More WataugaLakeMagazine articles:

The Butler Museum

Learn how and why Watauga Lake was formed and how the citizens of "Old Butler" Tennessee were changed forever. . . .

A Kayaker's View

See Watauga Lake up-close from a Kayak

Watauga Lake Triathlon

Swim over 1,000 yards in a deep lake, race in your bike over 21 miles through the mountains, THEN... run 5 miles ...

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Butler Tennessee:

Colonel Roderick Random Butler's Namesake: Part 2

Chandelier in the house of Colonel Roderick Random Butler of Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee

All photos and illustrations by Pat Johns ©2007
All Rights Reserved
See links to article references at the end of the article.

Go back to History

September, 2007

Today Mountain City and Johnson County are poised for growth. Visitors are discovering the beauty of the area that locals have long appreciated. Mountain City has an airport and is expanding and improving its roads to accomodate growth and healthy development.

"Beautiful scenery everywhere. Clean air and water, hiking, golf, skiing, boating, riding trails, camping. AND friendly people. Johnson County has over 50,000 acres of National Forest, beautiful Watauga Lake, trout streams, waterfalls, beautiful peaks and valleys. Abundant wildlife: deer, bear, turkey, grouse. Come see a Pow Wow at the annual Trade Days Festival. Or get yourself some cranberries at the annual Cranberry Festival in Shady Valley. All of this and more await you in Johnson County Tennessee."

~ Mountain City Online (see link below)
The Tennessee State Marker at The Colonel Roderick Butler House in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee The Garden Shed at The Colonel Roderick Butler House in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee
Colonel Roderick Random Butler's grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee Trees at The Colonel Roderick Butler House in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee

Colonel Roderick Random Butler's grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee

It's not easy to find the Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City. I stopped in the offices of the local newspaper and the person I talked with had never heard of it and could find no one else in the building who had. Yet, they were about one-half mile from it. Someone at the New Visitors Center quickly came up with the location for me. (The Visitor's Center on Highway 321 is a combination museum and resources center and a great place to start on your visit.)

The small cemetery is not far from Roderick Butler's home, nestled in a neighborhood. Emeline and Colonel Roderick Butler's monument extends up into the branches of the tree above it. They are surrounded by the graves of family members and have the "mountain view" that the cemetery's name promises.

Colonel Roderick Random Butler's grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee Colonel Roderick Random Butler's grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee Colonel Roderick Random Butler's grave at Mountain View Cemetery in Mountain City near Watauga Lake Tennessee

Links to references in this article and to sites related Colonel Roderick R. Butler::