• About
    • About Us
    • What We Cover
  • Advertise
    • Advertise
    • Our Advertisers
  • Contact
  • Donate
  • Send News
  • Subscribe

Oak Ridge Today

  • Home
  • Sign in
  • News
    • Business
    • Community
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Police and Fire
    • U.S. Department of Energy
    • Weather
  • Sports
    • High School
    • Middle School
    • Recreation
    • Rowing
    • Youth
  • Entertainment
    • Arts
    • Dancing
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Television
    • Theater
  • Premium Content
  • Obituaries
  • Classifieds

 

Anderson County Commission considers coal mining museum tonight

Posted at 12:43 pm August 19, 2013
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Bank of America Lake City

Bank of America has agreed to sell this two-story brick building on Main Street in Lake City for $100,000 for a Coal Miners’ Museum and county storage space and satellite offices.

The Lake City Council on Saturday developed a plan for operating and maintaining a coal mining museum, a proposal that will be presented to the Anderson County Commission this evening, a nonprofit organization said this weekend.

The Commission will consider buying the former Bank of America building in Lake City as a home for the Coal Miners’ Museum during a meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

“In voicing their support for the project at today’s workshop, Mayor Tim Sharp and several of the council members told personal stories of their family ties to the area’s mining past,” the Coal Creek Watershed Foundation said in a press release.

Coal Creek Miners

Coal Creek miners (Photo courtesy of Coal Creek Watershed Foundation)

Speakers said the 0.31-acre project could be a development opportunity, according to the press release. The foundation said it is committed to buying a cannon to install at Fort Anderson on Militia Hill to enhance the Coal Creek Motor Discovery Trail experience for tourists if the county commission agrees to buy the bank building. Lake City was once known as Coal Creek.

“We believe that the opportunity to learn about Coal Creek’s rich mining past in the museum, and then visit the sites where that history occurred, will draw tourists off I-75,” the foundation said. “That will provide a shot-in-the-arm to all of Anderson County.”

Last week, the Anderson County Operations Committee recommended buying the two-story brick building with $100,000 from the sale of land in the David Jones Industrial Park. In addition to housing a museum, the bank building could also be used to store excess county supplies and as a satellite office for county departments, which would be able to make use of the existing drive-through window.

Also on tonight’s agenda is a request from Oak Ridge officials to donate up to 2.05 acres on Emory Valley Road in Oak Ridge for a sewer system holding tank east of the former Daniel Arthur Rehabilitation Center. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has ordered Oak Ridge to stop all sewer system overflows by 2015. Oak Ridge Public Works Director Gary Cinder said studies have shown that several holding tanks are required at critical locations “to equalize and detain excess flow during heavy rain events,” and one equalization tank would be required near the county-owned Daniel Arthur Center, which is used by satellite county offices, the Oak Ridge Senior Center, and the Emory Valley Center.

Also on tonight’s agenda is a resolution to establish inmate co-pay amounts and reimbursements for medical and dental care, pharmacy services, and/or substance abuse treatment provided by the county.

Read the CCWF letter of support for the Coal Miners’ Museum here.

See the Anderson County Commission meeting agenda here.

Filed Under: Anderson County, Community, Government, Oak Ridge, Top Stories Tagged With: Anderson County Commission, Anderson County Operations Committee, Bank of America, Coal Creek, Coal Creek Motor Discovery Trail, Coal Creek Watershed Foundation, Coal Miner’s Museum, Emory Valley Road, Fort Anderson, Gary Cinder, Lake City Council, Militia Hill, Oak Ridge, sewer system holding tank, sewer system overflows, Tim Sharp, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Advertisements

 



Join the club!

If you appreciate our work, please consider subscribing. Besides helping us, your subscription will give you access to our premium content.

Some of our stories are free, brought to you by Oak Ridge Today with help from our members—advertisers, subscribers, and sponsors.

But some are premium content, available only to members. Those are in-depth, investigative, or exclusive stories that are available only on Oak Ridge Today. They generally require significant time to report, write, and publish.

You can subscribe for as little as $5 per month.

You can read more about your options here.

We currently offer five primary subscription options to readers, and they include benefits.

Basic

  • Basic monthly subscription ($5 per month)—access premium content
  • Basic annual subscription ($60 per year)—access premium content

Pro

  • Pro monthly subscription ($10 per month)—access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month
  • Pro annual subscription ($100 per year)—save $20 per year, access premium content, get breaking news emails first, and submit one press release or public service announcement per month

Temporary

  • Temporary access ($3 per week for two weeks)

We also have advanced subscription options. You can see them here.

