MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TN – When Montgomery County Mayor Wes Golden heard the Wagon Wheel Restaurant at 1205 Fort Campbell Boulevard was closing on April 13, he decided to recognize the contributions of the Cotterell Family in the form of a proclamation. The owners were Cheryl and Danny Cotterell along with son Daniel. Danny is a lieutenant and paramedic who has served with Montgomery County's Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department since 1999. Son Daniel has also served with EMS as an emergency medical technician (EMT) since 2010.

Some “regulars” at the restaurant said a Wagon Wheel existed well before the Vietnam War. Based on those reports Montgomery County Archives Director Sarah Fry was able to access old newspaper articles from The Leaf Chronicle indicating that a Wagon Wheel Restaurant has existed on Fort Campbell Boulevard in the same proximity since the 1940s.

Based on the 1972, 1989, and 1996 articles, the owners were Stanley Ladd followed by May Shaw, who purchased the Wagon Wheel Restaurant in 1975 after waitressing there since 1964, Maria Butler, who opened the restaurant as Maria’s Wagon Wheel in 1994 until she died in 2012, and current owners Danny, Cheryl, and Daniel Cotterell who purchased the restaurant in 2015 and changed the name to Wagon Wheel Cotterell’s Family Restaurant. Archives also found articles dating back to the 1950s stating that the Wagon Wheel Restaurant was owned by the Ladd Family.

Regardless of the eatery’s name, it has always been a gathering place for regulars working in public service, military veterans, and retirees who live in Montgomery County to gather and enjoy home-cooked meals and conversation as a home away from home for up to eighty years. There is also a history of the Wagon Wheel restaurants feeding those who could not afford it.

Cheryl Cotterell said, “I dreamed about having a family restaurant my whole life where families would come and not feel out of place, - a place where kids could be kids, where employees and customers alike felt like family, and my kids and grandkids could come and play in my office, be loud, and have fun. Danny and I were long-time patrons asked by the family member who inherited the restaurant from Maria if we would be interested in buying it. Unfortunately, the significant increase in rent made it impossible to keep the business going. However, we opened our family restaurant, put a lot of hard work into it, and made many beautiful memories.” 

“I’ve known the Cotterell Family for many years, went to school, and served as an EMT with Daniel. I knew they opened the restaurant to give some love back to the community. When we found so much more to the story, thanks to our Archives Department, honoring them with a proclamation became even more meaningful. The restaurant has been part of our community’s history for eight decades - that is something to be proud of,” said Mayor Golden.

Cheryl said that although they will miss seeing their patrons, they will be busy with their growing family, who have been a big part of the restaurant over the years. She and Danny have five children and nine grandchildren with another on the way. 

“I was surprised to know there was such a long history with the Wagon Wheel Restaurants. The proclamation is beautiful. We were touched that Wes took the time to honor us and that he and his staff enjoyed a home-cooked meal with us,” added Cheryl.

Daniel Cotterell gave an emotional speech on closing night when he talked about family memories made at the restaurant from meeting his wife, to birthday parties, and baby showers, and his grandfather also meeting his current wife after being a widower for more than 20 years. 

“The Wagon Wheel turned into exactly what my mom always dreamed it would be. The grandkids truly loved everything about this place, but they loved nothing more than piling into my mom’s office, just to sit and play with her. The reality of this place far exceeded anything my mom had described, and it was so much greater than anything I ever imagined or dreamt it could be. While this building may be just a building, this business may be just a business, the truth is, it was also so much more, and it always will be,” said Daniel Cotterell.

Visit mcgtn.org/archives for more stories about history in Clarksville-Montgomery County.

Montgomery County, TN – The Montgomery County Election Commission has appointed Amanda Joslin to the Administrator of Elections position. 

Joslin has more than 16 years of experience working for the County’s Election Commission with her most recent position as a senior deputy clerk. She is a Clarksville High School graduate and a native of Montgomery County.

“We appreciate the applicants who applied for the position. Choosing Amanda was a unanimous decision based on her experience, passion, and preparedness to take on the role. We anticipate record turnout for the November 5th Presidential election,” stated Montgomery County Election Commission Chair Rick Longton. 

“I have a fantastic team in place and have had some great leadership during my tenure with the Election Commission. I am ready to put my experience to work in a new way,” said Joslin.

The Administrator of Elections is responsible for the daily operations of the Elections Office. The duties include but are not limited to, the maintenance of voter registration files, campaign disclosure records, and other required records, instruction of poll workers, dissemination of information regarding all aspects of the electoral process, and promotion of the electoral process.

She began serving as the Administrator of Elections on March 25 after former Administrator of Elections Elizabeth Black accepted the position as the County Purchasing Director

Joslin loves spending time with her family. She is married with four children, ranging from four to 19 years old.

For information about the Montgomery County Election Commission, visit mcgtn.org.

