Tellico Plains in Monroe County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Tellico Tales: Sweet Shop

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 22, 2024

1. Tellico Tales: Sweet Shop Marker

Inscription. This building is a long-standing resident of Tellico Plains, given it is one of the few remaining after the fire of 1914. Its story began in 1908 when a bank served in the entire building until 1915. From there building functioned in three divided parts: upstairs, bottom left, and bottom right. After the bank left in 1915 an attorney’s office moved in upstairs, a movie theater in the bottom right, and the Tellico Bank in the bottom left. An original vault still remains standing inside. Many elders of the town can tell stories of getting their hair done in the upstairs area. A Barber shop and pool room occupied the space starting in 1922, then from 1938 to 1946 a beauty shop stood in its place. A civic group of the town, The Cherokee Study Club, started a library in 1946 which would remain operating upstairs until 1972 when it would be moved to the upstairs of City Hall. While all of this was going on, the bank was still going strong on the left. Though in 1927 the post office moved into the bottom right and remained there until 1975. During the civil war time, the post office functioned in the Tellico Mansion (owned by

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the then postmaster). At the time Tennessee had left the union and in turn was cut off from government supplies. This led to customer Tellico Plains stamps being made inside the town post office. In 1975 the building started functioning as a whole again.

Then in 2001 it was bought by its current owners and transformed into Tellico Grains, which you might hear some of the locals calling “the bakery”. Countless people have walked where you’re standing; perhaps to mail a letter to a loved one fighting overseas or to cash their very first paycheck. Maybe they were just like you, wanting to know the story behind this brick building. Whatever the reason in whatever the time, this building has served its purpose.

1976-87: Hayes Sweet Shop
1988: Tellequah Restaurant (Teleequah is also the name of the Tellico Plains High School yearbook started in 1921)
1989: Pops Country Kitchen
1990-94: Maxx Video
1996-2001: Tellico Pawn Shop

*Pictures supplied by Roberta Childeress (being sworn in on the left) and Karen Stewart*

Project Leader: Hannah Morris – Project Assistants: Merritt Sherrer & Isabella Wilson – Project Advisor: Sheann Graham – Constructor: Thomas Graham – Constructor Assistant: Kolton Stakely.

Topics.

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 22, 2024

2. Tellico Tales: Sweet Shop Marker

This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Buildings. A significant historical year for this entry is 1914.

Location. 35° 21.813′ N, 84° 17.71′ W. Marker is in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, in Monroe County. It is at the intersection of Depot Street and Veterans Memorial Drive, on the left when traveling east on Depot Street. Marker is located outside Tennessee Grains Bakery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 105 Depot Street, Tellico Plains TN 37385, 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 walking distance of this marker: Tellico Tales: The Old Hotel (within shouting distance

Photographed by Tom Bosse, November 22, 2024

3. Tellico Tales: Sweet Shop Marker

of this marker); Tellico Tales: Memorial Drive (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Tellico Tales: Scott Street (about 300 feet away); Tellico Tales: Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Veterans Memorial Monument of Monroe County (about 400 feet away); Tellico Tales: School House Hill (about 500 feet away); Tellico Tales: Former City Hall (about 500 feet away); Unicoi Turnpike Trail (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tellico Plains.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Tellico Tales

Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 28, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 177 times since then and 32 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on November 28, 2024, by Tom Bosse of Jefferson City, Tennessee. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.