Dixon Springs was considered sacred ground by the Indians. It was always a favorite camping ground of the Algonquin Indians. The Algonquin Indians waged relentless war on the great tribes of the Iriquois who inhabited the territory south of the Tennessee River. In their pilgrimages to and from combat, Dixon Springs was one of their favorite camping grounds. It was named by the Indians, KITCHE-MUS-KE-NEE-BE, meaning Great Medicine Water, showing their great faith in the curative powers of the water.

The Indians used to winter at the Springs and there is the story that at one time the Springs was considered neutral territory - any and all tribes coming there would lay down their arms while there. Dixon Springs has been famous for curing the ills of mankind. All of the Springs have been analyzed as to their mineral and medicinal contents. Spring number 7, known as Na-Mon-O-Ma meaning "Water of the Great Spirit" was said to be beneficial in the cases of Cystitis, Prostatic Trouble, Diabetis, Brights Disease, and effective in all fevers.

Spring number 1, known as "Old Ironsides", was referred to by old settlers as the "Elixir of Life". Especially good for Stomach, Nerve, Kidney, Liver and Bowel Troubles.
Spring number 2, was called "Cupid" also, "Beauty Spring." It is a grand external remedy for any form of skin diseases, and especially good for the complexion. It will also eliminate the poisonous matters from the system that produces fevers.

Spring number 3, known as "Little Nemo" was ideal for all diseases of the prostate gland and urinary troubles, also a strong solvent for uril acid.
Spring number 4, known as "Old Rusty" was a great natural Blood Restorer, and a specific for Rheumatism, Stomach, Liver and Bladder Trouble.

Spring number 9, known as "Ae-O-Ma" or "Rock Water" is said to be radioactive. This water is beneficial to both the afflicted and to those seeking a wholesome medicinal water, and is fine for Acid Stomach, Gout, and general Debility.

William Dixon obtained a school grant from Governor French in 1845 for the sum of $100.00. He was one of the first white men to build a home in this section. He cut and hewed the logs himself and built his cabin in 1848. This cabin remained on the original site until in early 1914.
William Dixon sold to George Allen in 1858 for the sum of $2000. A John L. Stafford had a quit claim deed for the entire park and must have sold to a James A. Whitesides who moved to the Springs about 1886 and lived there until 1904 when they moved to a farm.
He sold the Springs to James A. Grove who sold it to G. B. Wheeler. A man by the name of Sinkenfeller(or something like that) was a part owner of the hotel, with Mr. Whitesides, for a time. He was from Paducah, Kentucky. Mr. Whitesides, dug the lake and built the hotel.
The Springs was called "Allen Springs," the "Resort," and later changed to Dixon Springs about 1904 or 1905.

The hotel had a colored band who also served as waiters. One was a barber. There was also a colored cook. This cook married a white girl who was a chamber maid. This was one of the first mixed marriages in this section. They were run out of the county. She came back years later, but he never did.

People came to the resort from as far away as St. Louis and Cape Girardeau. They would come, whole families, with nurses for the children and remain the entire season - about six weeks. The same ones, more or less, would come every summer.

During hot weather fans were made from paper and made to move by pulling a rope. A man would stand outside the dining room and pull the rope to stir the air and keep the flies off while the guest ate. The dining tables ran across the width of the dining room. There was a string band for music to eat and dance by.

There were no bath tubs in the rooms ---only a pitcher and a wash bowl. There was an old hall down by one of the Springs. At the end of this hall was a bath tub for the guests. The guest had to pay twenty five cents for a bath.
In the winter Mr. Whitesides put up ice for summer use. He had a sawmill and a large icehouse and put the ice up in the saw dust. During the winter he was able to put up enough ice for the entire summer use.

Mr. Dixon deeded a piece of ground to the Methodist church. Mr. Whitesides deeded ground to the Christian and Baptist churches.
At spring # 7 people would come ten to fifteen miles around to do their washing. They would bring their wash tubs and kettles and their dinners and spend the whole day.
In the pool near the spring and below the dam, baptizing was done. Also, boys used to swim there.They had a merry-go-round pulled by mules. A man would play the violin while the merry-go-round went round. Wouldn't the kids love it today? This was owned by Mr. Green Hazel.
The Fourth of July was like a fair. There were no tables then so people would spread their dinners on the ground - everyone had a big time.

James M. Groves got the Springs about 1908.
Mr. C. B. Wheeler got the Spring about 1910. Mr. Wheeler sold the Springs back to the State on February 13, 1946 for the sum of $60, 000. C. B. Wheeler and his brother, Fred were traveling salesman for the Star Brand Shoe Company of St. Louis.

It was said that people who drank from "Old Ironsides" would never die. It is a known fact that if one drank from this Spring it would help kidney problems.

When the first telephones were put in people would call the Dixon Springs Hotel and ask the band to play a number. People would listen over the telephone. There were no radios then.