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MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – Montgomery County Government offices are closed Friday, March 29, in observance of the Good Friday holiday and will reopen on Monday, April 1, during regular operating hours.

Bi-County Solid Waste Management Landfill and Convenience Centers will be open on Good Friday except for administrative staff. The landfill and all convenience centers will be closed on Sunday, March 31, for the Easter holiday.

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Last Edited: March 26, 2024 @ 10:23 am

Montgomery County, TN — The rains held off last Friday as over 100 people gathered to celebrate the long-anticipated groundbreaking of Montgomery County’s North Public Library Branch and the new Montgomery County Animal Care and Control (MCACC) facility at 435 Jordan Road. Both facilities are expected to open in fall 2025.

Mayor Wes Golden began by thanking former Mayor Jim Durrett for his leadership in starting the projects. He also thanked the County Commissioners past and present who were part of the efforts, the Library Foundation which raised additional funds for the library project, Friends of the Library, County Engineering and the many supportive residents.

“There have been some bumps along the way but we are moving ahead for the citizens who live on this side of the community. This is a blessing not only for our kids but for the adults who will have these additional resources for years to come. When I think about all of the great memories that will be made here, it just makes my heart smile,” said Mayor Golden.

MCACC Director Dave Kaske thanked everyone involved in the project and gave heartfelt remarks about his staff and their dedication to serving animals in difficult conditions. 

“This building will be constructed with the primary focus of future growth, animal welfare, and support of our staff. For the first time, our staff will be provided with all of the necessary tools and features to complete their tasks allowing them to focus more of their time on animal enrichment not only to help lost and broken animals in our community but also to expand the minds of children and families who live in Montgomery County,” said Kaske.

Library Director Christina Riedel followed praising the library staff, foundation, and board. 

“This is a tremendous moment in time. Many years of hard work, compromises made, collaborations developed, and public support moved this project forward. I look forward to a bright future and developing a library system based on hope, data-driven decisions excellent teamwork, and many, many hearts dedicated to serving our patrons,” said Riedel.

Wrapping up was Library Board Chair Dr. Quentin Humberd who explained why libraries were still relevant to learning and exploring. 

“I look back and understand that our libraries are essential to our freedom as individuals, communities, and even as a nation. This new library we are breaking ground on today, as well as all libraries, enshrine our first amendment rights of freedoms to express ourselves along with the right to believe what matters to us,” said Humberd.

Kaske and Riedel commented on their excitement in working together to bring programs that would enrich the community and the work of both facilities. 

The speakers also thanked the Montgomery County Engineering Department led by Nick Powell for their hard work and creativity on the projects. Architect Doug Jones and Engineer Kris Olson are the County project leads for the library and shelter.

Land for the Library’s north branch was purchased in 2018. Delays for the project were based on costs and unanticipated revenue projections due to COVID-19. Planning for the new MCACC facility began six years ago with challenges locating property and a sale that fell through due to unforeseen circumstances. The developments led to the shared location between the north library branch and the new animal shelter.

County Commissioners Joshua Beal, Joe Creek, Rashidah Leverett, David Shelton, Autumn Simmons, Joe Smith, and Jeremiah Walker, the commissioner for that area, attended the event.Also invited and in attendance were Senator Bill Powers, Representative Jeff Burkhart, and Representative Ronnie Glynn. 

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Library and MCACC are funded through Montgomery County Government. For more information on these departments and their volunteering opportunities, visit mcgtn.org. To see the groundbreaking and video interviews, visit the County’s YouTube page.

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CLARKSVILLE, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Tenn. – The deadline to submit property tax relief applications and vouchers through the Montgomery County Trustee’s Office is April 5, 2024. To be considered for the program, supporting documents must be filed before the deadline.

The County Trustee’s Office administers a state-funded tax relief and tax freeze program to help homeowners 65 and older, disabled homeowners, and disabled military veterans pay their property taxes. To qualify for elderly or disabled tax relief you must be a homeowner, 65 and older, or disabled. The combined 2022 income of all owners and married couples, even if they are not on the deed, cannot exceed $33,460. For disabled homeowners to qualify for a tax freeze, the homeowner must be 65 by Dec. 31, 2023, and the combined 2022 income of all owners and married couples, even if they are not on the deed, cannot exceed $42,890.

Veterans qualify based on their service-connected disability rating and are encouraged to apply for the program. There is no income requirement for disabled veterans.

“We have one of the most robust programs in Tennessee with almost 8,000 homeowners participating in the tax relief program. So far 689 participants have not returned their vouchers. Montgomery County received over $7.7 million of the $45 million from the State of Tennessee’s Tax Relief Division to keep home ownership affordable for our elderly and disabled residents. Our dedicated team is ready to serve,” said Montgomery County Trustee Kimberly Wiggins.

The Trustee’s Office is located at 350 Pageant Lane in Suite 101-B. To see available services, including paying taxes online through the County Trustee office, visit mcgtn.org or call 931-648-5717 with questions. 

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