Aetna
Located on Hwy 48 in southern portion of county near
the Lewis county line. Spring-fed Piney Creek runs through the area. Was
settled after Indian treaty of 1818. Iron furnaces of mid to late 1800’s caused
boom time for town. Depression of 1893 idled furnaces, and the furnaces shut
down by 1911.
Pioneer families included: Milam, Murray, Wade, Kimmin, Hick, Morrison, Hinson, Walker, Berrymand, McClaren
Anderson Bend
Named after a pioneer family of Andersons. Colonel
Shinn of North Carolina fought in Revolutionary War and was given 2500 acres of
land in Tennessee. Robert Anderson born in Buncombe County, NC in 1774
inherited land from Colonel Shinn and built a home on what is now Hwy 50 in
1805. Home of hewed yellow poplar logs still stands. First post office named
Bluff Point and was established in 1855. Isaac Perry became first Post Master
Pioneer families included: McCaleb, Bates, Miller, Yhoung, Smith, Hunt, Baker, Walker, Hooten, Tucker, George, Prince, Stephenson, James, Bingham, Regeon, Henn, and Mobley
Bear Creek
Located on south side of Duck River between Dean’s
Switch and Beaverdam Road. William Shipp killed two bears and injured a third
in Shipp’s Bend, and name of area taken from event.
Beaverdam
Named after a large beaver dam found on creek by early
settlers. Area settled first in 1820’s. The Old Aetna Iron Furnace operated in
area. A distillery was located on creek near iron furnace
Pioneer families included: Wade, Peeler, Milam, Murray, MCLaren, McCollum, Kimmin, Berryman, Tinsley, Morrison, Warren, and Patton
Beaverdam Springs
James Arnold settled at springs in 1823. A group of
Columbia, TN businessmen purchased land and established the Beaverdam Springs
Resort. The mineral springs became famous for their medicinal qualities.
Square dances were held each Saturday night. Land later sold to the
Presbyterian Church for a camp, now called Na-Co-Me.
Pioneer families include: Arnold, Jones, Frierson, Wooten, Henley, Rainey
Bernard
First black high school in county opened 1925.
Named Ali Vista View. Was small two-room building built by the Porter
brothers. Building town down and another erected 1929. School became a
four-year high school 1940. Building burned 1955, and the existing school
building erected by county.
Blue Buck Creek
Named by a hunter who killed a male deer drinking
at creek. The Swan Creek Phosphate Company opened plant about 1908. A nearby
post office called Melba served community. Two churches located in community.
Early Settlers Included: John Williams, Robert Willey, Charles and William Wheat, Jared Cotton, Issac Farris, Peter Searcy, Joseph Bond, William Watts, Jack Devore, Alton McCaleb, John Skipper, George Perry, and Spencer Tinsley
Blue Water
Named after a stream called "Blue Water"
Sam Lancaster settled on land at mouth of creek, 1830
Major McClaren built a mill on creek, 1829
An existing mill structure built by Lonnie Pascall early 1900's
Was operated by Bob Fre4nch and son in the 1950's
Blue Water School operated until early 1900's
Pioneer Families Include: Elkins, French, Durham, Chandler, Sullivan, Lynch, and Taylor
Bon Aqua
William Locke Weems discovered Four mineral
springs, 1837
Area bordered by Big Spring Creek
He named area Bon Aqua
The springs became a famous health spa
Resort initially consisted of 40 to 50 cottages
Hotel burned 1888
Was replaced by structure with 101 rooms
Thomas Edison once visited hotel
Resort closed in the 1920's
Brushy
Community lies along Brushy Fork Creek in
southern part of county
Area settled early 1800's
Pioneer Families Included: Banks, Holt, Loveless, Hinson, Breece, and Wiggs
Coble
Located 12 miles west of Centerville on Beaverdam
Creek
Town of Whitfield was located across creek before Coble
Named for Coble family, one of early pioneers in county
Osco Shepard in early years operated stores in Coble
Shepard worked on bicycles and pulled teeth in his spare time
Thomas Edison came to Coble looking for cobalt deposits, 1906