Among the several places to see around the Springs was the Devil's Smokehouse, a cave, and the Fat Man's Squeeze. Both are at nearby Cedar Bluff.
There was a Christian Church over one hundred years old at the time it was torn down in the 1960's.

Sometime about 1899 a great-grandmother killed a black bear down here. They had traveled from Virginia with an old white mule pulling a one horse wagon. At the time of their settling here the Indians were very friendly. In 1904 this same family traveled in covered wagons to Missouri. Covered wagons were pulled by cows, steers, or oxen. People had their own milk while traveling. People walked behind and alongside of their wagons. One family came here from Maryland with oxen pulling their wagon. They wore out two teams of oxen on the trip. The feet of the oxen wore down until they could not go on.

There were many little communities in this area.

"Rock" had two stores, general merchandise and a post office. One store was owned by Uncle Andy Grisham. Mr. Grisham would drive all over the county swapping groceries and yard goods for eggs and chickens. As late as 1900 a Dr. Parmley lived there. He made calls on horseback, delivered babies, and tended the sick. The church is now called Mt. Zion. "Rising Sun" had a store and post office. This is east of Rock. New Columbia once had a hotel.

"Brownfield" Old Brownfield moved part of the town over by the railroad and was called New Brownfield. They had a depot, several banks, several stores and churches. The train ran from Reevesville to Golconda three times a day - the fare was twenty-five cents one way. They carried passengers and mixed freight. The railroad was built about 1900. Horses and mules were used to pull scrapers to make the railroad bed. Before the Irving Cobb bridge was built the trains were taken across the river by ferry. Sometimes it would take two hours to cross. Brownfield had a flour mill and at one time also had a grist mill. People would take their shelled corn to be ground and would pay for the grinding with so much of the corn they had. They would have to wait their turn - stay all day. While waiting for their cornmeal they would go fishing.

"Hog-Eye" had a sawmill, a gristmill, a blacksmith shop and a saloon. Once two men had a fist fight in front of the saloon. At that time it was thought a disgrace to use a knife or a gun or for anyone to stop the fight. They fought until the blood run. At the end of the fight they washed from the same pan of water - were friends. Their point had been settled and the best man won.

"Hen - Peck" was the name of a sawmill and grist mill on Sugar Creek - where the road turns off to Lake Glendale. It was run by the Phelps.

"Hell's Neck" was a few miles south of Renshaw.

"Perks Station" was near Brownfield - was an old railroad station.

"Cox Town" was once called Allen Springs. It was a few miles east of Dixon Springs. there was a mill and a big blacksmith shop which sat on a big rock near the Baptist church.

"Renshaw" was once called Dixon Springs Railroad Station. The road that ran from the station to Dixon Springs was called Metropolis Lane. There was a depot here, also a post office.

"Justice" was two miles toward Golconda from Renshaw. A boxcar was used as a depot, which was a flagstop. There were loading pens for cattle and grain there.

"War Trace" was Old Grantsburg about two miles west of Grantsburg.

"Raum" had a store and a post office.

"Oak" had a store and post office - was east of Delwood by the big bluffs.

"Flatwoods" was on the big bluffs - near the present university sheep barns. It is all flat woods.

There was a colored settlement above Glendale which later moved to the "bottoms." This settlement was made up of freed slaves brought from the south by the Whitesides.

"Waltersburg" had a store and a church called "Paradise Church." In the tower of this church was a big clock made from pieces and parts of farm machinery. Its striking - could be heard ten or twelve miles away. It is thought this might have been a Methodist Church. There is, now, a Waltersburg Cemetery and church - a Methodist Church.
There is a Hodgeville Cemetry, Prospect Cemetery and Bethany Cemetery.

There were seventy or more schools in Pope County. All were one room schools with one teacher to a school. Seats were behind stoves anywhere a place could be made. Often they had no desks. It was not compulsory to go to school so many children did not go long enough to read or write. Students went to school until they were twenty-one. If they went to school after they were twenty-one they had to pay five cents a day. There was Leach School, Bay Valley School, Lincoln School and Grisham School.
Sixty years ago a married woman could not teach.
Winfield Scott taught his first school for twenty dollars a month to get experience. He went on to the University of Illinois and then to the University of Iowa.
At one time Lincoln School had 105 students and Grasty had 107 the year before. Teachers usually got twenty-five to thirty dollars a month. One man said he would not teach for less than thirty dollars a month. He never did teach.
At one place there was no school house so school was held in the home of Bill Ford. The teacher was Usher Robinson - later was Will Harrison.

"Hound Ridge" school district 18 was named Buckhorn after the Buck Deer. The community was called Hound Ridge. The school district was later changed to district 22 - Lincoln School. The ridge was changed to Walnut Ridge. There was no road on Hound Ridge only a path.

The First Christian Church at Mt. Olive, southwest of Renshaw is over a hundred years old.

