Headlines

Nashville celebrates birthday during Peach Blossom Festival May 2, 2008 - No reporter cited

Terrica Hendrix
Assistant Editor

NASHVILLE - Grand oak, hickory, gum and pine trees surrounded the unincorporated land known as the Mine Creek Township.

The area provided profitable climate for growing corn and cotton.

Shallow creeks made it easy for the Caddo Indians, and others, to cross the area in the early 1800s.

While fishing and hunting, Indian tribes discovered trails and crossings that are now known as Mineral Springs, Center Point, Washington, Murfreesboro, Corinth and Lockesburg.

The streets we drive on were Indian trails that the white man followed for hunting. The trails are presently known as Kohler, Washington, Lockesburg, Fort Smith and Polk Streets.

Mine Creek Township is what present-day Nashville was called in the early 1800s.

Rev. Isaac Cooper Perkins was born on Dec. 5, 1789 to Henry Perkins Jr. and Anne Ferebee Perkins of Halifax County, North Carolina. Years later, he left his home state and married Hannah Guest in Wilkes County, Ga. on Oct. 28, 1810.

According to an 1820 census, Perkins lived in Marengo County, Ala. and in 1830 in Wilcox County, Ala.

Historical documents state that Perkins traveled between Arkansas and Alabama to seek a place to establish a church.

An 1820 land patent on Mine Creek was in Perkins’ name while he was living in Alabama, proving that he visited the area years prior to settling. 

The Perkins’, their five daughters, and possibly two sons-in-law, traveled from Alabama and made their home near Mine Creek. Their daughters were Charlotte, Sarah, Emily, Elizabeth and Ann. Elizabeth married Jess McLendon and settled in Sevier County, while Ann married A.B. Clements.

The first recorded land was in 1837, for a plat of land south of the creek indicated that Rev. Perkins owned several plots of land around the junction of Dodson and Mine Creeks.

The plat was prepared by Dale Henry, an abstractor during that time.

Perkins established the first church, the Mine Creek Baptist Church, now known as the First Baptist Church. He donated the land for the first church, which is where the Nashville Cemetery is and where Perkins was buried in 1851.

In 1848, the first post office was established in a tiny store on the corner of Fort Smith and Polk Streets. The store was owned by Amaziah Lewis, who became the first postmaster on June 9 that year. Eight years later the name would be officially changed to the Nashville Post Office.

Reportedly by 1849, Samuel S. Thomas and A. B. Clements (Perkins son-in-law), both owned land and started the first steam mill in the area.

In the 1850’s census, Perkins stated his occupation as a farmer, however, he was known as the “father of the Baptist cause in South Arkansas.” He organized churches, was the first Arkansas Baptist Convention president and was the moderator of the Saline Association for about 12 years.

It is believed that he traveled from Little Rock to Jefferson, Texas and worked for the Ozan Baptist Church, Mount Bethel and Mine Creek.

Settlers from other states began their journey to Arkansas and brought slaves when the state entered the Union as a slave-holding state.

Without any recognition, the slaves also contributed to the growing community.

The village and post office known as Mine Creek was officially changed to Nashville on June 13, 1856 by Michael Womack. In 1849 he traveled from Bedford County, Tenn. with the “‘Corinth Kinfolks’ and bought land that extended almost to Nashville,” according to the History of Howard County, 1873-1973..

Womack also stated that ‘Hell’s Valley’ was a name unworthy of Christian citizens.

With a salary of $12 per year, J.K. Bryant was appointed postmaster of the newly named service in 1856.

William R. Rector called the current location of Howard County Courthouse home and Flavius P. Holt is said to have opened the Holt Tavern.

Let’s go to church

From 1835 to 1877, Mine Creek Baptist Church was the only church.

The County Line Missionary Baptist Church was organized in 1853 by “twelve members who withdrew from the Mine Creek Baptist Church in Nashville,” according to a document titled “County Line Community” by Mr. and Mrs. M.M. McCrary.

The church was located “four miles west of [the] Howard County Courthouse, as the hub and the roads leading there as the spokes.”

The 12 charter member and slaves were also members of the church. In 1859, the church purchased approximately 131 acres from Joseph L. Neal for $124.45.

The First Christian Church was established in 1877 by Elder J. R. Jones. Three years later, the Methodist Episcopal Church was established.

Other churches organized:

R. E. Lee organized the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1884

Nashville Episcopal Church, 1886

Nashville Presbyterian Church, 1891

Nashville Church of Christ, 1902

Church of Christ Tabernacle, 1909

Business begins to boom

In 1860, William Coulter, Paschal R. Smith and Joseph Neal were early business owners on each side of present-day North Main St.

