This Geocache is part of an annual Geocache Challenge put on by the Heritage Program at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area as part of our outreach to the public, to get people to explore their forest and their history, and to share the unique heritage of the families from Between the Rivers.
This Geocache is part of the “2023 Land Between the Lakes Heritage Geocache Challenge: Communities Between the Rivers”. There are 6 geocaches placed across Land Between the Lakes related to the history of some of the historic communities. If you locate each geocache, and collect a numbered aluminum tree tag from each cache, you can turn them in at the Golden Pond Visitor Center for one of 100 Challenge Coins created for this event.
The Geocache is a 6” x 6” orange watertight plastic box marked “Heritage Geocache” on the top. The geocache is placed at the base of a tree.
Model Community
The community of Model was originally called "Bass" after its first postmaster, Jethro Bass, who was appointed in July of 1846. Bass was a pioneer settler and served as the postmaster until the office was discontinued in 1850. In 1857, the post office re-opened when the Great Western Furnace was constructed in 1854.
Great Western Furnace
The furnace was constructed in 1854, fired 1,350 tons of
iron ore in one 34-week period in 1855, then shut down
permanently in 1856--officially for fears of a slave
insurrection. However, it was probably financial insecurity
that actually played a hand in shutting it down as pig iron
lost its appeal to higher quality irons made in the East then,
by the 1870s, steel.
CommunitiesDuring the late 1800s and early 1900s, postmasters were often central figures of a community, knowing everyone's name. The postmaster and post office helped maintain connections between families and businesses. They served as informational hubs and could be compared to modern social media since there were frequently bulletin boards and postings for local advertising, help wanted, local events, and news. The cemetery you may have passed to get here is that of Jethro Bass, the town's first postmaster.
If you missed the cemetery for Jethro Bass and his wife,
just walk north along the creek on the way back. In a few
hundred feet, you'll come to the cemetery. It's probably
easier to cross the creek at that spot. Or you can make
the short walk along the creek to Ginger Bay road.
The only known printing press Between the Rivers before LBL was created was made by James M. Thomas. He created several publications with this press, including the Hamlin Star and the Model Star newspapers, which he started in 1901. Thomas was something of a renaissance man with interests in photography, botany, boating, writing, poetry, history, music, and geology. He corresponded far and wide in both printed works and personal letters to university presidents, missionaries, editors, and legislators. Thomas passed away in 1953.