Meeting On Old 23rd Felt Like A Homecoming

By Shannon McFarlin News Director
Paris, Tenn.—It felt like a real Homecoming at Thursday night’s meeting of the Henry County Historical Society as the Old 23^rd District was the topic and a large gathering of family members were among those in attendance.
Featured speaker was Susan “Ski” Witzofski, who spoke on the history of the Old 23^rd, the area near Big Sandy which became part of the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge system after the creation of Kentucky Lake in 1945.
Witzofski is retired from TVA and Vice President of the Friends of the Tennessee Wildlife Refuge.
Using photographs that were compiled by the late Larry Perry, who wrote a pictorial history of the Old 23^rd, she took the audience on a tour of the old homes, stores and schools that used to populate the area. Brochures have been compiled for a self-guided tour of the Old 23^rd by Friends Volunteer Linda Fields.
The Mt. Zion Church building erected in 1897 is the only structure still standing.
Historical Society President David Webb announced that a steering committee has already been formed to begin planning the coming Bicentennials of Henry County (2021) and the city of Paris (2023).
Photo by Shannon McFarlin