From the files of the Polk County News ...

In 1938, Gussie Taylor won the prize for guessing how many miles per gallon could be made with a Ford V8. The mileage was 25.6 mpg ... L. Roy Stillwell announced his candidacy for Sheriff ... The picnic grounds located west of the Cold Spring Gap on the Kimsey Highway was reconditioned and opened for public use ... The government was building a fine new road in Servilla ... At the movies, “Test Pilot, with Clark Gable, Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy.

In 1948, U.S. Sen. Tom Stewart opening his re-election campaign. Among his positions were: against communism, for TVA and flood control, for old age security, opposed to the 1947 Civil Rights plan ... The county Sportsmen’s Cub entertained its members with a fish fry at Quinn Springs ... Relatives of the Rahts Chapel area were invited to a homecoming at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.

In 1968, Althea Adams won first place in the 4-H District Share-the-Fun contest ... The Baptist Association planned a barbecue dinner at the 24-acre camp site ... UT students initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, national honor society were Phyllis Hughes, Elizabeth Mayfield, Jo Ann Fisher, and Michael Harper ... The Polk County Ruritan bought softballs for the 4-H softball league, which started off with Reliance in first place ... Food prices: chuck roast, 39¢/lb.; pork & beans, 29¢/lb.; bananas, 10¢/lb.

In 1978, a compromise seemed to be in the works between recreationists and TVA over use of the Ocoee when the flume line was completed. An issue in the environmental impact statement was whether power users would have to pay more to offset revenue lost when the flume wasn’t operating ... Political rallies were getting underway as campaign season got into full swing ... DA Richard Fisher was pushing for an early report by the Grand Jury on alleged voting irregularities during the constitutional referendum ... Bobbie Morgan was named the new Ducktown postmaster ... the Polk Baptist Association completed its new Baptist Center ... New Benton Commissioner J.C. Waters told residents that improvements couldn’t be made for a while because the new commission took office with practically no money in the treasury.

In 1988, the county’s tax base had improved by almost $7 million … The PCHS Bowl Team was in competition in New Orleans … Copperhill asked the bankruptcy court to allow it to reject the long-standing water contract with McCaysville since it was based on an agreement with Cities Service that never happened .. Superior Medical was set to move into the Copper Basin Industrial Park … Remington Industries moved into the Benton Industrial Park and began planning for expansion.

In 1998, the county was cracking down on delinquent amusement taxes, sending letters to outfitters and asking for help from TVA to pull permits for non-payment … Benton, Copperhill and Ducktown all received housing rehab grants … The commissioners were finishing up the budget, based on the certified tax rate of $2.58. School officials were expected to protest the lack of an increase in property tax money for schools … The idea of a trust fund to help with the upper Ocoee was shifted to a fund for economic development, but even that was far from reality … A Sonic was under construction in Benton.