Belle Eagle, Tennessee facts for kids

Belle Eagle is a small, quiet community in northern Haywood County, Tennessee, United States. It's not a city or town with its own government, but rather a rural area where people live and work. You can find Belle Eagle about seven miles north of Brownsville, right along Tennessee State Route 54.

History of Belle Eagle

Belle Eagle has a long history, with some of its land being settled as early as 1820. Many families moved to the area and started new lives.

Early Settlers

Some of the first families to settle in Belle Eagle included the Green, Herd, Lee, Lewis, Macon, Mullen, Parks, Taylor, Thornton, Walker, and Williams families. These families helped shape the community in its early days. Even today, much of the land in Belle Eagle is still made up of large family farms, passed down through generations.

How Belle Eagle Got Its Name

The name "Belle Eagle" has an interesting story! People say it came from a wealthy local person who saw an eagle with a bell around its neck sitting in a tree. This might sound a bit unusual, and it could be connected to an old American folk tale about a "belled buzzard." This legend talks about a buzzard (a type of bird) that supposedly had a bell attached to it. There were many stories of people seeing this creature across Tennessee, including one famous sighting right near Belle Eagle in Brownsville.

Life in Belle Eagle

Over the years, Belle Eagle has seen different businesses come and go, serving the needs of its residents.

Past Businesses

In the past, Belle Eagle was a busy little center with several important businesses. These included:

• A gristmill, which was a place where grain was ground into flour, owned by Edgar Parks.
• A blacksmith shop, where metal was shaped and repaired, first run by Joel Harrell and later by Tom Pruitt.
• A barber shop, where people could get their hair cut, operated by Z. T. Norman.
• A sawmill, which cut timber into lumber, and a cotton gin, which separated cotton fibers from their seeds. These were co-owned by Mrs. Bessie Bradford Sorrelle and A. A. Mann.
• A general store, which sold all sorts of everyday items. This store was run by Mr. Dedmon, then by Earl Mullen, and later by Mr. Boggs.
• A "New Store" built by Earl Mullen. This store was very modern for its time and even had a laundromat and a place to buy okra, a popular vegetable.

Today, most of these old businesses are gone. The Mullen store, which was a central part of the community, sadly burned down in June 1988. Only a beauty parlor and a small restaurant remain from the old business center, but they are no longer open.

Community Members Today

Even though many things have changed, some of the original families still have members living in Belle Eagle. In 2008, families like the Bishop, Jameson, Lee, Lewis, Mann, Macon, Roberts, Sorrelle, Sikes, Wiggington, and White families were still part of the community.

Volunteer Fire Department

Belle Eagle has its own volunteer fire department, which is very important for keeping the community safe. This fire department is located in an old building that used to be the Bradford school. The school closed when all the schools in the area were combined and moved to Brownsville.