For decades, passersby on Highway 11-W west of the hamlet of Bean Station have zipped past an extravagant bandstand that suggests more elegant times.
Nearby is a half-timbered building that similarly looks out of place.
These two structures are all that is left of the Tate Springs resort, which came into being right after the Civil War when Samuel Tate bought 2,500 acres and built a hotel that could hold 500 guests. A subsequent owner upgraded the place to a world class resort that attracted wealthy families such as the Mellons, Firestones, Fords, Rockefellers, and Studebakers. More details are here. The resort was done in by changes in travel brought on by the automobile and the economic crash of the Great Depression. The resort was sold to the Kingswood School, which owns it today.
Here is a photo of the bathhouse in its prime.
And here is a postcard of foxhunters assembled at the gazebo for an evening’s entertainment. Not quite the sort of fox hunting done in England. (This postcard is courtesy of the Tennessee State Archives.)
Further west is Kelly’s Restaurant, named for the daughter of the proprietress, and serving good country cooking.
This blog is part of a much larger website, also entitled Tennessee Guy, that contains travel and cultural information about Tennessee. Visit it here.
I lived there with my parents in 1957. Have a picture or two of family in front of establishment. Also remember the bathhouse and bandstand. Was very interesting place to live for a short period of time.
tnguy,
thank you for sharing these pics of the Tate Springs. I am a descendent of David Tate (lietnenant for England after colonies were established) and Samuel Tate (of TN). My great, great grandfather was Edward O. Tate (postmaster and son of Samuel). Great grandfather was Hugh McCall Tate (lawyer and member of Interstate Commerce Commission under Hoover), and grandfather was Edward O. Tate. My dad is Edward O. Tate, Jr. It is wonderful to not only trace lineage, but also view pictures. We have, in our family archives, several pictures of Tate Springs, but I have never seen the gazebo. I have heard stories over the years of Tate Springs from my grandmother. Thanks.
Ann McCall Tate McIntyre
Hello Mrs. McIntyre.
You don’t know how thrilled my husband and I are to have found this blog. We have been researching his family ancestry back through your line of the Tates’s you speak of. We are actually planning a drive up from Signal Mountain, TN to find the Shiloh Church and cemetary. Any information you are willing to share will just be wonderful. You may reach me at this e-mail address or home phone 423-886-7440 or 423-322-7537 cell.
Sincerely,
Cara Cameron
exit 392 to rutledge pike 11E proceed to rutledge once in town Turn Right on 92 go 10 plus miles will see Shiloh church and cementary on left. Gated is Churchman’s Tate’s Dennis’s and Kinder’s
i HAVE WONDERED ABOUT THAT GAZEBO EVER SINCE i DISCOVERED IT WHILE DRIVING BY IT BACK IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES, ANY PICTURES OF THE RESORT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO A LOT OF PEOPLE. i KNOW i WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM!
Daniel, The Tate ancestors is a major forest, they came from Ireland/Europe-sailed to England and lots ported America on coast of N.Y. N.J. Va. Pa. and many more. I have been doing this research for so long it is very time consuming, I have so much info,, I have deleted alot of info I had stored on my computer but it is not hard to find pictures http://www.wbir.com Which you can also google tate springs resort,,multiple pic’s,,right click on pic’s and save on desk top or your files .. on wbir site..Search history of bean station, it has a video.
Samuel Baker Tate , Owner of resort, B. 1797 VA.–1865 D. Hamblin Co., TN… Married-5-8-1828 in Grainger County–Caroline M. Senter (B. 1809-Bean Station) (famous Senter’s from Bean Station) Sam’s Dad: was David Edward Jr. 1758-1838 Sam’s Mom: was Comfort Holmes KNOX 1770-1840..David E. Jr & Comfort H. Knox were married Aug.11,1784 in Botetourt Co., VA. flash me am email and I can fwd U a pic…ajkinder@comcast.net
Thanks for writing, Ann. Your family brought a lot of joy to visitors who were lucky enough to come to Tate Springs.
Wow, I finally found someone who has some correct info about my grandfather,etc! Thank you TNguy. Ann is a first cousin of mine. I am Samuel David Tate’s daughter and I hope there is some way to be in touch with her. Thank you for doing this for history and for the present!
Ganne,
Wonderful to talk with you. So glad you checked out this Tate Springs website. Will be in touch with you soon.
Hello Mary I’m looking for info on my Greatgrandmaw her name is Mary Tennessee Tate she is buried @ Shiloh Methodist any help? My grandmother Mary G., named her sons (my Uncles) William ,Jesse, Guy, Samuel, Dana (my Dad) and John
My Grandmother, Mary Lee Mullins, and my Grandfather, George Washington Locke, were both born in Tate Springs. I would be so grateful if anyone with any information about their families would post it here. Thanks
I am a descendent of David N. Tate, His son, John R. Tate, was my great, great grandfather, I am so pleased to be able to read about our families.
Was this David N. B 1812 & md. Lucy Hughes Moody ?? Your G G Grandf- John R. – was his middle name Robert ? The David N. was his middle name Nathanial or Nathenial ?
Who was your great grandfather? Mine was John R. My grandfather was Walter David. This is the branch that left TN, moved to KS and eventually settled in OK.
On the Tate side 2nd Grt David Tate IV,1825-1864..Killed in Civil War in Ga.,His father my 3rd grt. Major David Tate III,,1789-1868..my 4th grt David Tate II or Jr. 1758-1838,,my 5th grt. David Edward Tate I, 1725-1855 B. Ireland to England to Va.
6th grt grand John Robert Tate II ,,1710-1801 B Ulster, Ireland D. Agusta, VA.,,7th grt grand John Robert Tate I,1670-1769 B. Ulster, Ireland..8th grt grand James Tate B. 1650 Ulster, Ireland D. unknown so far still diggin..These ancestor’s had so many children 10-12..and their siblings children whom moved away it is amazing trying to keep up with so many ..so the Tate’s have multiplied ..and migrated from Europe sailed to England (@ sea for 2 or 3 months)if they survived the voyage..hit the eastern coast of america,fought off the indians and settled in many differant parts of the US..so I am willing to guess we have some blood relation
Opps…David N. md. Mary A. Cardwell..his mom was Lucy Hughes Moody whom md. Edward Orr Tate,II…The children I have found so far are Edward Moody,John Robert,David Andrew..
So was his middle name (Nathanel or Nathenal ?) I want to get the correct spelling,if possible.
Another Tate stopped at Tate Springs yesterday…! I am the 6th Great Grandson of Samuel “Rock” Tate the Irish ship captain who sailed to America circa 1750 w/ his family, sold his ship in Philadelphia and settled in Bedford County PA. After the Revelountary War Samuel “Rock” and most of his children moved to North Carolina, the Morganton area. Samuel “Rock” and his wife Elizabeth and many children are buried in the Quaker Meadows cemetary there. Some of his children and grandchildren moved on to Georgia where they founded Tate, GA. My 5t Great Grand Father, Samuel Jr.
had remained in Pennsylvania and that’s where I was born but now reside in Virginia. Don’t think the Samuel Tate of Tate Springs is part of our line but could be from a branch back in Ireland.
Do you have any information regarding the ancestors in Ireland? I do not know their occupations. Thanks.
I only have info on Samuel “Rock” Tate… He was a ship builder and sea Captain. He got the nickname “Rock” from his frequent references to “the rocks of Magellan”, which can have several meanings. His home was Londonderry Northern Ireland. The name Tate comes from the French LaTete meaning “big head”. The Tate’s were French Huguenots and fled France for England and Ireland to avoid persecution. In America most Tate’s in my line were farmers but many went on to be Lawyers, Doctors and elected officials. The Tate Georgia line gained their wealth from the marble found on their lands.
All of the marble used for the Lincoln monument came from Tate quarries. Hope this helps a little.
Sorry to take so long to answer, I have been doing some serious painting,cleaning and caulking the whole clean spruce up mess. My 6th grt was John Robt Tate 1710-1801 m M.Doark J.R.’s kid’s I have so far were: Capt.James,Lt.Col.John,Robt H.,Wm.TATE & my 5th grt.David Edward Tate I, 1725-1855 North Londonderry, Ire.m.Catherine Thornton.The futherest, I have gotten back to so far, is Bartholomew TATE my 12th grt. 1529-1591 Born & died in Northamption,Eng. I am in Tn. Samuel Baker Tate owned the resort in Tate Springs. He m Caroline Senter from Bean Station-another long line of attys,Dr.s,politicians it is quite an amazing adventure I know abt Tate,Ga Tatesville,Ky and Tate Springs,Tn. I’m still diggin. It is a forest. I want to find all the kids,if possible, but man is it time consuming.I never dreamed I had so many ancestor’s. I been woring on the roality,so much easier to research,pic’s of castle’s,abbey’s,cathedrals,kings,queens,barons,templar knights,blk knights of Ro.,countesses,earls
What was Samuei rock’s Parent’s names? His mothers maiden name,his siblings ?