Butler Museum

Roderick R. Butler was a leader in the 13th Regiment and after the Civil War the town was re-named Butler for him.  Joshua Perkins was the first postmaster. The railroad came to Butler in 1902 and provided the means to reach markets with lumber, finished wood products, iron ore and farm produce.  Local citizens, including students as well as visitors were afforded a good means of transportation by the railroad. The town flourished and became both an eductional and trading center. An abundance of water resources made Butler a good location for habitation;however, the overabundance of water in the form of floods caused the town's death knell.  With the advent of the violent killer flood of 1940, the powerful Tennessee Valley Authority made a decision to build a dam flooding the town of Butler and all the valleys surrounding it.  Butler is the only town ever flooded by the Tennessee Valley Authority. The Butler and Watauga Valley Heritage Museum opened in 2000 to honor the memory of the citizens of Butler and all others of the Watauga, Roan and Elk Valleys. Butler lives on in our minds and especially in our hearts.