Lenoir City Centennial Commemorative Quilt

 

The Applique Bee donated this quilt, this work of art, to Lenoir City in a public ceremony on March 26, 2007. The quilt is now on permanent display in the Lenoir City City Hall, City Council Chambers. Everyone is welcome to visit that facility to view the quilt which is housed in an oak case built by Frank Kinnear of the Village Woodworkers Club. Seventeen members of the Applique Bee devoted nearly 700 hours designing and crafting this hand-appliqued quilt to celebrate the Lenoir City Centennial Anniversary.

In the summer of 2006, Becky Boyd, a Lenoir City resident and former manager in Tellico Village, suggested to Charlotte Soltman, a member of the Applique Bee, that a quilt would be a nice way to commemorate the Lenoir City centennial celebration in 2007. Charlotte asked the members of the Applique Bee, newly formed in early 2006, if they were interested in participating in making a quilt for Lenoir City. After the Applique Bee agreed to make the quilt, Mayor Brookshire loaned Charlotte a book produced for the 75-year anniversary of the city. Photographs of homes, a church, and various other buildings of interest were enlarged and used as templates for the blocks for the quilt.

The Applique Bee decided to make fourteen 12-inch blocks, a map of Tennessee, and the large center medallion block (25" square) containing the Centennial emblem that was displayed on street signs all around Lenoir City. The medallion block and the map would be the centerpieces of the quilt, with the fourteen 12-inch blocks placed around the perimeter. Background fabric was purchased, but the ladies used their own fabrics to create their blocks. Each block required a few hours to design and about 25 hours to execute; most of the blocks were stitched by hand. Linda Garber and Rose Remund spent many more hours on the Tennessee map block and center medallion respectively. All the blocks were completed as scheduled and were magnificent in the eyes of the quilters. The finished quilt measures 58" wide by 71" high.

The following members of the Applique Bee created the following blocks for the quilt:

Centennial Medallion by Rose Remund - Depicting the old Lenoir City High School, Fort Loudoun Dam, and a profile of William Lenoir, Founder of the city

Map of Tennessee by Linda Garber - Includes the state flower, bird, tree, emblem and flag

Clockwise, beginning in the upper left corner, the blocks were made by:

Lenoir City Logo Charlotte Soltman, Rose Remund & Cathie Peterson

T. C. Foster Home Sandy Stechmesser

Fort Loudoun Medical Center Suzi Dale

Bank Linda Arbuckle

W. N. Lacy Home JoAnn Bergren

Meat Market Carol Wysocki

Railroad Station Cathie Peterson

Lenoir City HS Panther (Mascot) Rose Remund

Cotton Mill Toni Manley and Pat Corda

United Methodist Church Joan Francis

Ferry Boat Charlotte Soltman

Broadway Street Scene Carole Spahn & Barbara Walters

Lenoir City Company Michael Ann Staggs & Sandy VerVelde

Phillips House Anna Kelly

The name of each block was inked on the finished quilt blocks by Rose Remund. The assembly of the quilt top was accomplished by Rose Remund, Cathie Peterson, Pat Ziobro, Ginny Hatfield, and Charlotte Soltman. Rose Remund did the machine quilting and her excellent quilting skills were the final touch needed to make this quilt truly a work of art.

During the presentation to the Mayor and the Lenoir City City Council on March 26, 2007, Charlotte Soltman stated “we love East Tennessee and our southern neighbors, and this quilt encompasses our pleasure in our surroundings.” The donation of this beautiful quilt to the City of Lenoir City for this special celebration reflects the spirit of all Tellico Villagers and the desire of our community to show our respect and admiration for the people of this beautiful area we now call home.