Scenic pastoral Tennessee landscape framed by tree branches

Cottontown Tennessee

A Photographic Preservation of Its People, Culture, and History

Recommendation for the book Cottontown Tennessee!

Carey Jobe, Poet and Retired Judge

"William Herrin's Cottontown: Jewel of Sumner County is a jewel in itself. This attractive book is an enjoyable and moving portrayal of the people, places, and history of Cottontown, Tennessee. The people of Cottontown, past and present, and their beautiful natural surroundings are revealed to us in a wonderful assemblage of photographs and stories. It's the sort of book you want in your lap on a quiet evening, slowly savoring each page, as you see the faces and landscapes of a unique community now threatened, as so many are, by developers, or by simply being forgotten in the modern rush. Cottontown: Jewel of Sumner County is a book that will appeal not only to Tennesseans, but to anyone interested in remembering and preserving our American heritage, which is always just one story or one photograph—or one bulldozer—away from being lost forever. Mr. Herrin's wonderful book is a reminder that we can't really know who we are, unless we remember the people and places we came from. A book I highly recommend for everyone's bookshelf!"

Vintage sepia-toned early 1900s family portrait

'Cottontown Tennessee' Is now in the State Library!

Tennessee State Library and Archives thank-you letter for donation of Cottontown Tennessee book

Buy Cottontown Tennessee, Its People, Culture & History

Cottontown Tennessee book cover — The Jewel of Sumner County by William Herrin

Soft Cover Book

Cottontown, Tennessee, is celebrated in 'Cottontown Tennessee The Book,' which emphasizes the importance of photographic preservation in capturing the rich history of Sumner County.

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Hard Cover Book

Cottontown, Tennessee, is celebrated in 'Cottontown Tennessee The Book,' which emphasizes the importance of photographic preservation in capturing the rich history of Sumner County.

Buy

Cottontown Tennessee

"Cottontown Historian Nathan Knight says: Through a unique blending of the past and the present, Herrin has created a remarkable compilation of the history and the people of Cottontown, looking toward the future while honoring the past..."

About the Book

In this book there are representations of both current and historical Cottontown families, their homes, churches, farms, and the wildlife and woodlands of Cottontown in Sumner County, Tennessee. I have traveled throughout Cottontown to capture all the history, beauty and wonder of Cottontown to print. Through photographic preservation, I have carefully selected photographs and stories from local residents to preserve the past and the present in photographs and in their own words. I hope others will join me in the effort to further preserve the history of Cottontown and its people.

The Goal

Historian David Collier wrote, 'Cottontown had a country store, Post Office, a school house and two churches, and for us, this was all we needed.' The people of Cottontown today echo David's sentiments, and in no uncertain terms, they want Cottontown to remain a rural farming community, as it has been for generations. This desire for preservation aligns with the principles of photographic preservation, capturing the essence of life in Sumner County... I am blessed to live in Cottontown, Tennessee.

Birds of Spring in Cottontown

Vibrant red cardinal perched at a bird feeder
Cardinal
Red-headed woodpecker foraging on a tree trunk
Woodpecker
Blue jay perched on a concrete bird bath in a garden
Blue Jay
The Wild of Cottontown — bald eagle and wildlife chapter spread
The Faith of Cottontown — church chapter spread
The Pride of Cottontown — longhorn cattle at sunset
Only the Strong, Cottontown — bald eagle
Savannah and Presley at the Falls

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