Erwin TN- So Beautiful.

 

Erwin TN Library

 One of my most favorites spots in my region is +Erwin, TN. With a rich history of pioneer spirits chronicled here: Erwin History, the city is full of historic structures and a viable downtown. The Nolichucky river surrounds the town and the Cherokee National Forest, the city offers a haven to wanderers from the Appalachian Trail as chronicled byT.J. Forester.
I have yet to hit the AT via Erwin but hope to once my travel schedule simmers. One of the school board members of Unicoi County revelled me with her tail of getting bit by a copper head on her foot in the middle of the night when she opened the door to see



Love Chapel Elementary School Sinkhole

what her dog was barking about....took weeks for her to recover so I will be armed with my snake kit when I go.

Although the Sonic is closed- drat no banana shakes- it seems as if there are many merchants that are able to stay in business including the lunch counter/pharmacy pictured  and a wonderful leather shop.(And Forever a Diva) Found in this shop was unusual taxidermy including my friend the porcupine.  
At the beginning of the 2012-13 school year, Unicoi County was faced with a problem that does not occur very often  if ever for TN schools- a rapidly appearing sinkhole that necessitated the removal of the entire student body and faculty. Sinkhole breaking news   
Pictured several months later with 100 plus feet of gravel and stone filling up the 15 ft diameter, the instability caused by the exterior sinkhole can be seen throughout the school. Erwin Record Sinkhole article

Director of School Denise Brown, pictured with one of the many seams opened up by the sinkhole hasn't found herself in a rock and a hard place but rather between an insurance company and a school that just wants their own school versus split between the intermediate school and middle school.

Director of School Denise Brown

From Highway 26 looking back at Erwin