Memories of Dandridge

A friend who grew up in Dandridge has always told “good old boy” stories that would send me to the floor in laughter. I will share some of his memories (some would require censoring) and hope you enjoy them as much as I have. First I must say the Dandridge of old and today are somewhat different. In earlier days, it was very family oriented, seeming warm and fuzzy to citizens, however a little cool to outsiders. Everyone “had the backs” of everyone else living in this small cozy community. There were around 600 people living in the city limits of Dandridge during those days.

His memories of Dandridge during childhood and adolescent days are quite vivid. He remembers farmers sitting along the sidewalk on Saturday mornings, discussing politics, playing checkers, and spitting tobacco. Farmers also lined the side of the street, selling garden vegetables. Finding no place to park, people would simply park their car in the middle of the street to do their shopping. The White Store Grocerywas on the corner. He remembers shopping, and the groceries being carried to the car. There was a second grocery store, Wheelers Market, located on the street next to the flower shop. Wheelers Market allowed him to charge for cupcakes, candy, moon pies, and soft drinks. Of course this was a favorite spot for a child. It seemed inviting to elementary school children for an afternoon treat.

Behind the jail was Messer’s Shoe Shop, located in an old school bus, parked by the creek. There was always a fire truck parked in the alley behind the old jail. A siren would go off every Saturday morning at 12:00. He never really knew why, just that it did. Dandridge was a bicycle community, with bicycles lining the street in front of the drugstores. There were two drugstores, Gass’s Pharmacy and Tinsley Bible Drug Store (which has not changed, according to the friend). The Feed Store was next to the drugstore. The Laundry Mat, and Hodges Hardware and Building Supply was on one side of the street, and Thomas Hardware, Hodges Clothing Store, and Zirkle Insurance, Surveying and Real Estate Office on the other side of the street.

The Kykers lived in The Sheperd Inn, and many hours were spent visiting and looking at the old clocks…. so many clock. The Post Office and Doctor French’s Office was in the Vance Building. Bill Gaylor’s Barber Shop was also in the Vance Building, and when the Banner newspaper came out the older men in town would sit on the bench in front to read the paper. The Revolutionary Grave Yard offered the kids a great hide and seek playground. On snowy winter nights you would find the children of Dandridge riding sleighs down the hill by the old Baptist Church. There was a Ford Dealership beside the Vance Building and Gass’s Clothing Store was on the corner where Walt’s Hitching Post is now. The Dandridge Barber Shop was behind Gass’s Clothing Store, and The Jefferson County Bank beside it. Below that was the TVA office and then the Library.

Turk Webb’s Tractor Repair Shop was located near the bridge (where teens could be found jumping into the lake, on occasion), and there was a school for African American children where the Agriculture Extension Office is now. Farrar Funeral Home has been a constant in the town. There was The Freeze O, an ice cream and hamburger shop, visited before or after softball games on Maury’s Football Field. Maury was a high school, and the building behind the now Post Office, was a grade 1-8 elementary school. The Court House has always been the center of the town.

Although Dandridge has managed to retain her look of the past, it is still very different from the days the friend remembers. The days when pranks abounded. The greasing of the coaches steering wheel outside of the barber shop….pulling the old vintage car out of the lake … riding in the dryers (why?) … toilets in the street on Halloween …. Jeeps in the hallway of the high school…. racing around the park across the bridge… swimming across the lake and back ….reading comic books in the drugstore … parties at Farrar’s Funeral Home…. Oh, memories of the “good old days” in Dandridge.