Cleveland, Bradley County, Tennessee

In 1948, when I was three years old, my family moved from Leadwood, Missouri, to Cleveland, Tennessee. I lived there until the age of 21, when I moved to Casper, Wyoming. I made my home in Cleveland again for a couple of years more recently.

In the intervening time I have lived in a total of eleven states, but have always returned to Cleveland a few times a year. When I was a kid Cleveland was a small town of about 15,000 people. It has grown rapidly until today Cleveland and Bradley County boast a population of approximately 90,000.

There is a diversified economy here, with agriculture still playing an important role in the county and a broad local industrial base. More kitchen ranges are manufactured in Cleveland than anywhere else in America with Brown, Hardwick, and Maytag all having large factories. Other industries include the manufacture of Duracell Batteries, M&M Chocolates, Bowaters Paper Mill, golf balls, furniture, clothing, publishing and more.

Cleveland is also a college town, being home to Lee University, Cleveland State Community College, and the Church of God Theological Seminary. Many people know Cleveland best as the home of the oldest continuing local Pentecostal church in America, the North Cleveland Chruch of God, and Headquarters of four different Evangelical denominations, all branches of the Church of God.

The thing I like best about Cleveland is its proximity to the Cherokee National Forest, which is also headquartered here. Just a short distance away are lush green mountains where the trout streams and whitewater rivers run cold and clear and wildlife, including Black Bear and Wild Boar, still live free.