The Roberts Switch Community lies in southwest Putnam County on Old Baxter Road between Boma and Hickey.  It became a named community with the coming of the railroad in the 1890s. 

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Our oral tradition is that our line of Roberts arrived in Charleston, SC from England in 1742.  This was possibly (NOT YET PROVEN) Henry & Sarah Roberts.  Their son, also Henry, migrated from Charleston up to Flat Creek in what is now Buncombe County, NC by late 1780s to early 1790s.  Henry had sons William and Henry.  William being the father of our Joseph.  Henry being the father of the northern White County, TN Roberts'.  Joseph grew up on Flat Creek.  In 1814 he journeyed over to Greene County, TN where he married Rachel Carter (NOT Smith). Pioneer settler Joseph Roberts & wife, Rachel, homesteaded on Mine Lick Creek around 1815.  Joseph eventually acquired about 1000 acres of land from Mine Lick Creek to Indian Creek including the area that was to become Roberts Switch.  His son, Francis Marion Roberts (Uncle Marion) granted right-of-way to the railroad for one share of stock and an agreement that the railroad would build a switch and siding on the property.  Initially identified on railroad maps as "Roberts Spur" the area eventually became known as Roberts Switch.

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Uncle Marion opened a general store and a saw-mill near the switch.  This became a community gathering spot as local farmers brought their wood products (mostly cross-ties) to the switch to sell and be loaded onto the railcars that were parked on the spur.  Various proprietors operated the general store up into the 1950s after Uncle Marion died in 1912.  The passenger trains also stopped at Roberts Switch up into the 1950s although there was never a depot located there.  The railroad declined in importance, but, in the 1960s, Interstate Highway 40 was built through Roberts Switch.  Exit 276 of

I-40 is located just east of "downtown".  Downtown would be placed at the intersection of Old Baxter Road and Fisher Road where the old store house sat next to the switch.  The Docks, a bar and grill, currently sits about 100 feet north of where the store house was.

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After Uncle Marion died, Amos Herren, who married Uncle Marion's granddaughter, Lettie Roberts, operated a saw-mill here.  Amos passed this saw-mill to his son, Charlie Herren.  Charlie continued the operation until he moved the mill closer to his home at Herren's Chapel.  Today the main businesses at Roberts Switch is The Docks, Donnie Burgess' I-40 Tow Service, Trans-Pro Inc Truck Repair and Wrecker Service, J & M Custom, and Mike's Garden.  For years, "The Stop" service station and souvenir store was a notable landmark for the community, but it has closed and an RV & boat storage facility is planned to be built on this spot.  In 2011 the Presbyterians (OPC) built a church on Roberts Road.  The Herren's Chapel Church of Christ is on the corner of Roberts Road and Herren's Chapel Road.

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The community has a population of 100-150 and encompasses residents on Roberts Road and Austin Road to the east, Fisher Road, Whitefield Road, Maynard Road, and Water Tower Road on the west, and a portion of Old Baxter Road.  Following Old Baxter Road, Boma is the next unincorporated community to the north while Hickey is the next unincorporated community to the south.  Hickey is shown on old maps (see below) as Hickory but in common usage Hickey is used.  The Carr family was instrumental in establishing a Methodist Church in Hickey during the early 1900s and thus some people refer to Hickey as Carr's Chapel.

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Roberts Switch never had a post office, school, or church in the early days.  In the early days residents went to elementary school or church at Herren's Chapel, Hickey, Boma, Silver Point or points more distant.  When Joseph arrived in this area, the closest post office was at Sparta.  Cookeville post office opened in 1830.  Then Double Walnut in 1835 followed by Double Springs in 1843, Laurel Hill in 1850, Pine Fork in 1873.  Residents received mail from the Boma post office from 1888 until its closure on 28 Feb 1959.  Since that date, mail delivery has been through the Silver Point post office.​

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The "Heritage House", owned and operated by Tommy and Gracie Roberts, is the oldest house in Roberts Switch.  It was built by Harmon Young Lee in the 1880s.  Harmon's mother was Marinda Roberts, daughter of Joseph the pioneer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Heritage House 1975                                        Heritage House 2024

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