Tennessee State Route 116
Encyclopedia
State Route 116 in Tennessee
runs from its junction with State Route 62
at its southwestern end between Wartburg
and Coalfield
in Morgan County, to its northeastern end at Caryville, Tennessee
in Campbell County
.
From its southwestern terminus it heads northeast and passes through the town of Petros
and past Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
.
Continuing northeast into Anderson County
, the highway then passes through remote mountainous country known for its many former coal mining
villages, some of which were company town
s and are now essentially ghost town
s. Among them are the towns (or former towns) of Fork Mountain
, Buffalo, Devonia
(a/k/a Moore's Camp), Braytown, Rosedale, and Charley's Branch. The Devonia post office
which served this entire region was closed in 1975. Once the mines in these towns closed down with the resulting loss of population, the towns' schools were closed and remaining students were consolidated into the Rosedale school, which saw steadily falling enrollment and was closed in the 1990s. This section of Route 116 parallels the New River
and the former line of the Tennessee Railroad
. There are many abandoned underground coal mines, coal tipples, and railroad yards and sidings
along this section of Route 116. Despite the end of most underground mining and the demise of the towns along this portion of the highway, a great deal of strip mining continues however.
Route 116 briefly passes into Campbell County and then turns southeast back into Anderson County. From there it passes through the village of Stainville and continues southeast through some remote, sparsely populated mountains to Laurel Grove. There it turns northeast again at the junction with Frost Bottom Road, since 1982 designated as State Route 330
. This section of the highway parallels Walden Ridge
to the immediate southeast, and a former spur of the Norfolk Southern Railway
(now closed), and passes through Briceville
, Fraterville
which was the site of a 1902 mine explosion
, "The Wye" near the former mining camp of Beech Grove, and finally through a gap in Walden Ridge to enter Lake City
.
Originally the northeastern terminus of Route 116 was in Lake City at the junction with U.S. 25W
. About 1982, Route 116 was extended northward to Caryville to incorporate the portion of the former U.S. 25W between Lake City and Caryville superseded by Interstate 75
. This addition to Route 116 parallels the busy railroad lines of both the CSX and Norfolk Southern, and Interstate 75
immediately to the west.
Petros, Briceville, Lake City, and Caryville are the only towns of any sizeable population today along Route 116.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
runs from its junction with State Route 62
Tennessee State Route 62
State Route 62 is a west-to-east highway in the U.S. state of Tennessee that is 83 miles long. It is designated as a primary route.State Route 62 begins in Putnam County at State Route 84; it ends in Knox County at State Route 71....
at its southwestern end between Wartburg
Wartburg, Tennessee
Wartburg is a city in Morgan County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 890 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Morgan County.-Geography:...
and Coalfield
Coalfield, Tennessee
Coalfield is an unincorporated community in Morgan County, Tennessee, United States.Coalfield is between Wartburg and Oliver Springs on Tennessee State Route 62. To the west are Frozen Head State Park and the community of Joyner, Tennessee....
in Morgan County, to its northeastern end at Caryville, Tennessee
Caryville, Tennessee
Caryville is a town in Campbell County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,297 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Caryville is located at ....
in Campbell County
Campbell County, Tennessee
Campbell County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 40,716. Its county seat is Jacksboro. The Census Bureau has identified the county as a Micropolitan Statistical Area, designated the LaFollette Micropolitan Statistical Area for the largest...
.
From its southwestern terminus it heads northeast and passes through the town of Petros
Petros, Tennessee
Petros, is an unincorporated town in Morgan County, Tennessee, United States, located on State Route 116.Petros is historically a coal mining town and is also the home of Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary. Some of the town and coal mine scenes for the movie October Sky were filmed...
and past Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary
Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary last named Brushy Mountain Correctional Complex was a large maximum-security prison near the town of Petros in Morgan County, Tennessee, operated by the Tennessee Department of Correction...
.
Continuing northeast into Anderson County
Anderson County, Tennessee
Anderson County is a U.S. county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, its population is 75,129. Its county seat is Clinton.It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee, Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, the highway then passes through remote mountainous country known for its many former coal mining
Coal mining
The goal of coal mining is to obtain coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content, and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from iron ore and for cement production. In the United States,...
villages, some of which were company town
Company town
A company town is a town or city in which much or all real estate, buildings , utilities, hospitals, small businesses such as grocery stores and gas stations, and other necessities or luxuries of life within its borders are owned by a single company...
s and are now essentially ghost town
Ghost town
A ghost town is an abandoned town or city. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economic activity that supported it has failed, or due to natural or human-caused disasters such as floods, government actions, uncontrolled lawlessness, war, or nuclear disasters...
s. Among them are the towns (or former towns) of Fork Mountain
Fork Mountain, Tennessee
Fork Mountain, Tennessee is a former coal mining camp, located on Tennessee State Route 116 and the New River, at the Morgan County-Anderson County line. Petros is 4.2 miles to the south. Frozen Head State Park is nearby with the park boundary including part of the Morgan County portion of the...
