ELIZABETHTON â Seth Whitehead, 14, is working on a project that is not only important in his own life, but also should have an impact on the community.
It is a project he is undertaking as a key part of his effort to become an Eagle Scout. Even more important, his project is designed to help a community remember four young men who died while working to defend the town of Hampton from a forest fire on Jenkins Mountain on Feb. 27, 1954.
Whitehead said the four who were killed include 15-year-old Robert Simerly, a volunteer with the Hampton/Valley Forge Volunteer Fire Department, and three employees of the Tennessee Division of Forestry: Herman Carden, Kenneth Pierce, and Jerry Woods. All three were 19 years old. Somehow, most people in the community have no knowledge of the tragedy, and Whitehead wants to change that by leading an effort to raise funds to purchase a memorial for the four young men.
ELIZABETHTON â The Carter County Car Club will be hosting its annual Car Show in downtown Elizabethton this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Club President Eddie Brumitt said this will mark the 16th straight year the event has been held in downtown after a two-year run at the Borla Performance Company in south Johnson City.
âThis is our yearly fundraiser to support our childrenâs charities,â Brumitt said. He said last year the club raised $21,990. That was all donated to charities, and a lot of the money was raised during the one-day show. The rest of it was raised during the clubâs weekly Cruise-Ins.
ELIZABETHTON â The patriotic citizens of Carter County turned out in large numbers in downtown Elizabethton to celebrate Independence Day on Saturday. The largest crowds gathered at the Covered Bridge Park for the Independence Day Celebration put on by the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department, but there were also people attending the Bonnie Kate Theatre for one of the four presentations of the Jonesborough Repertory Theatreâs â1940s USO Show,â and also the weekly cruise-in hosted by the Carter County Car Club.
The celebration culminated with a 20-minute fireworks show fired from a new location this year, the Elk Avenue Bridge. Prior to that, the large audience at the Covered Bridge Park was treated to a free concert by theSpank, the ultimate â80s party band.
ELIZABETHTON â The Independence Day celebration got started early in downtown Elizabethton with the monthly First Friday event kicking off a weekend of Independence Day activities.
Among the activities taking place on Friday were a free concert by Monday Night Social in the Covered Bridge Park, The Firefly 5K Run/Walk through downtown, and the premiere of the Jonesborough Repertory Theatreâs â1940s USO Showâ at the Bonnie Kate Theater. There will be seven other presentations at the Bonnie Kate. Those are on Saturday at 2, 4, 6, and 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2, 4, and 6 p.m.
The Independence Day celebration continues in downtown Elizabethton on Saturday. Spank! The 80âs will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. for a free performance.
ELIZABETHTON â With three fireworks shows on different days in different locations, free music concerts, a 5K race, baseball, extended shopping in downtown stores, and a presentation of an old-time USO show, there will be plenty to do in Elizabethton this Independence Day weekend.
It all gets started on Friday, July 2, with the monthly First Friday events, then takes off on Saturday, July 3, with the Elizabethton Parks and Recreation Department once more holding its Independence Day celebrations at the Covered Bridge Park and the Carter County Car Club holding its weekly Cruise-In in downtown Elizabethton.
Many downtown stores will have extended hours into the evening on Friday. Some stores will have special sales and some will host artists who will be working on projects in the store. Other stores will have live music.