SPOUTS SPRINGS, Pope County

     In an article given to me by Buel Wise, it states, " W. Green Allard attended the opening of the first school. The first church was organized in the early spring of 1860. It was called the Spout Springs M. E. Church." This article was written by the late Lewis Austin of Glendale, Dec. 1, 1954. This clearly indicates that the first Allard School and the Spout Springs Methodist Church were located near the present Spout Springs area.
     "In August 1862, Major John A. Logan spoke at Spout Springs and again at the same place in August 1864," Lewis Austin wrote in his article. This proves that Spout Springs was an important location when the early settlers lived here. Spout Springs still exists and a road is maintained to the area in the Shawnee National Forest.
     I've compiled a History of Allard School using my Mother's records. A copy is in the Golconda Library. There have been three school buildings . The one described above and two at the present site, south of Spout Springs. The third one was built, after a wind storm damaged the second building. It is now a residence surrounded by land owned by the University of State of Illinois.