The Quillen homeplace is located on the west end of Front Hollow. Hiram & Savannah bought it from Starks Ledbetter in 1903 and raised their extensive family there.

Hiram, along with sons John, George, and Chris Quillen all worked on construction of the Dam in 1916-17.

After Hiram and Savannah had passed, John and his wife Ollie (McClure) bought the Quillen homeplace from the heirs and moved there in 1946. Finally in 1971 John & Ollie sold the property to the City of Kingsport as it became part of the new Bays Mountain Park.

The Quillen Tapes:

In 1978 John Quillen and his wife Ollie McClure Quillen were interviewed by park staff about their time living on Bays Mountain. Those recordings were lost until 2023 and have since provided valuable information for our records (and entertainment as well!). John & Ollie tell who-lived-where in Front Hollow, which helped us match families to old homesites. John also provides many details and stories about building the Dam. These recordings are a unique opportunity to hear the voices who grew up on the mountain and built the dam.

The Quillen house is gone now, but the foundation and boxwood bushes are still there. Volunteers are working to keep the site from disappearing into weeds and bushes. A “Quillen Family” history panel is planned to be installed there in 2025.

Click on photos below for a gallery view