Rugby, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rugby Colony
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Christ Church Episcopal at Rugby
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | TN 52 Rugby, Tennessee |
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| Nearest city | Huntsville, Tennessee |
| Area | 525 acres (212 ha) |
| Built | 1880 |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001249 |
| Added to NRHP | April 26, 1972 |
Rugby is a small, unincorporated community in Morgan and Scott counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It was started in 1880 by an English writer named Thomas Hughes. He wanted to create a special experimental community, almost like a perfect town.
Hughes hoped Rugby would be a place where young English gentlemen, especially "second sons" who didn't inherit land, could own property and live free from the problems of big cities. He wanted the community to be based on ideas of equality and working together, like those in his famous book, Tom Brown's School Days.
However, Rugby faced many challenges from the start. There was a serious illness outbreak in 1881, and problems with land ownership. Also, many of the first settlers weren't used to the hard work needed for farming in the area. By 1887, most of the original colonists had left or passed away. But a small group of people stayed, and the village continued to exist.
In the 1960s, people who lived in Rugby, along with friends and descendants of the original settlers, began to restore the community. They worked to save old buildings and rebuild others. Today, Rugby is known for its beautiful Victorian architecture and scenic location, making it a popular place for tourists to visit. In 1972, the historic part of Rugby was officially recognized as a historic district on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Exploring Rugby's Location
Rugby is located on top of the Cumberland Plateau, where Morgan, Scott, and Fentress counties meet. Most of the community is in Morgan County.
A cool spot in Rugby is "The Meeting of the Waters." This is where the Clear Fork river meets White Oak Creek, forming a natural pool. It has been a popular hiking spot since Rugby was first founded. The Clear Fork continues northeast, eventually joining another river to form the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River.
State Route 52 used to go right through Rugby. But in 2013, a new "Rugby Bypass" opened. This new road connects Rugby to U.S. Route 127 in Jamestown to the west and U.S. Route 27 in Elgin to the east. The area around Rugby is quite remote. To the north, there's the huge Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. The historic part of Rugby is mostly found along or near State Route 52.
The Story of Rugby Colony
How Rugby Was Started
Thomas Hughes was born in England in 1822. He went to the Rugby School in England, which was very important to him. The school's headmaster, Thomas Arnold, greatly influenced Hughes. The school even gave its name to Hughes's new community in Tennessee.
In his book, Tom Brown's School Days, Hughes wrote about ideas of Christian socialism. This meant people working together and sharing ownership of businesses. By the 1860s, Hughes was unhappy with how much people in England cared about money and possessions. He also felt it was unfair that many talented young men, especially "second sons," couldn't find good jobs because of an old system called primogeniture. This system meant only the oldest son inherited all the family's land.
In 1870, Hughes visited America. He learned about a group in Boston that helped unemployed city workers move to the countryside. Hughes thought this idea could also help young, unemployed English gentlemen.
Later, in 1878, a man named Franklin W. Smith and a railway agent, Cyrus Clarke, found the perfect spot for Rugby on the Cumberland Plateau. They were impressed by the untouched forests, clean air, and beautiful gorges. Clarke managed to get rights to buy thousands of acres of land. A lawyer from Knoxville, Oliver Perry Temple, helped with the complicated process of getting the land titles.
Smith tried to get families to move to this new land, but not many were interested. So, Smith told Hughes about the land. Hughes decided to form a partnership with British lawyers and bought the land.
Life in Rugby Colony (1880–1887)
Franklin W. Smith designed the early layout of Rugby. He chose the spot because it felt like a resort, even though it was seven miles from the nearest train stop. The first building, called the "Asylum" (now Pioneer Cottage), was built in early 1880. Soon, the first settlers built tennis and croquet courts. They also made a path to "The Meeting of the Waters." In just a few months, many homes were finished, along with a three-story hotel called the Tabard Inn.
Thomas Hughes officially opened the colony on October 5, 1880. He gave a speech explaining his plans. Everyone who joined had to invest a small amount of money in the community store, so it would be owned by everyone. People had personal freedoms, but selling alcohol was not allowed. The colony planned to build an Episcopal church that could be used by any Christian group.
