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The Cove Hollow Community
Cove Hollow is just above present-day Center Hill Dam; the land there was fertile and the Dill family, John, Joseph and William, were all living there by 1808. Lavina Dill married Joab Hale, and their daughter, Mary Taylor died young in 1833. Witnesses to Mary's will were David Winfree and Achsah Winfree. The Dills and Hales all died or moved away, but the Winfree family lived in Cove Hollow for the next 100 years. The Winnard family was also there, and in the head of Cove Hollow lived Asa Carter and other Carters.
Cove Hollow had a Baptist Church by 1814, but by 1830 it had moved to Temperance Hall. Cove Hollow had a store, operated in 1910 by W.E. Williams. This would appear to be where the post office was located. Known as Exum, it served from 1890 to 1895, and from 1900 to 1904.
Cove Hollow had a school in 1904; Mrs. Jessie Burton was the teacher in 1940. It served as something of a community center, and in the 1920's Edgar Evins showed movies there with a battery-powered projector, charging 10 cents admission, and attracting large crowds.
Cove Hollow homes did not have every convenience. The home of Herbert and Betty Fitts had a water tank to collect rain water, but had neither a well nor a spring for drinking water. This suited the family well enough, however, and every day after the noon meal, someone had to go to the neighbors for a bucket of water. The favorite place to go was the up the hollow to "Cartertown", where four houses were very near each other and all the gossip could be learned. Not all of Cove Hollow was covered by Center Hill Lake, and Mrs. John Hunt on the upper end continued to write a column for the Smithville Review for many years.
The Cove Hollow Boat Dock was operated very successfully for many years by Anvel J. Hayes, Jr. and his wife Helen.
Cove Hollow had a Baptist Church by 1814, but by 1830 it had moved to Temperance Hall. Cove Hollow had a store, operated in 1910 by W.E. Williams. This would appear to be where the post office was located. Known as Exum, it served from 1890 to 1895, and from 1900 to 1904.
Cove Hollow had a school in 1904; Mrs. Jessie Burton was the teacher in 1940. It served as something of a community center, and in the 1920's Edgar Evins showed movies there with a battery-powered projector, charging 10 cents admission, and attracting large crowds.
Cove Hollow homes did not have every convenience. The home of Herbert and Betty Fitts had a water tank to collect rain water, but had neither a well nor a spring for drinking water. This suited the family well enough, however, and every day after the noon meal, someone had to go to the neighbors for a bucket of water. The favorite place to go was the up the hollow to "Cartertown", where four houses were very near each other and all the gossip could be learned. Not all of Cove Hollow was covered by Center Hill Lake, and Mrs. John Hunt on the upper end continued to write a column for the Smithville Review for many years.
The Cove Hollow Boat Dock was operated very successfully for many years by Anvel J. Hayes, Jr. and his wife Helen.