Monteagle in Grundy County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

The Hotel, the Eagle, and College Hijinks

An Epic Tale of Fire, Abduction, Guilt and Repariation

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 20, 2025

1. The Hotel, the Eagle, and College Hijinks Marker

Inscription.

The Hotel, the Eagle, and College Hijinks. An Epic Tale of Fire, Abduction, Guilt and Repariation. In the 1880s, a grand resort hotel stood on this property. The first version of the "Mont Eagle Springs Hotel" was built by investors from Nashville. That hotel burned in 1929, but was quickly replaced. The second version of the hotel was built by Tennessee real estate investor John Harton; however, it, too, met a similar fate, burning to the ground in 1950., After the second fire, Harton decided not to rebuild. The Eagle statue stood in front of the charred remains of the hotel, and was noticed by a Tennessee Polytechnic Institute ("TPI") student in 1952, while working a summer job in this area. TPI's mascot was also an eagle, and so the student and his cohorts conspired to "relocate" the Eagle to the TPI campus in Cookeville as part of a pep rally, ahead of their '52 rivalry football game with Middle Tennessee State University., As the now-legendary tale recounts, three students arrived in Monteagle on a rainy night in November with nothing more than a pair of tin snips, hoping to free the Eagle from its rocky perch. After several tense minutes of work cutting away the half-globe beneath the Eagle's feet - the statue came free and was whisked off to Cookeville, where it received a clandestine coat of gold paint before its unveiling at the big pep rally., Upon seeing the Eagle unveiling at the pep rally, TPI President Everett Derryberry, who knew John Harton, is reported to have said, "Mr. Harton will never believe that I knew absolutely nothing about this!" Ironically, Derryberry had previously met with Harton on a return trip from Chattanooga, had noticed the Eagle in front of the hotel ruins, and, having the same [but more legitimate] idea as the mischievous students, had made Harton an offer to buy the statue. But the students beat him to it., In 2016, the school, now known as Tennessee Technological University, made amends for the "relocation" by returning a full-scale replica of the Eagle to Monteagle, where it now proudly sits in Harton Park., Photo captions: , Top: The first version of the "Mont Eagle Springs Hotel." , Left: A postcard featuring the Monteagle Eagle, with the second version of the hotel in the background. , Below Left: A tourist brochure from the late 1940s, shortly before the hotel burned again. , Below: The Monteagle Eagle being 'returned' to Harton Park by Tennessee Tech in 2016-a replica of the original, the mold of which was created by Tennessee Tech's iCube 3-D scanner. Another replica adorns Derryberry Hall on the Tennessee tech campus in Cookeville. Otherwise, use of the mold is reserved for the university's highest honor, the Order of the Eagle award.

In the 1880s, a grand resort hotel stood on this property. The first version of the "Mont Eagle Springs Hotel" was built by investors from Nashville. That hotel burned in 1929, but was quickly replaced. The second version of the hotel was built by Tennessee real estate investor John Harton; however, it, too, met a similar fate, burning to the ground in 1950.

After the second fire, Harton decided not to rebuild. The Eagle statue stood in front of the charred remains of the hotel, and was noticed by a Tennessee Polytechnic Institute ("TPI") student in 1952, while working a summer job in this area. TPI's mascot was also an eagle, and so the student and his cohorts conspired to "relocate" the Eagle to the TPI campus in Cookeville as part of a pep rally, ahead of their '52 rivalry football game with Middle Tennessee State University.

As the now-legendary tale recounts, three students arrived in Monteagle on a rainy night in November with nothing more than a pair of tin snips, hoping to free the Eagle from its rocky perch. After several tense minutes of work cutting away the half-globe beneath the Eagle's feet - the statue came free and was whisked off to Cookeville, where it received a clandestine coat of gold paint before its unveiling at the big pep rally.

Upon seeing the Eagle unveiling at the pep rally, TPI President

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Everett Derryberry, who knew John Harton, is reported to have said, "Mr. Harton will never believe that I knew absolutely nothing about this!" Ironically, Derryberry had previously met with Harton on a return trip from Chattanooga, had noticed the Eagle in front of the hotel ruins, and, having the same [but more legitimate] idea as the mischievous students, had made Harton an offer to buy the statue. But the students beat him to it.

In 2016, the school, now known as Tennessee Technological University, made amends for the "relocation" by returning a full-scale replica of the Eagle to Monteagle, where it now proudly sits in Harton Park.

Photo captions:
Top: The first version of the "Mont Eagle Springs Hotel."
Left: A postcard featuring the Monteagle Eagle, with the second version of the hotel in the background.
Below Left: A tourist brochure from the late 1940s, shortly before the hotel burned again.
Below: The Monteagle Eagle being 'returned' to Harton Park by Tennessee Tech in 2016-a replica of the original, the mold of which was created by Tennessee Tech's iCube 3-D scanner. Another replica adorns Derryberry Hall on the Tennessee tech campus in Cookeville. Otherwise, use of the mold is reserved for the university's highest honor, the Order of the Eagle award.

Erected by Town of

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 20, 2025

2. The Hotel, the Eagle, and College Hijinks Marker

Monteagle.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Notable Events.

Location. 35° 14.43′ N, 85° 50.146′ W. Marker is in Monteagle, Tennessee, in Grundy County. It is on College Street west of N Central Ave, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 143 College St, Monteagle TN 37356, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau

and in the Highland Rim.

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 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: Welcome to Monteagle (a few steps from this marker); Monteagle Sunday School Assembly (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); a different marker also named Monteagle Sunday School Assembly (about 600 feet away); The Amphitheater (approx. 0.3 miles away); Grundy County / Marion County (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Dawn Redwood of Monteagle (approx. 0.4 miles away); Trail of Tears (approx. 0.4 miles away); RyeMabee 1930 (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Monteagle.

The Golden Eagle image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Darren Jefferson Clay, January 20, 2025

3. The Golden Eagle

Credits. This page was last revised on January 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on January 23, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. This page has been viewed 343 times since then and 78 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 23, 2025, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • James Hulse was the editor who published this page.