Soddy, Daisy and Montlake Historical Association

06/23/2026

Kim Smith has sent this photo taken inside the Owen Drug Store that was once in Daisy. In the photo Ruth Owens is the first lady and Billy Craig is next to her. But she is wanting to know if anyone can identify the second couple. If so, let us know here, please. Thanks

06/21/2026

If you like to fish, did you know that before the Chickamauga Dam was built and backed the Tenessee River to cover a good portion of eastern Soddy, Muskie were often caught in Soddy Creek? In these two photos are very large muskie from Soddy Creek. In photo one are sisters Hanah and Mary Ann Roberts and the second photo is William Rees on the left and we do not know the person on the right. These two are also holding up a prize catch from Soddy Creek. You never hear of anyone catching a muskie around Soddy in the creek or river.

06/18/2026

This is the old Hood house that once sat on the property where Advanced Auto is in 2026 but farther up the hill. Not sure what year this house was built, but B. Mifflin Hood moved to Daisy in 1915 to begin his operating of the Hood Pottery where Floyd Hardware is today, and later ownership of all four potteries in Daisy. He lived in this house his entire time in Daisy. This photo was taken in 1936. A small portion of the servants quarters home can be seen as well. Yes, the colored photo was enhanced by using AI. There are pros and cons for using AI to change the black and white photos to color. Some like the change and others do not, and either is ok. It brings out some details and changes others, which, if you like history, is not good. We would think that Matthew Brady, during the Civil War, would have chosen the color over black and white, as would George Masa when he was taken photos in the 1920's of the Smoky Mountains. We just want all historical photos to be as original as possible whether black and white or in color. The last photo was the servants quarters. It was orignally in color.

06/17/2026

Come see us and bring the family!
SODDYDAISYMUSEUM.ORG

06/15/2026

The arrangements for Bill Shadwick's funeral will be this Wednesdsay at Hamilton Memorial Garden's on Highway 153. The graveside service will begin at 11 for family only. Then, on June 27th there will be a Celebration of Life at the Stuart Heights Soddy-Daisy campus with the family receiving guests at 11 and the service will begin at 12.

(We made a change to this post. The Celebration of Life Service is for eveyone. As many people that he worked with, went to church with, taught Hunter Safety with and went to school with, the cemetery might be a little full the day of his funeral. So, please come on the 27th to Stuart Heights Baptist Church in Soddy-Daisy.)

(Note: the family is asking anyone who was going to purchase flowers for the funeral to please consider making a donation to the Soddy, Daisy & Montlake HIstorical Associaiton instead. Our website is: soddydaisymuseum.org. Thank you)

Good Old Days Museum

06/15/2026

Sorry, we did not post this Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning, but a very good friend, Bill Shadwick, has passed away. He was an educator not only for us for over the past decade but as a teacher and as a principal at Harrison, North Hamilton County and Fallingwater Elementary Schools to name just a few. He was on the Board of Directors for the Soddy, Daisy & Montlake Historical Association since our begining in 2015. He has participated in evey event we have had since 2015 without missing a one! He will be greatly missed. We ask for prayers for his family.
In this photo Mr. Tom Levi, left, and Bill are at a recent Pioneer Day event.
No arrangements have been set.

06/10/2026

Come see us and bring the family!
SODDYDAISYMUSEUM.ORG

06/09/2026

This is a photo shared by Linda Roberson. W.V., her late husband, is the young man behind his dad, Lake. They are sittiing in part of George Hensley's Texaco Station in Daisy when this photo was taken. Thanks, Linda for sharing this photo with everyone. Linda, you did not say how old W.V. was in this photo, maybe seven or eight?

06/07/2026

Sorry we are late posting, but, if you did not know it, today is June 6th and 82 years ago America, England, Canada and 12 other allied nations landed over 160,000 troop on five locations along the French coast, the liberation of Europe had begun. The landings covered a distance of 50 miles. Some of the names given to the areas landed were Gold, Utah, Sword, Juno and Omaha Beaches. The Omaha Beach was stormed by American troops only. This is where Russell Lee Roy Pickett of Daisy landed. If you remember, we dedicated a Tennessee State Historical Marker to Mr. Pickett on May 2nd at the Veterans Park in Soddy-Daisy. Mr. Pickett had been pulled up onto the beach after being knocked unconsious from a blast just outside the landing craft he was in. He was pulled onto the beach and laid there until the days end. With the beach secure, soldiers began to canvas the area looking for dead and wounded. Mr. Pickett was found to be alive but his back was badly injured from the earlier blast as he was leaving the landing craft. He had laid among the 3,686 casulties from that one day alone. There were listed 777 Americans that died that day, as they were assaulted by the Germans overlooking the beach from the high cliffs. Most of the casulties from Mr. Picketts group happened within the first hour of their landing on the beach.

Here are a few facts from the Army archives regarding the beach assault by the allied troops.

1) There were over 7,000 naval vessels used in the invasion, this included over 4,000 landing craft
2) At Omaha Beach there were over 34,000 Americans that came ashore on June 6th
3) There were over 12,000 aircraft used during the D-Day assault
4) Over 23,000 allied airborne troops participated in the inital D-Day assault with the Americans consisting of 13,000 to 15,000 of the paratroopers, and British soldiers numbered another 8,000

We understand another Daisy resident, Merle Crawley, was also at Normady. We are not sure if he was in the first wave to hit the beach as was Russell Pickett.

We are very thankful for all of the men who participated in this landing and the sacrifices so many made. At least 777 Americans made the ultimate sacrifice by giving of their lives.

06/05/2026

Did you see the Local 3 News America 250 story this week on The Good Old Days Museum? If you missed it, hit the link below to watch it.

Soddy Daisy Montlake Historical Association