About Us
We are 501(c)3 charitable organization chartered in 2022 to preserve the life and history of the Halls Crossroads community.
HISTORY AND FOUNDER
From a humble rental house in Halls, Hubert LaRue began the museum by collecting and displaying photos and objects used by our community members.
ORIGINAL HALLS CROSSROAD MUSEUM LOCATION
The Halls Crossroads Women’s League established a Preservation Committee to help preserve Hubert’s existing collection. In cooperation with the Halls High Alumni Board of Directors a project to “digitize” Hubert’s entire photo collection began. Over a period of six months in 2018 a group of volunteers would meet at the museum twice a week until all of the photos were digitized and an index was created.
Part of this digital collection has been shown at several Halls Community functions including the Annual Halls High Alumni Dinner in 2018 and 2019 and as a briefing to Knox County Mayor Glen Jacobs in March 2023.
We are currently searching for a building to house our museum.
Board President Carol Bayless with Doris Smith and Suzi and Hubert LaRue
One of our most recent donations was 30-year plus archive of the Halls Shopper News hard copies from Sandra Clark’s office.
Several local officials have visited in the past including Congressman Tim Burchett and County Mayor Glenn Jacobs.
Hubert LaRue
July 28, 1940 – November 10, 2021
Hubert’s obituary says it best: “He is recognized as the unofficial/official historian of Halls. …He located and self-funded thousands of historical pictures he then made available at no cost.” In recent years, Hubert and his wife Susie organized the photographs (and a few 3-D items) and donated them to the Halls Crossroads Women’s League, which plans to build a Halls museum. Mr. LaRue was added to the Halls High School Wall of Fame and was designated Halls Man of the Year. 1
Hubert got his love of Halls history from his father Bennett LaRue. Both of his parents were born and raised in Halls and they loved the community and the people. Bennett would tell Hubert stories about the past which inspired him to visit people to collect their stories and photos. Hubert also encouraged folks to donate objects and items to his growing collection. He loved showing visitors around the small 3-room house near his home.
1 From KnoxNewsToday.com by Sandra Clark