John H. Bell and John N. Collins constructed a saw mill, a gin, a grist mill, a shingle mill and planer. These business were some of Howard County’s first manufacturers.

Fellow businessmen that followed suit include: James B. Hill, E.E. Hudspeth, Col. Augustus S. Hutchinson, Dr. D.A. Hutchinson, Dr. Thomas S. Jacques, W.J. Lee, Nathan Levi, T.J. McClendon, James W. Norwood, Oscar T. Pope, J.J. Roberson, M.A. Morris, Thomas L. Toland, William W. Turner, J.G.W. Yowell, James A. Howell, F.T. Shepherd and D.D. Womack.

Many streets in Nashville were named in their honor.

Howard County Bank was the first bank in Nashville and was established in 1892.

Lodging

J.H. Moore started the Nashville Bottling Company in and the Hill Brothers Wholesale Grocery obtained ownership for the company in 1910.  W. W. Wilson and son, Forrest, purchased the company and grocery store and continued on with the bottling company, according to the History of Howard County, 1873-1973.

By 1911, Wilson and his son received a contract to bottle Coca-Cola. The new drink company began selling in 1886.

Flavius P. Holt opened the Rhodes House as an inn in 1877. A three-story, 12 – room hotel was opened to the public in 1889 and was known as the Merchants Hotel.

Although the first hotel in the town is said to be the Nashville Hotel that was built by Col. Beardsley in 1885.

The Garner Hotel was built in 1909 by Dr. J.T. Garner of Washington. Travelers from all over the world, including Africa, found their night’s sleep at the hotel.

The guests were treated to a five-course meal. The hotel also offered etiquette classes in the Sun Room as well as social gatherings.

The Withrow Hotel was located on Main Street and was later known as the Elberta Hotel.

Social life

Annual camp meetings, church and family gatherings best describe the social life for someone in the 1800s. The major social gatherings were weddings and “a picnicking or camping trip to Chalybeate Springs was the equivalent of today’s automobile ride to Hot Springs or Texarkana. The quilting bee was a social attraction. People made their own music then, a forgotten art in these modern TV and radio days,” according to city documents.

Children in the 1870s would play old folk games like: London Bridge is falling down, blind man’s bluff, drop the handkerchief and hide and seek, according to the History of Howard County, 1873-1973.

The young boys played games of horseshoes while the girls had fun with bean bags, dolls, hopscotch and Tiddly Winks.

And dancing, that was only permitted with limitations. “By 1860, the square dance by small groups was enjoyed in private homes and small structures,” according to the city documents.

Newspapers begin serving people

In 1873, the Center Point Courier was the first newspaper serving the area. The Howard County Advocate and The Nashville News. Antonio B. Grace and John Layfayette Tullis founded the News in Center Point (the original county seat) in 1878. according to a Nov. 21, 1978 story by Lucille Westbrook, “...Tullis was only 18-years-old at the time and Judge Grace was about 30 and was already a noted lawyer, when they went into partnership and started the newspaper, which was called the Center Point News.”

Tullis moved the newspaper to Nashville in February 1884, when it became known as the Nashville News.

Careers

After the county was established, Confederate General Robert G. Shaver was appointed sheriff by the state around 1873. He obtained his law degree and lived in Center Point. He was known as the only lawyer in Nashville. After Shaver, lawyers for the area included: J.W. Barnett, Hansford Rutherford, Thomas Kirland, Joel T. Borden, John B. Arrington, James Lowry, W.P. McDonald, A. B. Grace, Leslie Ross, W.M. Green, W. D. Lee, J.D. Shaver, J.W. Bishop and J.J. Cowling.

Some of the first dentists were: Dr. Carroll, Dr. Stuart, Dr. Will Weaver, Dr. E. C. Perry, Dr. J.R. York, Dr. W. A. Borland, Dr. W. W. Gore, Dr. W. B. Dorman, Dr. J. W. Scoggin and Dr. James R. Tommey.

Class is in session

The Mine Creek Male and Female Academy was reportedly operating around 1854 and the Christian Church offered advanced placement classes from 1884 to

1885. During the 1890 school year, there were three teachers and more than 100 students at the academy.

The academy is now known as Nashville Public Schools.

Oct. 18, 1883

On Oct. 18, 1883, Nashville was incorporated and elected its first mayor D.A. Hutchinson. Elias Brown, recorder; John Ramage, treasurer; J.Y. Thomas, marshal; Dr. T. S. Jacques; aldermen: Dr. T. S. Jacques, D. D. Womack, John M. Gibson, H. N. Baker and J.G.W. Yowell.

Almost a year later, the Arkansas and Louisiana Railroad extension from Washington to Nashville was completed. W.C. Sypert, Jesse Rector and the aldermen are noted for making the railroad extension possible.