The first houses were made from logs and they had wooden hinges on the doors and windows. Soap was used to stop the squeaking of the hinges. That is homemade lye soap. The first fireplaces were made from clay and wood. There were cracks in the walls of the houses and often, in winter, snow would blow in up to two to four inches even on the beds. The churches were built the same way. The seats were made from split timber. The floors were made by putting the smooth side down and the rolled side up (so I was told) called puncheon floors.

Salesman called on the local stores twice a year, in horse drawn hacks. The merchants had to buy enough supplies to last six months to two years.

Doctors made their rounds, usually on horseback. There was a Doctor Fisher at Brownfield, a Doctor Walker at Grantsburg and a Doctor Ross at Simpson.
Doctor Fisher was said to have built the first hospital at Metropolis. Doctors charged $1.50 for a trip to see a patient. To get an appointment with a doctor one would have to walk to the doctor's office to make an appointment - if the doctor was out he would leave a message as to when he would be in. You would leave your message and go home and wait for the doctor. When he came he would cut out a piece of paper - any kind would do, mix the medicine on it with the tip of his knife blade, and would write out the instructions. Babies were delivered by the neighbor women - a doctor was seldom called.

There was a Tan Yard at Delwood. They also carded wool. The women would wash the wool, tie it up in bed sheets and take it to be carded. Along with the wool they would take so much lard with so much wool to replace the oil lost in washing the wool. This was done in the spring. They would spin the wool into yarn and knit socks, stockings, and petticoats. Seemed they had to knit all of the time.
There was another Tan Yard two miles west of Golconda. There the hides were stretched out in the sun to dry. About 1818, this place was run by Mr. Schuchardt. This place was still running in 1915. Wool was also taken to Anna to be carded.

"Cooper Place" was a place at the head of new Lake Glendale. Everything was made by hand - battle staves, barrels, and kegs. The barrels held about fifty gallons and the kegs about twenty five. They were made from white timber and filled with sorghum molasses, vinegar, and kraut. This was a big business for that time.

A horse thief killed a man in what is now Grantsburg. He hid in a large pile of logs piled up to be burned. He told the men he would come out if they would not harm him. They said they wouldn't - but - when he got out one man grabbed him by the collar and lifted him off the ground saying, "They would fix him." They hung him on an old walnut tree which is still standing. He hung there until someone cut him down and buried him. The rope hung there until it rotted off the limb it was tied to. The children would dodge the rope as they did not want it to touch them.
Prisoners from Pope, Hardin and Johnson Counties were brought to Grantsburg by surrey loads and taken to prison at Menard. They would be handcuffed. They would stop at the hotel at Grantsburg for their meals and catch the train which ran from Carbondale to Brookport three times a day.
There was a whipping post at the courthouse at Vienna. If a man got drunk or stole a chicken - some minor thing - he was stripped, tied to the whipping post and whipped.

The first car in this part of the country ran on kerosene and weighed about 350 pounds. It had a one cylinder engine. The wheels were made of wood, wooden spokes like buggy wheels, and the rear wheels were about four feet high. This car was owned by Dr. R. L. Whitesides of Grantsburg.

At one time no burial permit was needed to bury a person - until a Mr. Chatman got it through in Congress, to need one. When a person died the community would take up a collection. If it was a woman - some women would make a dress. If it was a man some man would donate a suit or pair of pants. A man would make a coffin shaped like the body. The coffin would be lined with white muslin and a black cloth tacked to the outside. The grave would be dug the same shape as the coffin. Sometimes the boards of the coffin top would warp and the body could be seen under the lid. Boards would be laid on top of the coffin and the grave filled.

When it came to butchering time all turned out to help one another. They did this for just about everything. They paid for the help with meat. They heated the water by putting hot rocks in wooden barrels of water. Sometimes the barrels broke.

To get salt people would go to Shawneetown. They would let the water evaporate and take the salt home.

Clothes for men and women - age 17 and over - were made from sheep wool and cotton woven into cloth called linsey-woolsey, or sweet linsey. No one wore underclothing or so I am told. Guess it depends on where they were.

No matter how much money one had for nails, yard goods, thread, tacks, needles and many other necessities could not be bought.

In later years people were able to go to Golconda and get one pair of shoes. The women wore high button shoes with brass toes and the men wore knee high leather boots with brass toes. Sometime they would buy one pair of shoes (brogans or plow shoes). One pair for the wife and one pair for the husband. The women had to work in the fields - along with all the many other things they had to do. The baby would be put under a bush and an old dog would sit and guard to keep away the snakes. This did happen to a man I talked with.

Note: William Dixon who obtained the land grant in 1845 was a brother to Vienna Dixon.

Vienna Dixon married Alford Hazel and they homesteaded the old "Sloan place"
Children
1. Thomas Hazel
2. Marion Hazel
3. Catherine Hazel
4. Ruan Hazel
5. Green W. Hazel (who had the mule pulled merry-go-round.

This copied article is undated and came from the files of the late Mildred Martin, Pope County, IL. Contributed by Bettie Davis