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Founding of South Pittsburg  

After the Civil War, British investors engaged James Bowron to explore coal and iron deposits in the Southern United States. By 1873 Bowron had selected the ideal spot for iron works and a model town – South Pittsburg – was founded. The Southern States Coal Iron and Land Company (Old English Company) purchased land for the model city and acquired mineral rights for properties int the Sequatchie Valley. Blast furnaces began operation in 1876.

Tragedy struck with the deaths of Bowron in 1877, Company President Thomas Whitwell in 1878, and two major shareholders shortly after. Decisions made by English directors and inexperienced management in Tennessee, the Old English Company sold all of their propety to the Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railroad Company.

Three years later in 1885 the TennesseeCoal, Iron, and Railroad Company sold the model town to W.M. Duncan, a Nashville Banker. In December 1886, Duncan in turn sold the city properties to the South Pittsburg City Company, a Real Estate promotion firm. The City Company had civil engineer, Frederick Putnam Clute plate the city and Change all the names of the avenues to the names of trees. Clutes map is still used in the original sections of South Pittsburg. 

Below is a picture of the Cumberland Amusement Company Parade.