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Our History

In 1945 Gramper (Robert Lee) Barger's sons, C.E. and Mack, started Barger Brothers Well Drilling. They drilled almost every well dug in Roane and surrounding counties for the next thirty years. During this time their father Gramper was busy starting a business of his own.

In 1947 Gramper Barger, the first generation, opened up a company in the Clax Gap community on Mays Valley Road. Gramper opened Barger Grocery. The grocery store was the center of the small community. The store was then taken over by Gramper’s son C.E. (Charlie) and Daisy Barger and ran for several years. The business was then purchased by C.R. and Mary.

Using the strengths of C.R.'s background in well drilling he soon added new divisions to the company in addition to the store. Plumbing, water line infrastructure improvements, septic tank and field line installations, home building, and well pump repair.

It was 1967 when Charles (C.R.) and Mary Barger began manufacturing precast concrete products. Before C.R. installed septic tanks and field lines, he always had the problem receiving a tank within a few days of his order. Motivated by this inconvenience, C.R. drove to Georgia to look at a truck and two tank forms (a 750 and 1,000 gallon); soon a new precast concrete family oriented business was born. After a discouraging two months, C.R. sold his first tank to a local resident. The news of the up and coming business spread with this single sale, and soon the phone was continually ringing with the demand for more tanks.

When first making the tanks, each had to be individually mixed by a hand shovel. Only one tank a day was cast underneath a tin shed that was behind the small grocery store they ran. A 1,000-gallon tank was poured; this was the largest septic tank available at that time. Now, more than fifty-five years later, the company manufactures a large line of storm and sanitary precast concrete products. Manholes, box culvert, catch basins, meter vaults, retaining wall blocks, septic tanks, grease traps and much more.

In 1992, Mickey led the fourth generation of family through the second wave of growth building upon the previous generations that came before him. Expanding the contracting division and carving out new markets in utility management. It was under Mickey’s leadership when the precast division began producing larger tanks (up to 5,000 gallons) along with East Tennessee’s first engineered traffic-rated grease traps. C.R. Barger & Sons, Inc. became a NPCA Certified Plant in October of 2005.

Today, the fifth generation leads the company into a new era of manufactured precast concrete products.
Circa 1945-48 - Gramper and Mack Barger with their 1933-1936 GMC
Gramper and Mack Barger with their 1933-1936 GMC
May 19, 1964 - Immediately after graveside service for Sam Barger (brother to C.R. and Tom, son of C.E).
Immediately after graveside service for Sam Barger (brother to C.E. and Mack).
Bottom row left to right: Roy, Tom, C.E., Mack, C.R., Terry (held by C.R.)
Top row left to right: Gramper (75% out of picture), Arthur, Mickey, Dave, Wayne, Rick