NORRIS, Tenn. — The Lenoir Museum will present a month-long exhibit on the roughly 2,900 East Tennessee families displaced by the Norris Dam project, according to a release from the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and Norris Dam State Park.
Starting May 1, the museum, at 2121 Norris Freeway, is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
The exhibit is dedicated to the memory of those living in the Clinch River Valley prior to the completion of TVA’s first “from-scratch” facility in 1936, according to the release. It will feature photography by Lewis W. Hine, who was hired by TVA to document the work.
“We look forward to telling the story of the displaced families of the valley and engaging our local community with their rich history,“ Park Manger Veronica Greear said.
The Lenoir Museum sits on the former farm property of the W.H. Longmire family, who were removed for the Norris Dam project, according to the release. The exhibit is the result of a partnership between the TVA and Norris Dam State Park.
“We recognize the tremendous sacrifices these families made,” TVA historian Pat Ezzell said. “At great personal loss to them, they left their homes and the land they loved for the greater good – to improve the quality of life in the region for all. Without their sacrifices, we would not enjoy the quality of life that we have today.”
For more information, contact the Lenoir Museum at 865-494-9688 or visit the Norris Dam State Park website.