#early spring 2017

[miagphotography]

[thecrimsonarcher]

The old IGA Supermarket has been a fixture in the small town of Greenback, Tennessee for many, many years. We have passed by it more times than I can count, but not once did we ever think to drop in and pay a visit, that is, until the other day.

The front door was propped open, allowing the store to air out. Sitting at the sole register was a kind older gentleman who rung up our candy and drinks on an older electronic cash register. On the walls surrounding him were old advertisements I hadn’t seen in years.

Admittedly, the interior of the store is very run down. The ceiling was covered in old water stains, which wafted a musty scent throughout the sparsely stocked aisles. Out of curiosity, I gave myself a brief tour of the sales floor, something I always do in smaller grocery stores. It’s a bit of a habit I picked up over the years I spent working in retail. It’s not really much of a critique, per se. Every store I’ve ever worked in has their own way of operating that stands out and is unique to that location. The IGA, no longer standing in its former glory, appeared to be on its last legs. What was once the meat department was no more than a line of broken coolers that were covered in old boxes. An old, dusty sign hung over the defunct meat case, its faded letters reading, “meat department”. The produce section was across from the meat department. It too must have suffered a similar fate because the shelves were no longer lined with fresh fruits and vegetables. When you walk into a small grocery store, the first thing that catches your eye is usually the produce section. There was no produce section to speak of....at least, not anymore. The tiles on the floor were long gone, revealing concrete underneath. Paint was peeling from the walls. The lighting was terrible. It was a little bit humid and stuffy. Despite it all, there was something about the atmosphere that added to its unusual charm. General stores are hard to come by these days. To find one that’s bypassed most modern conveniences is very rare in itself. The interior has not been updated in decades. The facade is characteristic of IGA stores that were built in the 1950s. I was more fascinated than I was appalled by its overall appearance. If it were possible, I could’ve easily spent a day looking through everything.

As I am typing this out, I was informed by a Greenback native the Greenback IGA will be closing within the next year due to a lack of business. According to them, the IGA used to be one of the few stores in the area until the nearby Dollar General had opened. It also didn’t help that its next door neighbor, a factory once known as Accupowder, was shut down and abandoned a few years ago, taking away a little bit of its clientele.

[miagphotography]

[miagphotography]

[miagphotography]

[miagphotography]

[miagphotography]

[thecrimsonarcher]

According to local folklore, as told by storyteller Bert Vincent, this Maggie’s Mill was the site of a romance between a Canadian gold prospector named George Johnson, who became smitten by the daughter of Zeb Harris, who had owned the mill. The daughter’s name was Maggie and she was allegedly 16 years old at the time that Johnson had visited the mill. George had decided to stay in the area and spent a lot of time with Maggie, going to family gatherings and of course, dating her. Over time, the two of them were wed.

Now, the story never says if Maggie went to Canada with George, but according to Bert Vincent, Maggie would often come to visit the family grist mill. Eventually, however, Maggie stopped coming. It is unknown how she died or even when. It isn’t even stated where Maggie Harris was even buried, if she is even buried in Tennessee at all. Her parents, Zeb and a Mrs. Harris, ran the old mill until they died. It is never spoken anymore on how they had reacted to their daughter’s death or why this mill was even called “Maggie’s Mill”. Had it always been called Maggie’s Mill or was it simply called “Harris Mill”? Had a Maggie actually lived in this area who fell in love with a Canadian gold prospector? Did the Maggie who lived in Springtown, Tennessee even exist at all? No one really knows the answer.

The story of Maggie’s Mill remains controversial in local folklore due to the existence of another Maggie’s Mill, which stands in ruins outside of Hamilton, Ontario. It is said that the George Johnson that had written this poem actually lived in Canada and was a schoolteacher. Maggie Clark was one of his students. For some time, the two dated and were eventually married in 1864. It is said that George Johnson wrote this poem after falling ill and walking out near the Niagara escarpment and looking down at what is now present day downtown Hamilton, Ontario. This poem was very well received and was published in a book of poetry that Johnson had written called “Maple Leaves”.

His beloved Maggie died on May 12, 1865 after falling ill. It is said that the schoolhouse where they had first met still stands in Hamilton, with a plaque which mentions that this was the actual site that “When You and I Were Young, Maggie” was written about.

So, why did local residents of Springtown lay claim to this mill being the focus of such a melancholy love song? What events transpired here so long ago for people to have believed this?