Courtesy: Robert Ervin
Courtesy: Robert Ervin
Courtesy: Robert Ervin
Courtesy: Robert Ervin
Courtesy: Robert Ervin
A Cocke County community has come together to preserve its history.
The town of Del Rio, located just southeast of Newport near the North Carolina stateline, has its sights set on building a heritage center. The move comes after strong storms destroyed that town's 113-year-old Del Rio Baptist church a decade ago.
The church, which several years earlier was moved from its original site, was swept off its foundation by strong straight-line winds. The Culture and Preservation Society of Del Rio decided to build a heritage center where that old church was destroyed as a way of preserving the past.
"It gives you a wonderful feeling that you're doing something good for the community," said volunteer Robert Ervin.
The society started work on the center last month. Four to five volunteers have been working around the clock to make sure the facility is built in a timely manner.
"We want to be able to have a location to keep some of this [history] before we go on," said society secretary Evelyn Adams.
The center will be built with materials from the old church. It will also highlight the Del Rio's area past with information pertaining to a nearby mission that inspired the book, movie and television series, Christy.
Volunteers will begin to work on the center's roof Monday. They said they hope to complete the project within the next two weeks. The society is also looking for donations to help with its construction of the center. If you are interested in helping out, you can call 423-465-3063 or mail P.O. Box 28, Del Rio, TN, 37727.