Newspapers in America and London wrote about Rugby's progress. Rugby even had its own newspaper, The Rugbeian. A group of colonists started a Library and Reading Room Society. In the summer of 1881, an outbreak of typhoid illness caused seven colonists to die, and the Tabard Inn had to close for cleaning. But the colony recovered. By 1884, Rugby had over 400 residents, 65 buildings, a tennis team, and social clubs. In 1885, Rugby even opened a university called Arnold School.
Challenges and Changes
From the beginning, Rugby faced problems with land ownership lawsuits. Many local people were hesitant to sell their land, which slowed down the colony's growth. As these lawsuits continued, many settlers gave up and moved away. Also, the person who chose the town site focused on its beauty, not realizing the soil was poor for farming.
The main hotel, the Tabard Inn, had to close because of the typhoid outbreak in 1881. It then burned down completely in 1884. This hurt Rugby's growing tourism business.
Because of the slow progress, the people who funded Rugby in London replaced the colony director in 1882. Rugby tried to start a tomato canning factory in 1883, but they couldn't grow enough tomatoes to keep it running. Newspapers started to make fun of Rugby, saying it was more like a "pleasure picnic" than a real working colony.
In 1887, several important colonists passed away, including Hughes's mother. This led most of the original settlers to leave. That year, Hughes made his last visit to the colony, and the local newspaper stopped being published. In 1892, the company that owned Rugby changed its focus to cutting down trees and using the area's natural resources. This was very different from the original ideas of the colony. By 1900, the company had sold its land in the Cumberland Plateau.
Saving Rugby's History
William Walton, the son of an early director, took care of the Thomas Hughes Library, the Christ Church Episcopal, and Kingstone Lisle until the mid-1900s.
Efforts to preserve Rugby began in the 1940s when logging companies were cutting down many of the old forests nearby. These efforts were reported in major newspapers and even got support from the government. However, the state of Tennessee didn't agree on a price for the land, so the forests were cut right up to the edge of the community.
In 1966, a group of people who wanted to save history formed "Historic Rugby." This non-profit group works to restore and maintain the old buildings that are still standing. These include the Christ Church Episcopal, the Thomas Hughes Library, the Rugby School, Kingstone Lisle, Uffington House, and Newbury House.
The group has also rebuilt several buildings to look like their original designs. These include the Board of Aid office, the Rugby Commissary, and Percy Cottage. The Harrow Road Cafe, a restaurant built in the 1980s, was named after an old restaurant in Rugby. The Rugby Printing Works, which was originally in a nearby town, was moved to Rugby in the 1970s. Historic Rugby has also allowed new homes to be built in the Beacon Hill area, but only if they match the Victorian style of the community.
Important Buildings in Rugby
Christ Church Episcopal
The Christ Church Episcopal was started on October 5, 1880. At first, services were held in the original Rugby schoolhouse. The church building you see today was built in 1887 in the Carpenter Gothic style. It was built by Cornelius Onderdonk, who constructed many of Rugby's first buildings. The church's special alms basin (a bowl for offerings) was designed by an English carpenter. The church's reed organ, built in 1849, is one of the oldest in the United States. Church services have been held here regularly since 1887.
Thomas Hughes Library
Built in 1882, the Thomas Hughes Library is one of the most original buildings in Rugby. It still looks much like it did when it was first built. The library has 7,000 books, mostly collected by a bookseller from Boston. They were donated with the condition that the library be named after Thomas Hughes. The library still has most of its original collection, with the oldest book dating back to 1687.
Kingstone Lisle
Kingstone Lisle is a beautiful Queen Anne-style cottage built in 1884. It was meant to be a home for Thomas Hughes, but he only stayed there for a very short time during one of his visits. He usually stayed at the Newbury House. In the late 1880s, Hughes gave the house to the church priest, Joseph Blacklock, to use as a rectory (a home for the priest). Historic Rugby restored the house in the 1960s and has decorated it with furniture from that time period.
Images for kids
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Christ Church Episcopal
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Rugby School
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Thomas Hughes Library interior
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Kingstone Lisle
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Percy Cottage
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Roslyn
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Walton Court
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Walton family ancestral home
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Harrow Road Cafe
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Rugby Printing Works
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Board of Aid to Land Ownership office
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Rugby Commissary
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Ingleside
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Adena Cottage
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Wren's Nest
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The Lindens
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Newbury House
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Onderdonk House
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Pioneer Cottage
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Martin's Roost
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Oak Lodge
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Uffington House
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The Clubhouse/Ruralia
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Twin Oaks
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