Prudence Polk Tennessee Valley Ho! cruise scrapbook 1950.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Housed in Small Collections Box 8

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: Scrapbook compiled by Prudence Polk (1865-1952) a retired Nashville Public School teacher documenting a river boat cruise she took onboard the Gordon C. Greene from June 17-30 1950. The scrapbook which is not in chronological order, contains mostly undated newspaper clippings (three feature Miss Polk and include her photo), a cruise itinerary and souvenir booklet, one photograph of Miss Polk sitting in an interior room of the boat, 8 colored postcards from Shiloh National Military Park, and informational handouts from Shiloh National Military Park and Fort Donelson.

Cite as: Prudence Polk Tennessee Valley Ho! Cruise Scrapbook, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code)

Source of acquisition unknown;,Acc. RT-100.

Laura Prudence Polk was born on February 3, 1865 in Bolivar, Tennessee. Her parents were Marshal Tate Polk and Evelina McNeal Bills Polk. Laura, who would be known as Prudence, was the great-niece of 11th United States President James K. Polk. Miss Polk's family moved to Nashville in 1874. She began teaching in 1884 and had a career that spanned 55 years with the Nashville Public School system. During her career she served as principal at Murphy, Boy's Special and Fall schools and later worked with special needs children. Miss Polk served as a past president of the City Teachers Association and was responsible for starting the hot lunch program for the Nashville Public School system. She retired from teaching in 1939. She was a member of the Colonial Dames of Tennessee, the Polk Memorial Association and was a communicant of Christ Church Episcopal. Miss Polk died at home after a brief illness on December 16, 1952. Miss Polk's obituary referred to her as "a grand southern lady" who was known for her "keen sense of humor and her insistence on keeping up-to date in her dress as well as in her thinking." Miss Polk was buried in Bolivar, Tennessee at Polk Cemetery.

According to Miss Polk's scrapbook, the Nashville Tennessean newspaper chartered a 14 day cruise called the Tennessee Valley Ho! The 127 passengers travelled onboard the Gordon C. Greene, owned by Greene Line Steamers, Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio. The boat would travel over 1,000 miles along the Tennessee Valley Authority's rivers and lakes, mainly on the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Miss Polk won free passage onboard the Gordon C. Greene after entering an essay writing contest for retired persons sponsored by the newspaper. For the price of $300, the passengers were treated to a two week all-inclusive cruise that included all transportation, berth, all meals on the boat and off, cruise and land social events and sight-seeing tours. The mail and the newspaper were flown in daily. The boat had a doctor on board and two ministers. Reporters from the Nashville Tennessean travelled on the boat with the passengers, reporting on their adventures for the newspaper. At each port of call, the passengers had the opportunity to attend fish-fries, barbecues, square dances, sight-seeing tours and to mix and mingle with the local people. The boat left Nashville and made stops in Dover, Tenn., Paducah, Ky., Kentucky Dam, Paris Landing, Tenn., Shiloh Battlefield, Pickwick Landing, Tenn., Florence, Ala., Decatur, Ala., Guntersville, Ala., Chattanooga, Tenn., Kingston, Tenn. and Knoxville, Tenn. The passengers ended their journey with a land cruise to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park before returning to Nashville via air-conditioned chartered buses.

In English

Unknown donor.

Processed;,2017;,Karen Piper.

No futher accurals are expected.