The TVPC was originally founded in late 1950 or early 1960 and was
affiliated with the Tennessee Valley Fair. Bob James, who was then
poultry show superintendent at the fair was president, Joe Thompson –
Vice president, Bruce Walters was secretary and Carl Miller was
treasurer. The Dixie Classic was held in the old poultry building on the
TVA&I fair site in Chilhowee Park. According to R. W. Sweeney, who
became Poultry Show superintendent and club president after Bob
James, the old poultry building was built from the remnants of an old
wooden roller coaster originally on the fair site. This beautiful old
building was host to the fair poultry show and the Dixie Classic for
many years and was often touted as the best show site most of the
exhibitors had ever attended.
The Dixie Classic was originally hosted by groups from Knoxville and
Chattanooga Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. Chattanooga and Atlanta
eventually dropped out and Greenville, S. C. and Richmond, VA joined
the groups. Eventually, the Knoxville club was the only host left and
dropped the Dixie Classic because of difficulties acquiring the host
building. The club essentially dissolved in mid or late 1990.
In the summer and fall of 2011, Eddie (Cotton) Dunlap, the then and
current poultry show superintendent at the TVA & I Fair, set about
successfully reorganizing the Tennessee Valley Poultry Club. The new
officers elected were President- Eddie Dunlap, Vice President – Tim
Cox, Secretary – Cynthia Walker (who had been a member of the
original club), Treasurer – Ada Davis. The board of directors consisted
of John Benziger, Chris Hall, James Treadway and Doyle Kitts.
The first, new Dixie Classic was hosted on April 14, 2012. The club then
hosted the American Bantam Association on Dec. 2, 2013 with John
Thomas as show secretary and hosted the American Poultry Association
Poultry Show December 6, 2014. It was also decided to hold the regular
Dixie Classic in the fall instead of spring and on the first weekend in
December. The TVPC began hosting a pigeon show in conjunction with
the Dixie Classic in 2015.