Atwood, Carroll County, Tennessee   

Atwood was settled in the 1820's by Cornelius W. Keaton and family who ran a store and blacksmith shop.  John Keaton ran a sawmill, and a Mr. Barker had a cabinet shop and wagon factory.  Oxwagons were sent to Paducah, Kentucky for supplies. These business were all in sight of the Keaton Homestead. Atwood was originally on the road from Huntingdon to Trenton through Shady Grove and passed the Keaton/Stewart Graveyard south of present Atwood.
Before 1852, J. H. Witt Cage of Mississippi settled large tracts of land in this community and later leased land to the Louisville/Nashville Railroad for 99 years.  Between 1852 and 1855 Atwood became a booming town with more businesses and home and a post office was established on May 9, 1855 with William J. Kirk as first postmaster.
Atwood Banking Company, organized in 1905 with Giles Smith as cashier and Sam Barger as assistant.  was reorganized in 1927 as the Citizens Bank and Trust Company.  R. McNatt was cashier with W.G. Belew as president.
The last practicing physicians were Dr. Oscar Todd and Dr. O. W. Fesmire.  Atwood people who served in elected State and Federal positions were: Joe Brooks, U. S. Senator, Harry Williams and Jerry Bryant, State Representative; Charlie Brooks as Direct Representative of the State.  Gordon Browning, born and reared in the Atwood Community, served as Governor three terms and United States Representative for twelve years.
Atwood Schools grew from a one room in 1850 to a four year High School in 1935 which was later consolidated into the West Carroll School district serving Atwood, McLemoresville, Lavinia, Trezevant and Westview communities.
Pisgah Presbyterian Church and Cemetery were established very early and The Keaton /Stewart Graveyard is well kept, a tribute to the memory of first settlers. Presently, Atwood has four Churches: Cumberland Presbyterian, Methodist, Church of Christ and Baptist.
The town was incorporated in 1951 with C.V. Moore as the first mayor.  The city has a volunteer fire department.
In 1985 a Memory Garden was made in downtown Atwood, which contains a monument bearing the names of men from the area who served in World War 1 and 11, Korea and Vietnam.  The State and Federal Flag fly daily.
Samuel Price Clark and Beverly A. Williamson started a railroad from Milan to Huntingdon but the monopolist stopped them.  The old roadbed can still be seen near Clark's Mountain.  The monopolist then built the present railroad and Atwood moved north.

                                                             notes submitted by

Return to Home