With the railroad service, timber, cotton, corn, grapes, peaches and other markets began to open.

Railway official J.D. Beardsley generated a plat that would be a guide for commerce growth and a new county seat.

“Beardsley’s plat endowed the city with a 100-foot wide Main Street running parallel to the iron rials. Ordinance No. 3 of the new town government extended the present Main Street all the way through the crook that linked Washington, Old town’s principal artery. Other streets were 60 feet wide in the plan and the
March 4, 1884 ordinance identified the west street parallel to Main (street) by numbers and the cross streets by given name,” according to Nashville City Hall documents.

By 1890, there were 66 businesses established. Businesses such as; dry goods, general, furniture, drug and hardware stores; saloons, blacksmith shops, saw and planning mill, cotton gin, woolen factory, distillery, shoe shop, saddler, tin shop, barber shops, jeweler, nurseries, milliner, dressmaker, an insurance agency, five lawyers, three doctors. Along with three hotels, restaurants and doctors.

Mayors in chronological order: Frank Parker, R. H. Parker, J. Y. Thomas, W.C. Rodgers, J.T. Sutton, J. B. Hill, R. A. Leslie, J. S. Butts, V.A. Haynes, W. J. Lee, Kemp C. Cowling, August D. Clark, R. T. Adams, Sam E. Leslie, James J. Reeder, Mike Pope, A. F. Ayers, C. F. Hill, C. G. Hughes, Martin Nowell, Henry Dildy, Charles E. Ramsay, Cecil J. Callaham,W. B. Holliday, Joe Ball II, Bo Castleberry and Mike Reese.

Fire

A December 1889 or 1890 - records contrast with the year of the fire - fire in the Johnson Hall building destroyed businesses on Hempstead and Clark streets. According to a Nashville News story, businesses such as; “City Barber Shop; Hale and Hale, druggists; Ed Mulkey, grocer; G.W. Berry, barber and jeweler; Tobe Singleton, barber; J.H. Moore and Son, grocers; S.M. Weaver, restaurant; J. T. Reese, butcher; M.E. Brock and Co., general merchandise; B. F. Hill, general merchandise; J.T. Sutton, harnessmaker; Nashville Telephone Company; Rink’s Barn; Street’s warehouse and poultry house.  The following suffered extensive damage: Famous Store, A. Schoenfeld, J.J. Reeves and T.P. Meadors. The following stock was badly damaged when removed from buildings north of the burning area: I.H. Garner, Howard County Times and Nashville Bottling Works.”

Let there be light

The first telephone line was built in Center Point in 1887. A magneto-type switch board with service to 48 telephones was built on North Main Street.

By 1911 the town had electric lights, but on a schedule. The electricity was only turned on twice a week for two hours.

More newspapers

In 1908, the Nashville Times (formerly known as the Mineral Springs Times) began printing after Fred Hawkins moved the paper to the town from Mineral Springs. Hawkins began the Nashville Spotlight in 1938. Louis Nayer, publisher of the The Dierks Banner, launched a branch office in Nashville after 1916.

Nayer’s idea of a joint publication would soon end months after the opening of the office, according to History of Howard County, 1873-1973.

Nashville quick facts

In November 1905, the courthouse was built courtroom was to be completed in January 1906. Crews would work on the jail after the courthouse was completed.
In January 1935 the Nashville Public Library opened. Books that lined the shelves were donated by the residents of Nashville. Dorothy Strickland was appointed as librarian.

In April 1936, the Nashville Hospital moved from the Bell home on Fourth Street to North Main Street. The hospital’s home was “formerly the J.E. Smith home, which was entirely remodeled throughout,” according to an April 7, 1936 Nashville News story.

In November 1936, sidewalks were built “if property owners will furnish materials, making cost to them low,” according to the November 17, 1936 Nashville

News story.

In June 1940, the Howard Theatre celebrated their first year in Nashville.

In July 2, 1940, R. C. Shofner, of Corinth, produced a cabbage measuring five feet and four inches.

Also during that time, children were allowed to do shed work when the Commissioner of Labor agreed to release children from ages 14 to 16.

In August 1940, the gymnasium was slated to be finished at the high school. The gymnasium was said to provide the “finest basketball court in this part of the state.”

In June 1945, Nashville was chosen as the site for the regional library.

January 1949, the hospital “handled 753 patients in 1948.”

March 1949, the formal opening and dedication of the hospital was to be held that month.

January 1974 the old courthouse was “clubbed to dust by [a] steel fist...a 2,000 pound steel fist clubbed the 68-year-old ‘library’ building to earth in hours,”
according to a Jan. 1, 1974 Nashville News story.

↑ Top