Near New Tazewell in Claiborne County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Barren Creek Dam Failures

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 24, 2020

1. Barren Creek Dam Failures Marker

Inscription. On August 3, 1916, record rainfall caused Thompson's Mill Dam to fail, sending a wall of water down the Barren Creek, that destroyed five other dams and killing 24 person, including three entire families. The Barren Creek Dam failure caused the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses. Over $750,000 in losses occurred making this the deadliest and most costly disaster in Claiborne County history and the worst dam failure in Tennessee history.

Erected 2020 by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1D 42.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Man-Made Features • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical date for this entry is August 3, 1916.

Location. 36° 24.926′ N, 83° 39.426′ W. Marker is near New Tazewell, Tennessee, in Claiborne County. It is at the intersection of South Broad Street (State Highway 33) and Barren Creek Road, on the right when traveling west on South Broad Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2260 South Broad Street, New Tazewell

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TN 37825, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in East Tennessee.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the original Cherokee Nation,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 9 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Johnson Mill (approx. 3 miles away); Confederate Memorial (approx. 5.2 miles away); Graham – Kivett House (approx. 5½ miles away); The Old Jail (approx. 5.6 miles away); Graham - Parkey House (approx. 5.7 miles away); Big Spring Church (approx. 7.4 miles away); Walker's Ford (approx. 7.4 miles away); Powell River Ferry (approx. 9 miles away).

Also see . . .
1. Big Barren Creek Flood 1916. (Submitted on April 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)
2. Drownings/Big Barren Creek.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, April 24, 2020

2. Barren Creek Dam Failures Marker

(Submitted on April 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee.)

Big Barren Creek image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, January 31, 2022

3. Big Barren Creek

The Johnson Mill, shown here in the background, was destroyed by the Barren Creek Flood in 1916.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,895 times since then and 114 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 25, 2020, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. 3. submitted on January 31, 2022, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.