From the files of the Polk County News ...

In 1938, Benton was visited by 132 Cherokee Indians from the reservation in North Carolina on their way back from the Chickamauga celebration ... Applications were being taken for landowners seeking CCC labor in soil conservation and reforestation ... The Indian town of Ugwahi, or Ocoee, was being uncovered for the first time. It was opposite a mile-long cave ... The steam whistle at the L&N powerhouse in Etowah was being torn down along with the powerhouse. TEPCO was to furnish power for the switch yards and remaining shops.

In 1958, Southern Bell announced it would eliminate long distance charges on calls between the Benton and Cleveland exchanges ... Patti Copeland was named president of the Library Cub at PCHS ... Ben McClary was teaching English and doing graduate work at the UT English department ... Tubeless tires were on sale at 4/$70.68 plus four old tires ... The Cheek family reunion was held at Quinn Springs.

In 1968, Ronald Dean was a sophomore at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point ... Rev. P.H. Hooker was retiring after 48 years in the Baptist ministry.

In 1978, TVA scheduled a hearing on the plan to rehabilitate Ocoee No. 2 plant. A central issue is the use of the stretch of river below the dam ... A bill was filed to take the sales tax off groceries ... A hearing was scheduled on the lawsuit challenging the sheriff’s election.

In 1988, employees at TCC filed suit for the return of the money that had been withheld from their checks since 1984 as part of a wage concession “investment” to keep the company alive ... Benton parents angrily protested their children’s treatment by a teacher’s aide following a lunchroom problem. The aide was fired after 100 children were reportedly taken to a room and made to stay for 30 minutes. One child reportedly passed out ... The county commission was considering the possibility of a wheel tax again.

In 1998, Student Intervention Boards were created at each school to identify at-risk students and work to avoid problems … Questions were raised about the fact a boat ramp was to be put in near the Nancy Ward gravesite even though TDOT couldn’t touch any of the land for the new highway … The state purchased land for a take-out on the Conasauga River … An abstinence curriculum was developed for grades 7-9 … The Whitewater Rodeo was scheduled for the Ocoee … A mountain bike festival was scheduled for the Whitewater Center.