Spring Hill, Tennessee
 

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"Spring Hill is located 30 miles south of Nashville, Tennessee, and is situated in Maury and Williamson Counties.  It boasts of rich historical sites, lush farmland, businesses, industry, and booming residential growth.  

(More information about Spring Hill, Tennessee, can be found at http://www.springhilltn.org.)

History of Spring Hill

"Once a beautiful wilderness, Spring Hill was an ideal hunting ground claimed by the Cherokee. Tribes of Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Shawnee also hunted in the area.

"The location of the original settlement is the meeting point of three land grants. Lands belonging to Revolutionary War soldiers, Major George Doherty, John Hardin and Major Ezekiel Polk, who received these grants in lieu of money, came together at a point near the intersections of Duplex Road, Old Military Road and U.S. Highway 31.

"The first settlers arrived in 1808 and began to clear land and build log cabins. Albert Russel is said to have been the first to clear land. He built a log cabin on a hill above the spring and named his home 'Anne's Bower.' The property was later known as the Old Tanyard Spring."

 

"By 1809, a settlement had been established. As early as 1810, settlers petitioned the Maury County Court for a road from Columbia to Sanford's cotton gin. As early as 1816, William Williford began a school for boys and girls. Many of the settlers were from cultured, well-to-do families with many social ties in the eastern states; therefore, schools and churches were a priority.

"Father James Peters, a Methodist preacher, built a log church in 1819 and established a campground. People came from miles around to attend the Methodist Camp Meetings which lasted for days at a time.

"In 1824, Henry Wade purchased the land that once belonged to Russel, which was also the Old Camp Ground property. It was he who visualized a town. He had a survey made and began to sell lots along what is today Main Street (Hwy 31). People wanted to name the town Petersburg, in honor of Father Peters. He, however, would not let the family name be used. It was then suggested that the settlement be called by a name long familiar to most of them.  For some 16 years, they had taken their wooden buckets and said, 'I'm going over to the spring hill and get some water.' The little settlement took the name Spring Hill in 1825."

(Text used by permission of the Spring Hill city manager.)