Computer Repair in Lynchburg

Colonizers initially reached the Lynchburg region circa 1801. Main Street used to be the primary thoroughfare, closely tracing the path of East Fork Mulberry Creek. Housing was typically found in the western half of Lynchburg, while industries were concentrated along the creek in the eastern half. In the area near the present-day Jack Daniel’s Distillery, a cotton mill was established by Thomas Roundtree, one of the early settlers. In the 1830s, there was another settler named William P. Long who was running a gristmill and cotton gin. Early Lynchburg also had a significant tannery located within its borders.

The exact origin of the city’s name remains uncertain. The city was named after its early settler’s hometown, Lynchburg, Virginia, according to an article in an 1876 issue of the Lynchburg Sentinel. According to the WPA Guide to Tennessee (1939), the city was named in honor of Tom Lynch, one of its early residents. According to an article by Jeanne Ridgway Bigger in the spring 1972 issue of the Tennessee Historical Quarterly, the city was named after a “Judge Lynch” who led a vigilante committee that convened in the city following the War of 1812.

Throughout the Civil War, the people of Lynchburg showed strong support for the Confederacy. Most of the members of Company E in the Confederate Army’s 1st Tennessee Cavalry hailed from Lynchburg. A memorial honoring the region’s Confederate soldiers is located on the grounds of the Moore County Courthouse.

In 1871, Moore County was established by combining portions of Lincoln, Bedford, Coffee, and Franklin counties (Lynchburg was previously a part of Lincoln). In June 1873, Lynchburg was selected as the county seat of Moore, primarily because of its central location within the new county’s boundaries. The county commissioners decided to create a courthouse square on Main Street, taking inspiration from the nearby square in Shelbyville. During this period, two schools, the Lynchburg Male and Female Institute and the Lynchburg Normal School, were established. Additionally, several church congregations constructed impressive new churches.

In the 1870s, Lynchburg was strategically located in the heart of an agrarian economic triangle, with Tullahoma to the northeast, Shelbyville to the northwest, and Fayetteville to the south. Consequently, the city flourished as a significant hub for mule trading. The city also experienced a growing number of distilleries. In the 1880s, Moore County was home to fifteen registered distilleries. Among them, Tom Eaton’s Distillery stood out as the most productive, closely followed by the now-renowned Jack Daniel’s. The distilleries created a convenient market for local corn growers, and the remaining corn slop (after the alcohol was extracted) was repurposed as feed for hogs and cattle.

December 4, 1883 marked a devastating event in Lynchburg’s history when a fire ravaged the town, causing extensive damage to the courthouse and surrounding square. The construction of a new courthouse, which is the current building, was finished in 1885. Another jail, which has now been transformed into a museum, was built across the street in 1893. The surge in automobile traffic and the development of a state highway system in the early 20th century sparked a thriving business environment in Lynchburg. Numerous buildings on the courthouse square were constructed during this era, reflecting the economic growth. By 1920, Lynchburg had a thriving community with numerous schools, churches, a weekly newspaper, two banks, and several successful businesses.

The city’s distilleries were effectively shut down when a state law was passed in 1909, prohibiting the manufacture of liquor. Despite the federal repeal of prohibition in 1933, Tennessee continued to enforce it. Lem Motlow (1869–1947), a state senator and nephew of Jack Daniel, played a crucial role in overturning the state’s prohibition laws. In 1937, the state decided to lift the law that prohibited the production of alcoholic beverages, allowing Motlow to successfully reopen the Jack Daniel’s Distillery. In 1939, the state implemented a “local option” law, granting each county the authority to decide (through a referendum) whether or not to permit the sale of alcoholic beverages.

Motlow State Community College established its campus in 1969, situated on 187 acres of land generously donated by Reagor Motlow and family. The campus is located in the northern region of Moore County, which is now a part of Lynchburg.