We also accept donations. You can donate here.

If you prefer to send a check for a subscription or donation, you may do so by mailing one to:

Oak Ridge Today
P.O. Box 6064
Oak Ridge, TN 37831

Thank you for your consideration and for reading Oak Ridge Today. We appreciate your support.

Commenting Guidelines

We welcome comments, but we ask you to follow a few guidelines:

1) Please use your real name, including last name. Please also use a valid e-mail address.
2) Be civil. Don't insult others, attack their character, or get personal.
3) Stick to the issues.
4) No profanity.
5) Keep your comments to a reasonable length and to a reasonable number per article.

We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these guidelines. Comments held for review, usually from those posting for the first time, may not post if they violate these guidelines. Thank you for your patience and understanding. Thank you also for reading Oak Ridge Today and for participating in the discussion.

More information is available here.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More Community News

ASAP of Anderson welcomes new executive director

ASAP of Anderson hired Shayla Wilson as executive director this summer. The organization's mission is to prevent and reduce substance misuse among youth and adults in Anderson County. Wilson is a Clinton native and a … [Read More...]

Oak Ridge Community Band performs on Independence Day

The Oak Ridge Community Band will perform in Alvin K. Bissell Park on Tuesday, July 4 (Independence Day), before the city's annual fireworks show. The band is scheduled to play patriotic melodies starting at 7:30 … [Read More...]

Fireworks show, music on July 4

Oak Ridge's annual fireworks show is scheduled to being at dark Tuesday, around 9:45 p.m. on Independence Day, July 4. There will be music before the show. The celebration, which is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, … [Read More...]

Library announces check-out changes

Ten days after celebrating renovations, the Oak Ridge Public Library has announced changes to its check-out procedures and policies that take effect on Saturday, July 1. Among the changes: The City of Oak Ridge … [Read More...]

Read Lavender Festival schedule, details

The Lavender Festival has expanded. Here is a schedule of musicians and presentations, and information about additional events. The free festival, the 23rd Jackson Square Lavender Festival, is scheduled from 8 a.m. to … [Read More...]

More Community

More Government News

Anderson County Courthouse

Anderson County government offices closed Monday, Tuesday

Anderson County government offices will be closed Monday and Tuesday, July 3-4, to observe Independence Day. The offices will re-open at 8 a.m. Wednesday morning, July 5, a press release said. The Anderson County … [Read More...]

Fireworks show, music on July 4

Oak Ridge's annual fireworks show is scheduled to being at dark Tuesday, around 9:45 p.m. on Independence Day, July 4. There will be music before the show. The celebration, which is sponsored by the City of Oak Ridge, … [Read More...]

Library announces check-out changes

Ten days after celebrating renovations, the Oak Ridge Public Library has announced changes to its check-out procedures and policies that take effect on Saturday, July 1. Among the changes: The City of Oak Ridge … [Read More...]

USA Cycling Time Trial National Championships on Thursday

Oak Ridge Traffic Impacts Oak Ridge will host its fifth annual USA Cycling Individual Time Trial National Championships on Thursday, June 22. Elite cyclists nationwide will converge on the city, showcasing their skill … [Read More...]

Oak Ridgers celebrate library renovations

A standing-room-only crowd attended the grand re-opening celebration of renovations to the East Wing of the Oak Ridge Public Library on Tuesday. The renovations include a brand-new Children’s Room and bathrooms that … [Read More...]

More Government

Recent Posts

  • SNS on hiatus for upgrade
  • County sees increase in infant deaths due to unsafe sleeping practices
  • ASAP of Anderson welcomes new executive director
  • Briceville Fire Department celebrates new station
  • Officers searching for suspect in fatal shooting
  • Oak Ridge to host movie premiere of ‘Oppenheimer’
  • Oak Ridge Schools to host panel discussion, documentary screening for ‘Oppenheimer’
  • Sam Bush to headline Summer Sessions concert
  • Anderson County government offices closed Monday, Tuesday
  • Oak Ridge Community Band performs on Independence Day

Search Oak Ridge Today

About Us

About Oak Ridge Today
What We Cover

How To

Advertise
Subscribe

Contact Us

Contact Oak Ridge Today

Copyright © 2023 Oak Ridge Today