Real Estate News, Etc.

I have a listing in north Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and travel on US 231 (Memorial) north through an area called Walter Hill at the intersection with Jefferson Pike. I am always curious about the history and geography of places, so did some checking on this, and have found some information of interest.

Walter Hill, was once called Blacks Cross Roads, and was named for a store keeper and postmaster in 1895. That is not too untypical especially as a postmaster giving their name. I checked the tax records and found one property owned by a person named John T. Black, just north of the intersection, would be curious if there was a connection. I also found one person named "Walter", and none named "Hill", however, out of 512 families in the area, would not be statistically unusual.

Walter Hill became the site of the country's first hydroelectric power plant, built on the Stones River by the Tennessee Electric Power Company in the early 20th century. This company originated in Chattanooga and was eventually purchased by TVA, but not the origin of TVA.

Walter Hill is also the site of the 34-acre Walterhill Floodplain State Natural Area, established to support a rare plant species found in the Stones River floodplain, the Stones River bladderpod. Going north on 231, just before the bridge, turn right to enter a park by the dam spillway.

Walter Hill is best known in the local area for being the site of Allied Waste Industries' Middle Point landfill, also known offically on the tax roles as the Jefferson Pike Landfill, with an address in Houston, TX.

Sources: Heritage Center; Rutherford County; Wikipedia; misc. Google searches