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A naming celebration was held at Panther Creek State Park Saturday afternoon, to dedicate the upper campground shelter to William Line and Charles Maxwell Davis.

Michael Robertson, Tennessee State Parks Director of Operations made the decision to name the shelter after these two because they are integral to the history of the park.

Their family’s homestead stood just yards from where the largest shelter located within the campground area of Panther Creek State Park now stands.

Many descendants of the two traveled from all over the country to visit and honor their ancestors and the legacy they left behind

Jason Chadwell, Park manager of Panther Creek State Park, who secured state approval for naming the shelter, discussed the importance of naming the shelter after the two.

“I’d like to welcome everyone to this special occasion where we honor the legacy of the Line and Davis families’ whose history is so closely linked to the land that will eventually become the Panther Creek State Park,” Chadwell said.

“While the park was established on August 10, 1967 its history began many years’ earlier when pioneer families just like we are honoring today established their homestead and lives in the area. This rich cultural history is no less important than the natural resources the park no protects today.

“We dedicate this beautiful structure and name it the Line – Davis Shelter and establish a permanent, tangible reminder that the park is much more than just a beautiful place to visit; it is a place of history and where people raised their families.”

Chadwell then presented the official declaration from the State of Tennessee to Charles Marsh and Christa Pando, great, great, great, great grandchildren of William Line, and to Amanda Collins and Chase Stinson, great grandchildren of Charles Maxwell Davis.

Pam Chen, great granddaughter of Charles Maxwell Davis, discussed the history of the two and how they were instrumental in creating what is now known as Panther Creek State Park.

“William Line and Eleanor Wiseman were married on December 13, 1787 in Rowan County, North Carolina,” she said.” “Between 1790 & 1792, William and Eleanor Line, traveling with two small children, Mary and Nathaniel, migrated from Rowan County, North Carolina to Jefferson County; right before Tennessee was declared a state which was in 1796.”

Chen explained how Line went on to purchase hundreds of acres of land that included parts of the park.

“On November 4, 1795, at the age of 29, William Line purchased 300 acres of land located on Mossy Creek, and on the banks of the “Holstein River” in Jefferson County for $40,” she said. “On December 12, 1806 William Line purchased 600 acres “on the head of Panther Creek adjoining the main Holston Road” in Jefferson County, for $1,100 from Matthew Willoughby.”

Chen explained how Line’s grandson continued to purchase land and grow the families’ legacy.

“In 1858, Nathaniel Line, the eldest son of William Line, received a land grant from the State of Tennessee for 733 acres of land that lay along both sides of “Panther Creek,” Chen said. “This property served as the Nathaniel and Sarah Bacon Line family home until 1915, when 122.5 acres of this property was deeded to Virginia Line Davis, great granddaughter of Nathaniel Line, and her husband, Charles Maxwell Davis.

“Around 122 acres of that land was conveyed to the State of Tennessee in December 1965 and now lies within the boundaries of Panther Creek State Park, located at Marker 14 along the Nature Trail.”

Deven continued by describing how their ancestors donated their land to better the community.

“In 1915, George A. Line, great grandson of Nathaniel Line, donated three acres of the original tract to the Trustees of the Hamblen County Board of Education, where Hiawatha School was later constructed and which the Davis children attended,” Chen said.

“W. N. Ramsey purchased 163 acres of the original tract from the Line Family, later conveyed it to the State of Tennessee, and it is now also a part of Panther Creek State Park on which the W. N. Ramsey Welcome Center is situated.”

Following the celebration the descendants of William Line and Charles Maxwell Davis walked the nature trails and were able to see where their homes stood and got a glimpse of how their ancestors cultivated the land.