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The most commonly asked question about Bell Buckle is the origin of its name. Stories vary, but
some believe the name came from a bell and buckle tied around a tree close to a free flowing creek.
Others believe the Indians carved a bell and buckle into a tree to discourage settlers while still
others believe the bell and buckle symbol was used by surveyors to signify the usefulness of the
land for pasture. Whatever the facts, Bell Buckle is one of the oldest names in the county.
A.D. Fugitt, considered the town's founder, was its first merchant and gave the land for the
railroad and depot. The depot was built in Bell Buckle in 1853 and the town was incorporated
in 1856. With the coming of the railroad, Bell Buckle became the major stockyard between
Nashville and Chattanooga and grew to a population of more than 1,000. A thriving community
with banks, groceries, physicans, pharmacies, mercantile establishments and other businesses sprang up.
During the late 1880’s, William R. "Sawney" Webb, a Civil War veteran and North Carolina educator,
arrived in Tennessee to build a preparatory school. First located in Culleoka, Tennessee, "Sawney"
later moved his students to Bell Buckle. The Webb School contributed to the growth and development
of Bell Buckle and continues to be a prestigious private boarding and day school with an international
student body.
The Great Depression of the 1920’s devastated the Bell Buckle railroad trade, and the town declined
and by the 1960’s the row of one-story businesses which comprised the downtown had suffered the
dilapidation of many railroad stops. Long unoccupied, many were boarded up until a quickening of
appreciation for its quaint heritage started a wave of rentals, purchases and renovations that has
made Bell Buckle a center for arts and crafts and a favorite destination for antiques shopping.
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Built in the 1880's this large structure was a hotel, later
a Funeral Home and now a private residence.
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The old post office that was on the square is now the Bell Buckle Café.
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In 1976, during the nation’s Bicentennial, an area including the Bell Buckle downtown and continuing
to the Webb School property, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 1979 Eugene
Strobel, mayor at that time, was able to get a historical restoration grant for a large building in
the center of downtown that became the city hall.
One unexpected result of the economic decline was that many of the Victorian and Arts and Crafts
style homes were not replaced with more modern structures. There are a great many of these homes
that have been restored or renovated, not only in the Historic District, but throughout the town.
Trains do not stop here anymore but visitors, thousands of them, do. Drawn by the charming downtown
row of eclectic shops and eateries and the colorful down home festivals throughout the year, Bell
Buckle is host to many delighted tourists and travelers who return again and again.
More about the history of Bell Buckle.
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