Tall Betsy is a cultural Halloween icon originating in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. Tall Betsy was declared the "Official Halloween Goblin" of Bradley County in 1989.
Tall Betsy is a cultural Halloween icon originating in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. Tall Betsy was declared the "Official Halloween Goblin" of Bradley County in 1989.
Allan Jones, a Cleveland, Tennessee entrepreneur and philanthropist best known as the founder of national payday lender Check Into Cash, capitalized on the Tall Betsy character in 1980. [1]
Jones based the character on stories (local folklore) that were told to his mother, Virginia Slaughter Jones, by her mother, Marie Schultz Slaughter. Virginia and other Cleveland children being raised during the 1930s were told by their parents that if they failed to come home before dark they would likely encounter Tall Betsy, sometimes called Black Betsy or simply "The Lady in Black." [2]
Tall Betsy last appeared in 1998 after drawing a Halloween crowd of 25,000, although no explanation was ever given for the goblin's disappearance. Jones later told a reporter that while the goblin may have vanished, her spirit is embedded in the hearts and minds of the Cleveland residents who saw Tall Betsy during the eighteen years from 1980 to 1998.[ citation needed ]
The 2005 Block Party was dedicated in honor of Tall Betsy's 25th anniversary. The Block Party drew the largest crowd in the event's history. Jones arranged for nationally recognized celebrities such as the cast of "Leave It To Beaver" and Little Richard to entertain the more than 30,000 attendees.[ citation needed ] In 2014, Jones' son, Bailey, assumed the identity of Tall Betsy and has appeared as the goblin each year since at the Halloween Block Party. [3]
On May 24, 1989, the Tennessee legislature declared Tall Betsy as "the official Halloween goblin of Bradley County". [1]
In 2011 Tall Betsy was the subject of a documentary by Zac Adams. It was narrated by Lynn Hoffman, host of A&E's popular "Private Sessions." [2]
The 1888 United States presidential election was the 26th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 6, 1888. Republican nominee Benjamin Harrison, a former U.S. senator from Indiana, narrowly defeated incumbent Democratic President Grover Cleveland of New York. It was the third of five U.S. presidential elections in which the winner did not win the national popular vote, which would not occur again until the 2000 US presidential election. Cleveland was the last incumbent Democratic president to lose reelection until Jimmy Carter in 1980.
Bradley County is a county located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 108,620, making it the thirteenth most populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Cleveland. It is named for Colonel Edward Bradley of Shelby County, Tennessee, who was colonel of Hale's Regiment in the American Revolution and the 15th Regiment of the Tennessee Volunteers in the War of 1812. Bradley County is included in the Cleveland, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Chattanooga-Cleveland-Dalton, TN-GA-AL Combined Statistical Area.
Charleston is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 664 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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Cleveland High School (CHS) is a public high school in the Cleveland City Schools system located in Cleveland, Tennessee. The school was founded in 1967 and serves 1,662 students in grades 9 to 12. The school's mascot is the Blue Raider, and its school colors are blue, white, and red. The principal is Bob Pritchard. The school maintains a rivalry with the crosstown Bradley Central High School, as with their other crosstown rival Walker Valley High School.
Bradley Central High School is a public high school located in Cleveland, Tennessee that serves approximately 1,700 students from grades 9-12. It was founded in 1916, and is part of the Bradley County Schools system. The school maintains a crosstown rivalry with Cleveland High School, as well as fellow county rival Walker Valley High School.
William Allan Jones Jr. is an American businessman from Cleveland, Tennessee. He is the founder, chairman and CEO of Check Into Cash, Creditcorp, Jones Management Services and the Community Financial Services Association, and several other local lending agencies. He has been called the "father of the payday loan industry" for founding and building the first major payday loan chain.
McDonald is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. McDonald is located along U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 64 6.8 miles (10.9 km) west-southwest of Cleveland. McDonald has a post office with ZIP code 37353.
Hardwick Clothes is an American clothing manufacturer headquartered in Cleveland, Tennessee specializing in tailor-made suits for men and women. Founded on July 28, 1880, Hardwick Clothes is the oldest maker of tailored clothing in America, and the second-oldest company in Bradley County, Tennessee.
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The murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, triggered a wave of protests throughout Tennessee in late May and early June 2020. These protests continued throughout the year.