Sylvia Market

Tennessee City, located approximately ten miles west of Dickson, originated during the Civil War in the 1860’s. Initially the area was known as Gillam and had a population of approximately fifty. A railroad was built through Gillam after the war. Routine stops were made which led to the name Gillam Station.

The name change to Tennessee City happened by urges of a northern man known as W.A. Schoenfeld. In 1866, Mr. Schoenfeld came to Gillam with an interest of growth in the area. Purchasing several thousand acres and planning a city with 20,000 lots, he formally requested the postmaster general for the name change. Mr. Schoenfeld believed the new name would draw a significant amount of settlers to the area. That April in 1866, Gillam Station became known as Tennessee City; however, the large growth never happened.

Another history highlight for Tennessee City is the Ruskin Cooperative Association or RCA. In July 1894, Julius Wayland, a Socialist, and a small group of followers purchased 1000 acres of land and formed the association near Tennessee City. RCA was named after John Ruskin a man who politically influenced Mr. Wayland. Due to their unorthodox religious views, they were widely unpopular with the citizens of Tennessee City and Dickson County. Eventually they moved to an area by a large cave near Yellow Creek, which is now known as Ruskin Cave. The colony ended in 1899.

Like many Dickson communities, Sylvia was established by the fruitions of the railroad system. In the 1890’s Sylvia became a prosperous railroad center on the Mineral Branch L & N. So much in fact, it competed with Dickson, White Bluff, and Charlotte to be the county seat.

Sylvia had many town amenities including a post office, livery stable, and many stores all located around the square. The town also had its own school. Initially it had one room but progressed to three classrooms. From 1903 to the early 1930’s three churches were formed: Sylvia Baptist Church, the Methodist Church, and finally the Church of Christ.

Sadly, several stores on the square burned down during the night when one of the owners placed a bucket of hot ashes on the porch. By the 1930’s many rail services stopped including passenger transportation. Sylvia then settled down to become a quiet community.

The Pond community was formerly known as Treswell. The name Pond came about due to an old brick mill that closed down which left huge hole where clay was used to make brick. Eventually the hole formed a pond, known as Hackett’s Pond. Treswell then became known as Pond Community.

Referred to as Rapid City by many railroad employees, Pond also played its part in the development of the railroad system when a local sawmill used to cut lumber into cross-ties. The Pond community also had one of the first hotels in the county. Owned by John R. Smith, it mainly serviced those who were traveling by the railroad. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1921. The railroad still runs through the Pond Community to this day.

By Sean Stewart

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This history report and the many more to come were all done by the class members of Leadership Dickson County.

Thanks to RandayBlaylock for the supplied image of Sylvia Market