How sad.

In helping my Girl Scout troop research the history of our Powell schools some years back, I discovered that "White Lilly" was Lilly Powell, daughter of Columbus Powell, for whom our community is named. It wasn't Columbus Powell to have started White Lilly, though--it was J. Allen Smith, Lilly's husband. Anyway, the Powell family homestead, which dates to the 1860's, still stands (occupied) adjacent to the high school on Emory Road.

The business to have launched Columbus Powell's fortune is also recently defunct. He brought the railroad out this way to support his brickyard, which operated until very recently as General Shale.

Gouffon's Moving has been in business in Knoxville since 1887 (121 years).
Rodgers Cadillac is a family business dating back to 1899 (109 years).

While White Lily is going away, there are still some old mill companies in the area. Up in Washington County, the St. John's Milling Co. recently celebrated their 230th anniversary. They are considered the oldest running business in Tennessee. Down in Loudon County, the Pond Creek Milling Co. has been in the business of making flour, cornmeal, and feeds since 1822 (186 years).

Gouffon's Moving

"Through all panics since the Civil War!"

My late grandfather worked at the White Lily plant for decades before he was injured on the job and forced to retire in the mid-60s. Depot won't look the same without the plant.

(BTW, you'd need to confirm this with Sandra, but I think the Shopper-News has been around for about 125 years.) :-)

Larry Van Guilder

JFG Coffee since 1882.

With the exception of the glorious youth that you and a handful of others bring to our little operation, we are a bunch of crotchety old curmudgeons. (Not that there's anything wrong with that!) ;-)

Larry Van Guilder

My wife bakes just about everything with White Lily. Heck, we have it shipped to us in Texas on occasion. I fondly remember White Lily throughout my childhood, and it's sad that it's moving from Knoxville. I just hope they continue to make the product as it has always been made, and don't pull some stunt like changing the makeup of the product, a la New Coke.

THE CLOSING OF THE KNOXVILLE IS THE END OF AN ERA!!

If you want to relive your memories, you can see the wonnnnderful WHITE LILY SCARECROW COMMERCIALS from the late 1980's by going to YOUTUBE.COM and type in WHITE LILY SCARECROW. Those commercials ran for years......