ROGERSVILLE — The construction of new sidewalks through downtown has given an unexpected glimpse into old Rogersville.

Crews removing concrete sidewalk on the north side of East Main Street in front of East Tennessee Pest Control discovered a portion of the sidewalk was not on solid ground.

“After we opened the sidewalks under the area down there next to Brownlow we found there was an old culvert,” Gary Tysinger, project engineer, told town officials at the September 19 meeting.

The culvert is approximately 73 feet long and six feet deep.

“When it (the culvert) was put in evidently it was open. There is a rock wall on one side and a concrete wall on the other,” the engineer explained.

Tysinger said one of the most interesting discoveries is evidence of wooden sidewalks that once lined Main Street.

He said the walls of the culvert still contain some of the wooden framework that would have supported the old sidewalks in front of buildings approximately two feet below the surface.

“We hadn’t planned on finding this, no one knew it was there,” Tysinger said.
Workers have also reported finding several old coins in the culvert.