Tennessee Valley Authority Grave Removal Records for the Norris Dam Reservoir
This collection houses the Tennessee Valley Authority's records of graves removed before the construction of the Norris Dam in East Tennessee, the first major project of the TVA. The collection houses cemetery removal orders, contracts, and cards for over seventy cemeteries.
Dates
- circa 1933-1936
Conditions Governing Access
Collections are stored offsite and must be requested in advance. See www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Conditions Governing Use
The UT Libraries claims only physical ownership of most material in the collections. Persons wishing to broadcast or publish this material must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants on www.special.lib.utk.edu for detailed information. Collections must be requested through a registered Special Collections research account.
Extent
16 Linear Feet (12 boxes and 3 card file drawers)
Abstract
This collection houses the Tennessee Valley Authority's records of graves removed before the construction of the Norris Dam in East Tennessee, the first major project of the TVA.
Biographical/Historical Note
Construction on Norris Dam began in October 1933 and was completed in March of 1936. The dam was the first of the TVA's hydroelectric projects. It is a straight concrete gravity-type dam, 1860 feet long, 265 feet high, and 208 feet thick at the base. Its construction necessitated flooding approximately 239 square acres, displacing about 2,900 families and about 5,000 gravesites. The Tennessee Valley Authority was created in 1933 as a part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's plan to revitalize the economy of the United States after the Great Depression. The TVA brought water and electric services to previous unserved areas, but also caused issues for Tennesseans with construction over socially sacred places like cemeteries.
Arrangement
Collection consists of twelve boxes and three metal file card drawers.
Acquisition Note
Harry Wiersema donated this collection to the Library in 1936.
Repository Details
Part of the Betsey B. Creekmore Special Collections and University Archives, University of Tennessee, Knoxville Repository