Photo of Doe Station in Doeville TN (TVA flooded)

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Does anyone know where I could locate a BW photo copy of the V&SW/Southern depot at Doe Station in Doeville TN (near old Butler)? Would especailly like a photo that shows any homes in background. Thanks much.

-- Jim Hawk (hawk@preferred.com), December 06, 1999

Answers

I have a suggestion for your search. Try the TVA archives. I have seen photos that TVA has taken of other areas before they flooded them (Bean Station for example) and assume they did it everywhere. I do not know where TVA's archives are or if they are open to the public but I would think that you could get an address off the internet. Let me know if you find anything. (Is Butler that famous town that has been completely submerged since the damn was built, only to see light-of-day one time?)

-- Albert E. Pope (aepope@worldnet.att.net), December 16, 1999.

I beleive that an old photo of the Doeville depot appeared in the Johnson County, TN "County Heritage Book, Vol. 1" which is published by the Johnson County Historical Society, based in Mountain City, TN. I'm sure that the county library has a copy, if you're ever in the area.

Also, (old) Butler, TN was the town flooded during the construction of Watagua Dam and Lake. Several years ago, during maintenance on the dam, the lake was drained and the foundations of the abandoned town were briefly visible.

There are several pages of photos and history about Old Butler in the same "Heritage" book I mentioned above.

-- Christine Masarweh (CMASARWEH@prodigy.net), March 18, 2000.


Well, Ive been researching the V&SW (Virginia & SouthWestern Railway) for some time now. I've done a lot of interviews (all recorded) with people in and around both Doeville and Butler, and I've heard a number of stories about the Doeville station, yet try as I might no one seemed to find it imporatant enough to take a picture of it. There are numerous pictures of the Butler depot and even the Shouns depot, but Doeville doesn't ever show up. There are times though, when the TVA drains the lake during the early winter, that the foundations of buildings in Doeville can be seen. In some years you can even walk around in the drowned community and see everything from the old bridge foundations to the house foundations, probably including the depot. If you are really interested I could let you hear some of the stories, as they are too long to type out, please email me if you care to. New Butler has a museum but it doesn't have an effective railroad section. The County Heritage book mentions the station but doesn't have any pictures of it, so there is no real use in looking for it there. The only pictures that may have been take of it would have to be privately owned family heirlooms and I have yet to see one. I hope this will help you some.- Jonathan Pleasant, Aspiring Historian

-- Jonathan Pleasant (Sigmunddragonslayer@yahoo.com), October 27, 2004.

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