NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — As the Olympics fast approach, an exhibit is about to open, giving a bit of Tennessee history you may not have heard before. Not only that, it's part of a family's continuing journey in learning about their own story.
"We heard grand dad did something, but as kids, you don't understand the magnitude sometimes," said John Noel, sitting next to brother Lee. "It took us a while to come around, didn't it, Lee? I think that's what mother and dad told us about everything else in our life!"
It's quite something for the brothers to think things they grew up around in their home are just about to be on display in a prime exhibit space at the Tennessee State Museum.
Their grandfather is John Hopkins Noel Senior. He and his brother had a hotel built in downtown Nashville on 4th Avenue North. Today, it's called Noelle. When it was opened in the 1930s, it was the Noel Hotel.
The story the grandsons are now sharing predates the Noel Hotel.
It was this week 100 years ago. Articles were being written about John Hopkins Noel Sr. going to compete at the 1924 Olympics in Paris. He was part of a six-man team.
"This is my grandfather right here," John said, pointing to an old photograph. "It was called trap shooting. You have a disk that's made of clay. You call it a clay pigeon. They hit more clay pigeons than the other people did and won the competition."
"We're looking at his Olympic patch he would have on his shoulder while he was shooting with the team," John continued, looking over items on display on a table. "This is the Olympic diploma. This is the gold medal right here. This was the participation medal, and this [medal] was given to him by the governor of New York where they had a parade for all the gold medal winners when they came back from Paris, France."
These items and more donated by the family are all scheduled to go on display July 30th at the Tennessee State Museum.
"Our research is this is the first Tennessean, born Tennessean, spent his life here, died here, who won a gold medal in 1924," said museum curator Matthew Gailani.
"We are very grateful for the Tennessee State Museum," John said. "It shows how the museum can take some history and bring it back."
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
