Unitia, Tennessee facts for kids
Unitia is a small place in Loudon County, Tennessee, that doesn't have its own local government. It used to be a busy village where roads met, and it had a post office. It was also an important stop on the Underground Railroad, which helped people find freedom. In the 1940s, the main part of Unitia was covered by water when a big lake was created behind the Fort Loudoun Dam.
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What is Unitia's History?
Unitia is located south of the Tennessee River, near where Cloyd Creek joins the river. Long ago, even before 1770, this area was a camp for the Cherokee people.
When Was Unitia First Settled?
In 1791, a group of people called Quakers came and settled Unitia. Quakers are known for their peaceful beliefs. Some people think the community might have first been called Unity.
Unitia's Post Office and Growth
Unitia got its first post office in 1818. It closed for a short time but reopened in 1824 and stayed open until 1903. A Quaker named James Jones worked as the postmaster for 20 years, starting in 1825. By 1860, Unitia was known as a "post village" because of its important post office.
In 1895, a map book called a Rand McNally atlas showed Unitia as a community with a post office and 142 people living there. It didn't have a train station. Before 1870, when Loudon County was created, Unitia was part of Blount County.
Unitia and the Underground Railroad
Historians say that Unitia and a nearby Quaker community called Friendsville were "stations" on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom, even though Tennessee was a state that supported slavery at the time.
How Did the Fort Loudoun Dam Change Unitia?
In the 1940s, the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) built the Fort Loudoun Dam. When the lake behind the dam was filled with water, it covered the part of Unitia closest to the Tennessee River. This included Main Street and some homes and businesses.
