In the later part of the 1800s and early 1900s Blount County became known for its resorts, mineral springs, and places of retreat from larger cities. The cool mountain air and rural setting provided families with retreats from hot city life, and the railways provided a way to get them there. One such place was Townsend’s Kinzel Springs and Sunshine.
At 1 p.m. Nov. 12, at the site of the old hotel grounds, just off Hwy 321, the community will remember a part of its past, while celebrating the unparalleled beauty of the area with a Tennessee Historical Marker that will mark the spot for decades to come. The public is invited to attend.
Kinzel Springs was so named by its founder Edward John Kinzel. Edward John married Martha Murphy who died after the birth of their eighth child. In 1888. Edward John married Catherine Helena Thomas an artist and teacher…