The Last Resident of Land Between The Lakes

It’s no secret that Land Between the Lakes is an ideal spot for getting a full taste of the outdoors; however, what is a secret is that it used to be a residential area in the 1960s. According to the Murray Ledger & Times, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) forcibly removed hundreds of families from the area in order to execute the Kennedy Administration’s original plan:  to create the largest nature preserve east of the Mississippi River. Towns and houses were demolished—some of which you can see the remnants of if you go looking—and former residents and TVA are still at odds about both preserving and restoring their heritage today. Many CCHS students and faculty (including Mrs. Kimberly Barrett and Junior Ellie Whisman) had family who once resided in the LBL area; however, said area is now home to vestiges and vandalism. 

A now defunct and decaying house is being utilized by former residents—that of the late Sanford Cleo Griffin (known by those closest to him as “Lightning”)—as an unofficial monument for the harsh reality that was their expulsion. According to LBL’s website, landbetweenthelakes.us, Griffin was a veteran of World War II (specifically the battle of Monte Cassino in early 1944) and was a potential sufferer of PTSD (or commonly  known in that period as “shell shock”). Because of this, Cleo-Griffin did not want to stray too far from his home (which can still be visited, albeit in slight ruins, today). After moving twice after the war, Griffin would always end up back at his childhood home; even if it meant walking fifteen miles from his sister's home in Dover. Urban legends alleged that Griffin was a mad scientist who shunned by society; in reality, Griffin was someone who didn’t want to be around society in general. According to the LBL site, his home had no running water and family members would have to bring jugs of water for drinking and bathing. They’d also have to supply him with groceries every week.  

In 2018, according to fourriversexplorer.com, members of the 39th Brigade Engineer Battalion volunteered to restore the Griffin Home. In just a few hours, a group of fifteen men managed to clean up brush around the home. As it is one of the last remnants of evidence of TVA’s harsh resident removal, future plans have been made to repair the fence, install a secure gate, cover the doors and windows with fresh plywood and brace the withering porch. Four Rivers Explorer leaves us with a few words concerning the significance of the Cleo-Griffin home, stating, “Griffin’s home is one of the very few remaining structures in Land Between the Lakes. The story behind it should compel everyone to respect the property and Griffin’s service to our great country. Visitors should never enter the home due to its poor condition. Artifacts should remain undisturbed.”