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The Cross Roads Community
The Cross Roads community is located about three miles west of the city of Smithville and was called Cross Roads because of the intersecting roads of Dry Creek, New Home and Old Mill Hill.
Some of the early residents of the Cross Roads community were Harris Moser and wife Rebecca Vickers, William L. (Bill) Parker and wife Mary J. Cantrell, Levi D. Robinson and wife Mary Bain, Ira Robinson and wife Polly Barnes, Daniel J. Smithson and wife Hattie Robinson, Will F. Smithson and wife Permilia Moser, Dow Braswell and wife Mary, Robert Hack Cripps and wife Molly Smithson, Tom Hendrix and wife Elnora Wilkins, William O. (Bill) Hale and wife Martha Ervin, Harden Vickers and wife Sallie Tibbs, William Jasper Vickers and wife Mary Jane Edge, Marvin Keith and second wife Bonnie Stanley.
There was a school at Cross Roads as early as January of 1904, but no record of how long before that. Mr. Floice Vickers taught there in 1914-1918 and was paid $45 per month. Around 1918, Mr. Floice Vickers and Ms. Dora Fuson taught 124 pupils at Cross Roads School. There was one old 18X28 building, as well as a new building. At this time, two years of high school was offered also. Rhetoric, Algebra and other courses of study were taught. Mr. Vickers taught again from 1920 until 1922.
In September of 1904, Mt. Herman Missionary Baptist Church was established. The church was built on the southeast corner of the intersection of Dry Creek Road, New Home Road and Old Mill Hill Road. The first pastor was Brother L.W. Beckwith. Several of the early residents of Cross Roads were charter members of the church. The church is often referred to as "Cross Roads Church."
On March 21, 1932, a tornado hit the area, tearing down Mt. Herman Church, leaving only the floor. The roof had been lifted off and set over to the side, so the church held services under this roof until the church was rebuilt. The members of the church and the community banded together to donate their time, materials and labor to rebuild the church on the exact spot in the same year.
During the tornado of 1932, many homes and barns in the Cross Roads community were destroyed.
In the mid 1930's when Mt. Herman Church was holding revival, there would be a morning and evening service. Many times, Cross Roads School would be dismissed and everyone enjoyed walking the short distance to the Church to attend the morning service.
In 1940, a fire destroyed the Cross Roads School building. Those attending school there went to Snow Hill School until the school at Cross Roads was rebuilt.
In 1948, the school had two large classrooms with four grades in each room. The cafeteria was about two-hundred yards away from the classrooms. An outdoor basketball court was built on the school grounds along with two outdoor toilets. Mrs. Allie Carter was the cook until later, when Mrs. Maggie Braswell did the cooking. One cook prepared and served the meals for all of the students. The price for lunch was ten cents a day. Bus transportation was not provided, so students had to walk to school. School books were not provided, either. When the school bus system finally became available, students living on Dry Creek Road had to walk from home to meet the bus.
In 1958, from May to September, the road from Highway 26 through Cross Roads to Short Mountain Road was rebuilt. The old road was rather narrow, lacked good drainage and was gravel rather than pavement. The new road followed the old one for the most part, it was simply made wider. A system of ditches and culverts were installed for drainage and the road was chipped and tarred.
The last year of school at Cross Roads was 1966-1967, when the school was consolidated and all the students went to Smithville Elementary. The teachers at that time were Ms. Nettie Murphy and Mr. Ben Adamson.
Mt. Herman Missionary Baptist Church is still a very active church in the community and the present pastor is Brother David Carden. Through the years, the Cross Roads community has seen a lot of changes and it has grown tremendously. Many people have made their homes there.
Some of the early residents of the Cross Roads community were Harris Moser and wife Rebecca Vickers, William L. (Bill) Parker and wife Mary J. Cantrell, Levi D. Robinson and wife Mary Bain, Ira Robinson and wife Polly Barnes, Daniel J. Smithson and wife Hattie Robinson, Will F. Smithson and wife Permilia Moser, Dow Braswell and wife Mary, Robert Hack Cripps and wife Molly Smithson, Tom Hendrix and wife Elnora Wilkins, William O. (Bill) Hale and wife Martha Ervin, Harden Vickers and wife Sallie Tibbs, William Jasper Vickers and wife Mary Jane Edge, Marvin Keith and second wife Bonnie Stanley.
There was a school at Cross Roads as early as January of 1904, but no record of how long before that. Mr. Floice Vickers taught there in 1914-1918 and was paid $45 per month. Around 1918, Mr. Floice Vickers and Ms. Dora Fuson taught 124 pupils at Cross Roads School. There was one old 18X28 building, as well as a new building. At this time, two years of high school was offered also. Rhetoric, Algebra and other courses of study were taught. Mr. Vickers taught again from 1920 until 1922.
In September of 1904, Mt. Herman Missionary Baptist Church was established. The church was built on the southeast corner of the intersection of Dry Creek Road, New Home Road and Old Mill Hill Road. The first pastor was Brother L.W. Beckwith. Several of the early residents of Cross Roads were charter members of the church. The church is often referred to as "Cross Roads Church."
On March 21, 1932, a tornado hit the area, tearing down Mt. Herman Church, leaving only the floor. The roof had been lifted off and set over to the side, so the church held services under this roof until the church was rebuilt. The members of the church and the community banded together to donate their time, materials and labor to rebuild the church on the exact spot in the same year.
During the tornado of 1932, many homes and barns in the Cross Roads community were destroyed.
In the mid 1930's when Mt. Herman Church was holding revival, there would be a morning and evening service. Many times, Cross Roads School would be dismissed and everyone enjoyed walking the short distance to the Church to attend the morning service.
In 1940, a fire destroyed the Cross Roads School building. Those attending school there went to Snow Hill School until the school at Cross Roads was rebuilt.
In 1948, the school had two large classrooms with four grades in each room. The cafeteria was about two-hundred yards away from the classrooms. An outdoor basketball court was built on the school grounds along with two outdoor toilets. Mrs. Allie Carter was the cook until later, when Mrs. Maggie Braswell did the cooking. One cook prepared and served the meals for all of the students. The price for lunch was ten cents a day. Bus transportation was not provided, so students had to walk to school. School books were not provided, either. When the school bus system finally became available, students living on Dry Creek Road had to walk from home to meet the bus.
In 1958, from May to September, the road from Highway 26 through Cross Roads to Short Mountain Road was rebuilt. The old road was rather narrow, lacked good drainage and was gravel rather than pavement. The new road followed the old one for the most part, it was simply made wider. A system of ditches and culverts were installed for drainage and the road was chipped and tarred.
The last year of school at Cross Roads was 1966-1967, when the school was consolidated and all the students went to Smithville Elementary. The teachers at that time were Ms. Nettie Murphy and Mr. Ben Adamson.
Mt. Herman Missionary Baptist Church is still a very active church in the community and the present pastor is Brother David Carden. Through the years, the Cross Roads community has seen a lot of changes and it has grown tremendously. Many people have made their homes there.