Monthly Archives: December 2025
The LCHS Bible Department
Did you know that Lawrence County High School had a Bible Department in the early 20th century? This photo from the collection of the Old Jail Museum shows one of the popular Bible classes at Lawrence County High School in … Continue reading
A Christmas Classic First Published in Lawrenceburg
It’s a cherished Christmas classic that’s been recorded by Ralph Stanley, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, the Judds, Emmylou Harris, and Neil Young; and it was first released in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. The song ‘Beautiful Star of Bethlehem’ has been a seasonal … Continue reading
Watch Night in Lawrenceburg
The Nashville ‘Globe’ was one of Tennessee’s most prominent African American-owned newspapers in the early 20th century. In publication from 1906 to the 1930s, it occasionally reported stories from Lawrence County’s African American community. In January 1917, the paper’s Lawrenceburg … Continue reading
The Father of Southern Gospel Music
Happy 161st birthday to the Father of Southern Gospel Music! James D. Vaughan was born on December 14, 1864, in the waning days of the Civil War. A native of Giles County, Vaughan lived most of his life in Lawrenceburg, … Continue reading
The New Jackson Highway Goes East
That view has certainly changed! This undated view of Locust Street in Lawrenceburg looking north from the Pulaski Street intersection is part of the Old Jail Museum’s collection of more than 150 historic local postcards. Although today Locust Street is … Continue reading
An Immigrant Girl’s Story: The Adventurous Life of Louise Hovelmeier
Louise Schnettgocke cried as she boarded the ship for America. Although excited by the opportunity that awaited her, the 25-year-old felt a profound sense of “utter loneliness” as she stood on the dock in Bremen, Germany the spring of her … Continue reading
Lawrence County Man Becomes First Tennessee Casualty of World War II
Eighty-four years ago today, a Lawrence County man became the first Tennessean to die in World War II when the Japanese Navy launched its infamous surprise attack on the American Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Private Leland V. Beasley … Continue reading
Lawrence County History Trivia 