From the files of the Polk County News ..

In 1938, the government made improvements to help campers and tourists at the camp site on the Tellico River ... A WPA application for road work was approved for $49,118 ... George McClure celebrated his 73rd birthday with 102 present ... Sue Hicks was seeking the criminal judgeship.

In 1948, some 3,000 attended a Democrat rally at Quinn Springs as efforts were made to take the government out of the hands of the GGL. Democrats said there was mismanagement and waste of county money ... At the movies: Fort Apache, with John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Temple and John Agar.

In 1958, the Benton branch of the library moved from the Masonic lodge building to a store building on the Courthouse square ... Rebecca Passmore won a scholarship to UT ... The long neglected graves of David and Delilah McNair, restored by members of the Chief Standingdeer Tribe, were to be dedicated.

In 1968, the tax assessor incumbent entered the race for Sheriff as an independent against Democrat J.T. Stafford and Republican Bill Holder ... Food prices: port chops, 49¢/lb.; cabbage, 2¢/lb.; coffee, 66¢/can ... King and queen of the second week of 4-H Camp were Mike Studdard and Becky Brown.

In 1978, Rep. Bill Watson was killed in a wreck on Hwy. 411 in Delano ... Dr. Robert Pasco officially began his dental practice at the Benton Family Care Center ... Food prices: ground beef, 79¢/lb.; coffee, $2.39/bag; lettuce, 39¢/head.

In 1988, the budget and tax rate were still on hold while the commission waited to find out how much TCC would be appealing on its tax bill ... Officials of Copperhill and McCaysville met face to face to talk about the long-standing water/sewer dispute ... Copperhill officials vowed to get rid of hazardous buildings ... The Copperhill council agreed to pay for lighting and twice-a-year clearing at the cemetery under restoration ... American Uniform in Conasauga was back in business after a fire.

In 1998, the former YMCA building in Ducktown was destroyed by fire … A support group for the Cherokee National Forest was being considered … The Conasauga River was the focus of a new watershed management program … Under a new attendance policy, high school students who miss more than ten days in a semester for any course will receive no credit for that course … The state Board of Education was looking at end-of-course test requirements for graduation.