, Buffalo, Devonia
Devonia, Tennessee
Devonia was the United States Post Office designation for the former coal mining camp in Anderson County, Tennessee, also known as Moore's Camp. The Devonia post office, established in 1920, served Moore's Camp, plus the nearby communities of Rosedale, Fork Mountain, Braytown, and Charley's...
(a/k/a Moore's Camp), Braytown, Rosedale, and Charley's Branch. The Devonia post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
which served this entire region was closed in 1975. Once the mines in these towns closed down with the resulting loss of population, the towns' schools were closed and remaining students were consolidated into the Rosedale school, which saw steadily falling enrollment and was closed in the 1990s. This section of Route 116 parallels the New River
New River (Tennessee)
The New River is a tributary of the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River in the U.S. state of Tennessee. Via the Big South Fork and the Cumberland and Ohio rivers, it is part of the Mississippi River watershed....
and the former line of the Tennessee Railroad
Tennessee Railroad
The Tennessee Railroad was a short line standard gauge common carrier railroad running from Oneida, Tennessee to Fork Mountain, Tennessee. Reorganized in 1973 by the Southern Railway as the Tennessee Railway, it remains a subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation.The story of the Tennessee...
. There are many abandoned underground coal mines, coal tipples, and railroad yards and sidings
Rail siding
A siding, in rail terminology, is a low-speed track section distinct from a running line or through route such as a main line or branch line or spur. It may connect to through track or to other sidings at either end...
along this section of Route 116. Despite the end of most underground mining and the demise of the towns along this portion of the highway, a great deal of strip mining continues however.
Route 116 briefly passes into Campbell County and then turns southeast back into Anderson County. From there it passes through the village of Stainville and continues southeast through some remote, sparsely populated mountains to Laurel Grove. There it turns northeast again at the junction with Frost Bottom Road, since 1982 designated as State Route 330
Tennessee State Route 330
State Route 330 in Tennessee, most of which is also known as Frost Bottom Road, runs southwest to northeast from Oliver Springs to the junction with Tennessee State Route 116 at Laurel Grove. Route 330 was designated a state highway about 1982....
. This section of the highway parallels Walden Ridge
Walden Ridge
Walden Ridge is a mountain ridge and escarpment located in Tennessee, in the United States. It marks the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau and is generally considered part of it. Walden Ridge is about long, running generally north-south...
to the immediate southeast, and a former spur of the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
(now closed), and passes through Briceville
Briceville, Tennessee
Briceville is an unincorporated community in Anderson County, Tennessee. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area. The community is named for railroad tycoon and one-term Democratic U.S. Senator Calvin S...
, Fraterville
Fraterville, Tennessee
Fraterville, Tennessee is an unincorporated community located on State Route 116 in Anderson County, Tennessee, between the towns of Lake City and Briceville...
which was the site of a 1902 mine explosion
Fraterville Mine disaster
The Fraterville Mine disaster was a coal mine explosion that occurred on May 19, 1902 near the community of Fraterville, in the U.S. state of Tennessee. 216 miners died as a result of the explosion, either from its initial blast or from the after-effects, making it the worst mining disaster in the...
, "The Wye" near the former mining camp of Beech Grove, and finally through a gap in Walden Ridge to enter Lake City
Lake City, Tennessee
Lake City is a town in Anderson and Campbell counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, northwest of Knoxville. The population was 1,888 at the 2000 census...
.
Originally the northeastern terminus of Route 116 was in Lake City at the junction with U.S. 25W
U.S. Route 25
U.S. Route 25 is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Brunswick, Georgia to the Ohio state line in Covington, Kentucky.-Georgia:...
. About 1982, Route 116 was extended northward to Caryville to incorporate the portion of the former U.S. 25W between Lake City and Caryville superseded by Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
. This addition to Route 116 parallels the busy railroad lines of both the CSX and Norfolk Southern, and Interstate 75
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. It travels from State Road 826 and State Road 924 in Hialeah, Florida to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, at the Ontario, Canada, border...
immediately to the west.
Petros, Briceville, Lake City, and Caryville are the only towns of any sizeable population today along Route 116.
External links
- The Complete Devil's Triangle aka Brushy Mountain Prison Run - Motorcyclists' travelogue of Route 116
- Devil's Triangle - Motorcyclists' travelogue of Route 116