Winged Deer Park
Bristol Highway
Call: (423) 283-5815
Established in 1991, Winged Deer
Park is a 200-acre district park. The J.
Norton Arney family previously owned and
operated the farm from the 1940's through
the early 70's. Mr. Arney was a noted car
dealer and raised and trained show horses in
the area. The farm was used primarily to
grow hay and had several large stables along
the lakefront property. The city purchased
the property in 1985 and the original
farmhouse was converted into the parks and
recreation administration office. The
facility includes a meeting room, landscape
patio area and working offices. Complex
amenities include five lighted softball
fields, athletic office, scorer's tower and
restroom, three lighted soccer fields,
Batter's Up
batting cages, a 9-hole disc golf course,
playground area, soccer concession building
with restroom, 1/2 mile lighted and paved
fitness trail which winds through the
forested section of the park. The lakefront
area features two sand volleyball courts,
horseshoe pits, picnic shelter with
restrooms, public access boat ramp, green
space, lighted handicap accessible
boardwalk, and a Festival Plaza multi-use
area with restroom.
The park has three historical features:
Robert Young Cabin one
of Johnson City's oldest dwellings. Built in
the early 1770's, the Robert Young Cabin
sat on family property located near
Brush Creek. The U.S. Government purchased a
portion of the Young's family property for
the National Soldiers Home, which
necessitated the cabin's first move.
Relocated to Optimist Park, then known as
Sertoma Park, the cabin was restored in 1938
by the John Sevier Chapter of the Daughters
of the American Revolution. Following the
cabin's second move in 1996 to its current
home at Winged Deer Park, it was
substantially renovated and repaired. The
log structure of the cabin has endured well
over 200 years.
Massengil Monument:
From 1937 until 1990 this statue of
Henry Massengil and his pioneer family stood
in north Johnson City at the intersection of
two highways leading to Bristol and
Kingsport. Due to a state highway
improvement project, the 24-foot statue was
moved to Winged Deer Park in 1990. The
monument was originally erected by Dr.
Samuel Evans Massengil of Bristol, Tennessee
to commemorate his great-great-grandfather
as well as all pioneers. As at the original
location, the statue faces west, portraying
the westward movement of pioneers.
Settlement in this area represented the
pioneers' first foray into territory west of
the Allegheny Mountains, which is why this
area of Tennessee is billed as the "First
Frontier." The Massengil pioneers stand as a
lasting reminder of our region's proud
hertiage. Henry Massengil came from North
Carolina to the Watauga settlement in 1769.
Henry's wife was a sister of William Cobb,
whose residence, "Rocky Mount" (located 1.7
miles north of Winged Deer Park) served as
the capitol of the Southwest Territory in
1790. The residence, still standing is now
maintained as the "Rocky Mount" historical
site.
James
H. Quillen Historical Tree Museum:
The museum is dedicated to former
congressman James H. Quillen in appreciation
for this outstanding service to the people.
He served his country during World War II,
as Lieutenant in the US Navy. Mr. Quillen
holds the Tennessee record for serving the
longest continuous time in the U.S. House of
Representatives.nbsp The city's tree museum
dedicated in 1994, features trees donated by
Stanley LeMaster and Theodore Klein of
Louisville, Kentucky, and all have
fascinating ancestors. While visiting the
museum you will find plaques beside each
tree giving its genealogy. All trees are
related to historic trees by seeds or
grafts. After more than 20 years of work Mr.
LeMaster and Mr. Klein have historical trees
planted at 50 universities, two foreign
countries, and in all 50 states. The museum
was made possible by the "Earth Kids"
envirnomental club under the guidance of
instructor Cathy Glenn. |
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