Once upon a time, there was a US state called Franklin that comprised East Tennessee and Western North Carolina's mountainous regions. There are some historic sites in Johnson City, Tennessee, if you are ever passing through there.
Prior to 1796, Tennessee didn’t exist. The population that existed at the time and that made up east Tennessee wanted to form a state. So in 1784, they wrote a constitution, elected a governor and began business affairs. They called their new found state, the State of Franklin.
The State of Franklin was an interesting little place.... In Franklin, they never used money. They created a complicated system of barter. They also banned ministers of the gospel and lawyers from public office in their constitution.
During this time, this part of Tennessee belonged to North Carolina. When the people from the State of Franklin proposed their new home to Congress, North Carolina fought against passing their proposal.
One day I hope to see Franklin restored, as that polity makes a lot more sense than lumping mountainous Western North Carolina with the more heavily urban down-east parts.
Treating the State of Franklin as a geographic entity for the purpose of this post, it's had an interesting week.
Asheville saw a gunfight that left one man killed by another man's illegally concealed firearm, but which will see no charges forthcoming from the local police.
The Blue Ridge Parkway was temporarily closed, and Federal investigators brought in to investigate an improvised incendiary device found at the Folk Art Center.
Gatlinburg saw a car careen through its crowds, injuring six. This was feared to be an act of terrorism, similar to a famous one in Nice, France and a recent one in New Orleans; it proved to be a woman who had a cardiac while driving. She was the only fatality.
2 comments:
I recall the Folk Art Center. It seems an odd choice. Is it because it is the most important building on that part of the Parkway, which is the real target?
I don't know. I have been trying to learn more about that incident and the device involved, but there hasn't been any more information forthcoming so far. The National Park Service's police agency has control of it.
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