sevier County’s
first sheriff and Revolutionary War
veteran, built the house which is still in
remarkable shape. Again, most of the
exterior has not been touched; however,
the interior has been covered with carpet
and paneling and new walls have been
added. The attic, however, remains
untouched. The rafters are tied together
with hand carved pegs at the ridge and the
collar ties and rafters are attached with an
unusual mortise and tenon scarf joint that
has held up well and still remains as a
tight joint.

Like many historic properties in the
country, the Buckingham House is owned
by a group of family members in an estate
whose opinions vary about the future of
the house as is common in similar
circumstances across the country. Some
see the historic and nostalgic significance
of the house and farmland while others
see the financial benefit from selling the
house and land. As preservationists, our
job is to present options to property
owners that benefit their interests and
respect the historic character of the home
and land. In the end, the solution
must be a win-win for everyone.

On November 5, at the Wears
Valley United Methodist Church,
the East Tennessee Preservation
Alliance is hosting Preservation
Toolbox No. 3: Conservation
Easements. Bill Clabough,
Executive Director of the
Foothills Land Conservancy, will
come speak about using
conservation easements to
protect land and historic houses
for future generations. Just
imagine the power of
conservation easements in places like
Sevier County. EK

Ethiel Garlington is Director of
Preservation Field Services for Knox
Heritage and the East Tennessee
Preservation Alliance. Preservation
field services provided by Knox
Heritage are assisted by a Partners in
the Field challenge grant from the
National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For more information, please visit
www.knoxheritage.org.