Welcome to the Cowan History page!  All unlinked titles represent articles that are being researched and compiled.  Please come back and read more!  We also welcome any corrections, additions, contributions or requests.  Simply click here to send e-mail.

Cowan, 1852 to 1860, Part I

Cowan, 1852 to 1899, Part II

Cowan, 1852-1860, Part III

Cowan: Its History and Heritage

Cowan: Gateway to the Summer Resorts

Glimpses of Cowan:  Lists of businesses and professionals in 1890, 1924, and 1978

The History of Telecommunications in Cowan

Franklin County's First Court House

Why A Log Cabin?

Collections from the Past (Replica of Major Russell's Cabin Home)

Railroad Articles:

At the Foot of the Mountain: Some Notes on the Cowan Depot

The Mountain Goat

Storm on Cumberland Mountain: The Story of the Cowan Pusher District

The Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad Railroad: The Early Years

Cowan Restaurants:

Corner House Celebrates 25 Years!

Memories of Cowan Cafe

Share with us your memories of Cowan restaurants!  We're looking for information on all restaurants, including the Franklin House, Copeland's, Edna's, Foot's, Stella's, Flo's, the Cowan Cafe, Corner House, Sernicola's, and any others!  Click here to e-mail us some of your personal thoughts, facts, and memories for our collection!

The History of Hospitality in Cowan:  including the University House Hotel, The Franklin House (a.k.a. the Parker Hotel), Marquette Hotel (a.k.a. the D, H, & G boarding house), and The Franklin-Pearson House

Church Histories:

Closed, Disbanded, Pre-merger and Predecessor Churches:

Boiling Fork Baptist Church (1822-?)

Cowan Church of God (1966-1974)

Cowan Christian Church (1875-1922, predecessor to Cowan Church of Christ)

Cowan Methodist Church (Founded 1947, merged into Cowan Fellowship Church)

Cowan Methodist Episcopal Church (1842-?)

Cowan Presbyterian Church (Founded 1907, merged into Cowan Fellowship Church)

Rayburn Chapel A.M.E. Church (1889-1997)

St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church (1848-?)

St. Saviour's Mission (1894-1899, predecessor to St. Agnes' Episcopal Church)

Existing Churches:

Cowan Church of Christ (Founded 1923, successor to Cowan Christian Church)

Cowan Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Founded 1886)

Cowan Fellowship Church (Merger of Cowan Methodist Church and Cowan Presbyterian Church)

Cowan First Baptist Church (Founded 1906)

First Church of the Nazarene (Founded 1917)

Goshen Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Founded 1810, Franklin County's oldest church)

Mt. Sinai Baptist Church

New Hope Church of God in Christ (Founded 1982)

Old Army Chapel (Today the home of Hope Baptist Church)

St. Agnes' Episcopal Church (Founded 1899, successor to St. Saviour's Mission)

 

Departmental Histories:

Cowan Board of Public Utilities

Cowan City Government

Cowan Fire Department

Cowan Library

Cowan Montgomery Cemetery

Cowan Police Department

Cowan Street Department

People of Cowan:

W.W. Brakefield

Agness Martin Cowan

The Cowan's of Franklin County: Part I, Part II, Part III

Bill Miller

Major William Russell: Cowan's First Settler

School Histories:

Acme Academy (predecessor to Cowan Public School)

Big Spring School

Early Education in Franklin County (Pioneer School at Goshen Camp Ground)

Greenhaw School

Memoirs of a Mountain School Teacher (Lumber Camp School in the mountains above Cowan)

"School Days" Remember When? (Acme Academy and Big Spring School)

Thorogood Public School

South Junior High School (Now known as South Middle School)