Rugby (Tenn.) Colony Photograph
This collection consists of one 8x10 black-and-white photograph of members of the Rugby, Tennessee, Colony participating in a summer outing.
Dates
- circa 1880s
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite, and a minimum of 2 business days are needed to retrieve these items for use. Researchers interested in consulting any of the collections are advised to contact Special Collections.
Conditions Governing Use
The copyright interests in this collection remain with the creator. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library.
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet
Abstract
This collection consists of one 8x10 black-and-white photograph of members of the Rugby, Tennessee, Colony participating in a summer outing.
Biographical/Historical Note
The Rugby Colony was a utopian community founded by English author and social reformer Thomas Hughes in Morgan County, Tennessee. By the time Rugby was officially christened on October 5, 1880, the village had become home to approximately 100 colonists. The population expanded to nearly 300 residents by the following summer. A typhoid fever epidemic struck the colony the same year, killing seven and causing several others to leave in panic. By the end of 1881, only about 60 people remained. Gradually, the colony rebounded, with the population growing to about 450 in the next few years. Eventually, however, the colony's popularity waned as land sales lagged, legal problems occurred and the school that was to be the centerpiece of the colony never reached its potential. By the early 1890s, the colony could no longer support itself.
Arrangement
Collection consists of a single photograph.
Acquisition Note
Paul Bergeron donated this photograph to the Special Collections Library.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository