Benton Station, Tennessee
Benton Station is an unincorporated community in Polk County, in the U.S. state of Tennessee.[1]
The community actually came to be known as BENTON STATION because the L&N Railroad built a train STATION (depot) there to service the nearby town of BENTON.
Naming As Historic District and Bear Lawson Bridge
On Feb. 17, 2017, the Tennessee Historic Commission designated the Benton Station area as a historic landmark. The decision came as part of an effort to honor William Hinton "Bear" Lawson for his generosity that has been credited with creating the Benton Station area.
According to Polk County Executive Hoyt Firestone, “Bear essentially created Benton Station. There would not be one without him.”
Prior to the historic designation, local and state dignitaries had gathered at the Benton Station Bridge for the unveiling of a sign renaming the structure as “Bear Lawson Bridge.” The sign was unveiled by "Master Eli Lane", fifth generation grandson of Bear Lawson.
According to a newspaper article published at the time, it was in the early 1900s that the L&N Railroad was looking for a safer route from Knoxville to Atlanta. As railroad executives were scouting out a new route, Benton property owners wanted too much money for their land. L&N decided to move the route to Bradley County. Mr. Lawson agreed to donate land if the railroad route would come through his community. The area was later renamed "Benton Station."
After the Civil War, Bear bought a large farm located across the Ocoee River from Benton, and he and his neighbors formed a subscription school to educate their children. The mother and children attended the local Methodist church, and around 1900 Bear donated the land, timber and $50 for the construction of theBenton Station Baptist church where his wife, Tennessee, was a charter member.
Lawson, born Aug. 10, 1842, and most often called “Bear,” was the second son of James and Elizabeth Melton Lawson, and his siblings were John N., Solomon S., Mary E., Lavina, Rachel and Louisa.
Notable people
- Phil Lea, Renowned Tennessee Historian, editor and creator of PhotosofCleveland.com
References
- "Benton Station". The Cleveland Daily Banner. Retrieved 2017-03-10.