The Marugg Company was founded by Christian Marugg in the early 1870s in what is now Gruetli-Laager. Seeing the need for a variety of farming tools, he started importing these tools from Switzerland and Germany. Since these tools didn’t come with handles, he found that American hickory was ideal for that purpose. It was strong, and could be steam bent to form a very functional handle for the scythe, an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or harvesting crops. This handle, called a snath, became very popular when combined with the imported blade and was in high demand.
His son, Martin, expanded the operation and moved to Tracy City in 1900. This new location offered telegraph and rail service not available in Gruetli at that time. Being a good businessman, he expanded into numerous other ventures besides tools. These included the New York Stores of Tracy City, Monteagle and Winchester. He was also a director of the Dixie Telephone Company (later Ben Lomand Telephone), and First National Bank (later Citizens Tri-County Bank). The Marugg Company also offered services that included electrical, plumbing, wagon repair and shoe repair. Martin became one of Grundy County’s wealthiest and most influential men.
The tool business grew until two wars with Germany largely stopped the import business. However, a rebirth of the scythe business emerged sometime in the 1950s after Wendell Berry, a noted farming author, stated that the Marugg scythe was an outstanding tool for grass and grain cutting. When a better source of wood was found in Alabama, production increased again in the 1990s. More recently, a new market in the Amish communities provided the incentive to increase production, and the advent of online marketing has provided the ability to advertise and sell more widely.
Explore with this Self-Guided History Tour
Outdoor Adventures
Bigfoot Adventure Zipline & Disc Golf
RV park and campground with ziplining, disc golf and clay shooting
Outdoor Adventures
Birds & Clays at Baggenstoss Farms
Full-service 500-acre hunting destination, featuring bird hunting, clay shooting and specialty hunts.
Food & Drink
Dari-Delight
Pizza, burgers, sundaes & more
Food & Drink
Dutch Maid Bakery
The oldest family-owned bakery in Tennessee
Food & Drink
El Maguey Mexican Restaurant
Authentic Mexican cuisine
Food & Drink
Hank's Corner Grille
Steaks, burgers, wings & pizza with a full bar
Food & Drink
Henry Flury & Sons Grocery
A classic turn-of-the-last-century American grocery store, and a step back in time
Shopping
Music Barn
Musical instruments & accessories, bibles, books and gifts
Shopping
Nature's Treasures
Garden produce center and seasonal decor store
Food & Drink
Off the Rails
Railroad-themed food & energy station in Tracy City
Shopping
Olde House Shoppe
A carefully selected collection of home & garden decor, antique/vintage finds, gifts & unique items
Food & Drink
Potbellies
Chow down on a hearty breakfast of omelette, skillets, or the hillbilly bowl, or come at lunch time for a sizzlin' sandwich or mouth watering burger.
Food & Drink
Rosie’s Farmhouse Kitchen
Country breakfasts, daily plate lunches and evening meals
Taste of Ink Tattoo Studio
Private tattoo studio offering a variety of custom tattoo, art and piercings.
Outdoor Adventures, Spa & Fitness
Tenacity Adventure Fitness
Martial arts studio with weight training equipment and indoor climbing, trampolines and obstacle courses for kids
Food & Drink
Tracside
Offering breakfast, lunch and dinner with special plate lunches on Sundays
Outdoor Adventures
High Point Climbing
Fully insured and certified climbing guides at Denny Cove and Foster Falls
Outdoor Adventures
Black Canyon Cascade
One of the most picturesque sites in the Fiery Gizzard State Park, Black Canyon is technically a cascade, not a waterfall, but still an amazing sight, as two creeks come together and are squeezed through a narrow rock opening. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard North trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Blue Hole Falls
This pristine mountain creek waterfall is in an awe-inspiing setting in Fiery Gizzard State Park, with a good swimming hole. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Denny Cove & Falls
Explore a world-class rock climbers’ paradise in Fiery Gizzard State Park, with a double-cascade waterfall and nearly 500 climbing routes with grades ranging from 5.8 to 5.14. Access this adventure from the Denny Cove Trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Fiery Gizzard Trail, a 2-day Adventure
Ranked as one of the top 25 backpacking trails in the United States by Backpacker magazine, "The Gizz" features cascading streams, numerous waterfalls, panoramic overlooks, extremely rocky gorges, gentle slopes and lush woodlands. Use either the Fiery Gizzard State Park's North or South trailheads to begin this adventure!
Outdoor Adventures
Foster Falls
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, at the southern end of the Fiery GizzardTrail, is Foster Falls, a 60-foot waterfall, the tallest in the parks, with a swimming hole at its base. There is an easy quarter-mile hike to observe the falls from above; and a much more strenuous two-mile hike (round trip) to clamber to the bottom of the falls on a rocky trail. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard South Trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Grundy Forest Loop/CCC Camp
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, you'll discover a moderate 3-mile trek with swimming holes, history, geology, giant hemlocks and cascading streams with an optional 1/3-mile walk through the site of a 1930s CCC camp. Access this adventure from the Fiery Gizzard North Trailhead.
Outdoor Adventures
Grundy Lakes & Lone Rock Coke Ovens
In Fiery Gizzard State Park, there's a recreational lake with swimming and picnicking facilities at the site of the historic Lone Rock Coke Ovens, where locally-mined coal was converted to coal coke by convict labor. An easy 2.3-mile hike encircles the lakes; some of it using a low-traffic paved road. Access this adventure from the Grundy Lakes Trailhead, which is also the parking area for the swimming and picnicking facilities.
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