photo by Greg Craven
A landmark store in the Sequatchie Valley at Condra's Switch north of Whitwell has burned.
Members of the Varnell family that owned it said it was apparently an act of arson.
Antique furniture that belonged to the family was being stored in the old frame building.
Greg Craven remembered the store:
"My Mother and Father lived close to the store and that's where they met as kids. My Mother is a Condra and her Aunt Molly ran it during that time. My Mother would walk two miles to the Store and sell eggs to Aunt Molly. My Father would mow the Condra Cemetery across the street with a sickle mower and they would pay him 10 cents and a cold drink. Although I live in Chattanooga I own my Fathers old home place next door and spend a lot of weekends there. The place has a rich history. Such a senseless shame it's gone.
"They have torn the remaining structure down and all that is left is charred ground."
A tragic incident occurred on the night of Jan. 2, 1925, at the little railroad station of Condra's Switch. Two gunmen were aiming to steal the pay of the railroad section gang. However, the workers had been paid earlier in the day.
The pair shot and killed the postmaster/paymaster, Audley Condra, at the Condra General Store.
The killers were brought to justice. One was executed and the other died in state prison.
Bluegrass master Norman Blake of Dade County, Ga., wrote a song titled "The Incident at Condra's Switch."
Click here to listen to the song.
photo by Greg Craven