Spring, summer and fall, one of Tennessee’s greatest getaways is Monteagle and the grounds of the Sunday School Assembly.
To most folks, Monteagle Mountain is best known for the steep grade ascending Interstate 24 between Nashville and Chattanooga. It’s the highest point between Chicago and Miami and can be treacherous during winter storms ... just ask Betty Lou.
But for those in the know, Monteagle and its sister city of Sewanee have both been popular retreats since the 1880s.
Ever heard of the Chautauqua movement? We had but thought of it like a touring company of turn of the 19th Century celebrities. Turns out that it was more of a summer camp for entire families generally based around “assembly” grounds.
Chautauqua was a summer camp movement to educate, entertain and enlighten American adults in the days before movies and mass media. It got its name from Lake Chautauqua in southwest New York, where the movement was founded in 1874 by Lewis Miller, an Akron, Ohio, inventor and manufacturer; and John Heyl Vincent, a Methodist minister.
In 1882, the Tennessee Sunday School Convention chartered the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly, selected a mountain top site and opened its first session July 17, 1883.
During its early years the Sunday School Assembly maintained close ties with the Chautauqua Institution in New York. The assembly hoped to train better Sunday school teachers while stressing educational and cultural pursuits. Hmmmmm, that probably leaves us out.
At first only a restaurant and amphitheater were the only structures on the Assembly Grounds, but boarding houses, meeting rooms and private cottages soon followed. Today, many of those turn-of-the century gems remain with the Assembly being one of only eight or nine Chautauquas still around.
Among those boarding houses was a Queen Anne styled Victorian rambler now known as the Edgeworth Inn. Built in 1886, the structure is the oldest, continually operated inn in the Monteagle area. The Edgeworth has been featured on the Travel Channel and in Southern Living magazine because it’s a throwback to bygone days.
We love it because it is so quiet, not to mention cozy and comfortable and a load of other adjectives.
Admittedly, Monteagle is a different place all together on football weekends at the nearby University of the South at Sewanee. Finding accommodations can be tricky then. So we usually aim for an off weekend during the fall. It’s so quiet that you can hear the leaves fall.
And the ever-bubbly Betty Lou even has to tone it down a bit. ;-) For those of you who know her, that is quite an achievement. Shhhhhhhh!
“I could live here,” she smiles. “It’s just so perfect.”
Betty Lou prefers the Twilight Blue Room, which overlooks the Assembly Grounds. She loves its Victorian feel. With a king-sized four-poster bed, the room decorated with blue flowers has a sofa for relaxing, but no TV. The bathroom has a luxurious claw-foot tub.
“No TV, no phones and no pressure. It’s perfect for relaxing. Hammerhead manages to survive without his nightlight (the boob tube) and no computer,” she smiles. “There’s a big library on the ground floor with stacks of books to read. People do read books, you know.”
“Only if they don’t have TV,” Hammerhead grumbles.
Reading and rocking on the inn’s huge front porch is delightful, even on a brisk morning.
Both of us love wandering the assembly grounds. There are so many interesting and unique cottages there. Don't forget your camera. If you want more solitude visit mid-week.
One of our favorite places to eat in the area is Pearl’s Cafe between Monteagle and Sewanee at 15344 Sewanee Highway. A tad pricey, but excellent upscale Southern cuisine is served. Its open evenings only, but has a Sunday brunch. 931-598-9568.
We love The Blue Chair at 41 University Ave. in Sewanee. 931-598-5434. It’s open Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday. We especially crave breakfast there ... real eggs benedict. Wow. The sandwiches are great too, especially The Blue Chair Club. Order a box lunch and go explore. http://www.Thebluechair.com
4 comments:
Love your blog.
Glad you had a good time on our mountain. Yes, it is a special place and like you, we too wanted to live here and we did!
Life is nearly perfect here.
Visit my gardening and our home building blog at
http://redoakhollow.blogpsot.com if you like.
We will have a guest house and guest suite availble in Spring of 2008.
Places to stay are hard to find here during Sewanee week ends, but worth it.
P.S. I learned a lot from your entry and I thank you.
Thank you for your kind comment. We certainly look forward to visiting your guest house next spring!
What a wonderful commentary about the Assembly. My 3 week stay there in the summer of 2001 made me realize how important "quality of life" was in my own life. I moved "home" from Chicago a year later and haven't looked back since. Life here is almost perfect...and the cultural aspects of Sewanee and MSSA sure beat some of the world class ones I am used to in the big city.
Thanks again for the reminder!
Thank you for your kind words. The Assembly is a rare place in today's crush.
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