You are here: Home > Community History > The Blue Springs Community
The Blue Springs Community, including the community of Bethel
The Blue Springs community was an "active, self-sufficient settlement, well able to feed, clothe, educate and entertain their own families," according to Jorene Washer Parsley's writings. They had their own school, churches, grocery store, post office, water mill, hat and shoemakers, teachers, preachers and midwives.
Cotton was grown and sheep raised for clothing, while fruits and nuts were gathered along with large gardens producing plenty of food to store in the underground cellars for the winter. The cool springs kept milk and butter cold, while wildlife was abundant and fishing was easy in what Parsley calls "good old days, before the fast pace of the automobiles, super highways, shopping malls and video games."
The first church organized in the area was Banks Cumberland Presbyterian Church, established in 1851. By 1859, the local Methodists met in the Bethel schoolhouse before building Bethel Methodist Church in 1860 on land given by Milton Ward. In 1908, renovations were made to the Bethel Methodist Church.
The first school in the community was located on what was known as Mullican's Bluff, somewhere in the area behind Floyd Hayes' farm. It was a Subscription School, funded by the state for two months out of each year. Mullican's Bluff closed in 1858, with the next school term being taught in a log building known as Bethel Free School on the J.L. Smith farm.
By 1860, a new Bethel School had been built on land given by Esq. E.N. Trail, which lasted until around 1890, when yet another, better, two-story school was built on land granted by Thomas Bratcher. Blue Spring School was the name decided for the new school.
A small baseball diamond stood in front of the school, and boys could work during lunch, which was always packed and brought from home in a pail, newspaper or anything else available, or they could play. Water was carried from the spring near Sink Creek for all children.
In 1924, a more "modern" school was built, which was also named Blue Springs. The land was bought from W.E. Miller and it housed four classrooms, which even provided for the first two years of high school. Unfortunately, the building burned in 1944, forcing the community to return to the older school until another building could be built.
In Parsley's writings, she gives credit to many teachers who helped students become responsible adults, but none more than Ms. Lucille Ferrell, who devoted 29 years to teaching in the area.
Cotton was grown and sheep raised for clothing, while fruits and nuts were gathered along with large gardens producing plenty of food to store in the underground cellars for the winter. The cool springs kept milk and butter cold, while wildlife was abundant and fishing was easy in what Parsley calls "good old days, before the fast pace of the automobiles, super highways, shopping malls and video games."
The first church organized in the area was Banks Cumberland Presbyterian Church, established in 1851. By 1859, the local Methodists met in the Bethel schoolhouse before building Bethel Methodist Church in 1860 on land given by Milton Ward. In 1908, renovations were made to the Bethel Methodist Church.
The first school in the community was located on what was known as Mullican's Bluff, somewhere in the area behind Floyd Hayes' farm. It was a Subscription School, funded by the state for two months out of each year. Mullican's Bluff closed in 1858, with the next school term being taught in a log building known as Bethel Free School on the J.L. Smith farm.
By 1860, a new Bethel School had been built on land given by Esq. E.N. Trail, which lasted until around 1890, when yet another, better, two-story school was built on land granted by Thomas Bratcher. Blue Spring School was the name decided for the new school.
A small baseball diamond stood in front of the school, and boys could work during lunch, which was always packed and brought from home in a pail, newspaper or anything else available, or they could play. Water was carried from the spring near Sink Creek for all children.
In 1924, a more "modern" school was built, which was also named Blue Springs. The land was bought from W.E. Miller and it housed four classrooms, which even provided for the first two years of high school. Unfortunately, the building burned in 1944, forcing the community to return to the older school until another building could be built.
In Parsley's writings, she gives credit to many teachers who helped students become responsible adults, but none more than Ms. Lucille Ferrell, who devoted 29 years to teaching in the area.