Edgewood
Located about three miles south of Centerville
Runs along both sides of Hwy 50 E for about three miles
City began when Hwy 50 was completed in 1951
Community had been known as the Househollow
Named after the Edgewood Baptist Church in 1961
Farmer's Exchange
J R Sutton became a merchant and first postmaster
around 1850
Farmers came from miles around to exchange produce with Sutton
Sutton named the area "Farmer's Exchange"
Timbering became a major industry in early 1900's
Grinders Switch
Robert Griner, Sr settled in area 1807
Griner moved to Natchez Trace in Lewis County
He established an inn called "Griners Stand"
Area became known as hometown of Minnie Pearl
She grew up across the river in Centerville
The town is being developed into a living museum to Minnie
Leatherwood
Early site of:
Hanes Sawmill
Boehms Gristmill
Stagecoach Inn
Smith Cotton Gin
Cayce Blacksmith Shop
Jones Store
Boehms Store
Jones Valley School
The Christian Church
Methodist Church
Brooks, Davie, Hohnson & other grain mills
Little Lot
Early settlers were mostly pioneers from Maryland
Hugh McCabe settled on Little Lot lands in 1810
McCabe donated one quarter of an acre of land for church and school
Parker Tyler said of the donated land and naming the town
"It's such a damn little lot, we can't give it a big name"
The town was then appropriately named Little Lot
First general store built by Ferdinand B Russell, 1853
Town was scene of many skirmished during Civil War
A devastating tornado hit town killing two in 1902
Nunnelly
Established as a mining town, 1882
Named after the Nunnelly Ore Mines
Mines named after owner, Lawson H Nunnelly
Nunnelly came to county from North Carolina, 1810
Charcoal produced in Nunnelly used to fire furnace near Bucksnort
Only
Village had its beginnings in early 1800's
Was originally named Dreamer
Tom Sutton was one of the early store merchants
When asked price, Tom would reply "only five cents", or "only a dollar"
Customers would refer to the store as the "Only" store
Postmaster Allen Hunt Brown officially changed town name to Only
Pleasantville
Located in southern section of county on Hwy 100
William Bradley Cook was first merchant and post master
A large sawmill operated in community, 1890
Pleasant Whitwell taught school and preached in town, 1820
The first marriage between Aaron Edwards and Nancy Moody in 1817
Shady Grove
Located on Dunlop Creek, about a mile from the Duck River
Henry Nichols named the town in 1840's
He noted the area was surrounded by a shady grove of trees
Town has two churches- Methodist and Church of Christ
Duck River Post Office located here
Iron Furnaces
First industry in county was iron industry
A forge built on Mill Creek by Hardin Perkins, 1814
Was sold to Montgomery Bell, 1825
Other early furnaces:
Old Furnace on Sugar Creek
Goodrich Furnace on Birds Creek
Gould Furnace on Sugar Creek still stands
Aetna Furnace
Mills
First mill for grinding corn established on Mill
Creek, 1809
The first horse powered mill built on Sugar Creek, 1809
A mill was erected on Piney River near Dodd Hollow, 1835
First cotton gin erected on Duck River 1811
First powder mill built on Mill Creek about 1811
Steamboats
The last steamboat up Duck River to Centerville was in
February 1878
It was named the Mary Clees
MINERAL SPRINGS
Beaver Dam Springs
A mineral spring
Hotel built at springs, 1832
NaCoMe Conference Center (22)
Presently controlled by Presbyterian Churches
Of Nashville, Columbia, and Memphis
Bon Aqua Springs
A mineral spring which became a health resort
15 hewn log cabins built at springs, 1839
Once site of the Bon Aqua Hotel
Area was a booming railroad town of the early 1900's
Hotel torn down in early 1940’s
Primm Springs
A former summer resort
Contained hotel, dance hall, bowling alley and many cottages
Has several kinds of mineral water
A development at spring started 1831
Operated by Miss Hugh Ella Estes and sister Fanny for many years