The History of Van Buren County County

In the 1785 “Treaty of Hopewell,” the United States Government recognized the Cherokee Nation, the rights to Middle Tennessee, and Van Buren County. In 1806, the Cherokee Nation ceded the rights to the Middle Tennessee area and what is now Van Buren County. Cherokee Chief Black Fox received $100 a year for the duration of his life as compensation for the Cherokee Nation. Van Buren County, named for the eighth president of the United States, Martin Van Buren, was later established from parts of White, Warren and Bledsoe Counties. Governor James K. Polk signed into law the act to form Van Buren County on January 24, 1840. The first organizational meeting for the county was held on April 6, 1840, dividing the county into eight districts at that time.

The county seat, Spencer, was named for Thomas Sharp “Big Foot” Spencer. He was one of the original “long hunters,” as well as one of the first white settlers in Tennessee. Sharp was killed on April 1, 1794, as he was returning from Virginia. He was reportedly killed by Doublehead, a Cherokee Indian. What is now the City of Spencer (50 acres) was given to Van Buren County by Andrew K. Parker, one of the original five Commissioned Justices.

During the creation of Van Buren County in January 1840, it was so directed by the Tennessee General Assembly that the courts of the newly established county were to be held at the home of William Worthington until the people could vote for a suitable location for the new seat of justice. During the election held on April 30, 1840, the voters of Van Buren County voted to make the small village of Cummings Springs their county seat. This was due to its central location within the county. At the direction of the Tennessee General Assembly, the county seat was renamed Spencer.

Court was held at the home of Mr. Worthington from April 6, 1840, until September 7, 1840. On October 5, 1840, court was held for the first time at the new county seat in Spencer. The justices of the court had purchased an old house for the purpose of holding court until a more suitable structure could be built. The temporary courthouse was located on lot 16 of the original plat for the Town of Spencer. Lot 16 is now the current location of the U.S. Post Office.

During February of the 1842 term of the Van Buren County Court, Mr. William Hodges of the Third District was contracted by the court to clear the proposed courtyard of trees. The subject trees were to be cut in lengths of two-and-a-half feet for the fireplace at the temporary courthouse. Mr. Hodges would be paid fifty cents per cord of wood that was cut and removed from the courtyard.

The court appropriated a courthouse tax for the purpose of building a new courthouse: twelve-and-a-half cents from each poll tax, five cents from each one hundred dollars of property value, and a portion of the five-dollar pre-year tax on tippling houses (taverns). During the October 1843 term of the Van Buren County Court, the initial and detailed plans for a new courthouse, to be built of wood, were presented to the county court. The plans were later modified during several court meetings, with the contract for a new courthouse was awarded to Mr. Nathan F. Trogden at the April 1844 term of court. Then, during the July 1845 term of court, the court voted to allow Mr. Trogden the liberty to build the new courthouse of brick in place of a wood framed building. During the July 1848 term, the new Van Buren County courthouse was finished and received.

During a storm (c. 1906), the roof and the east exterior wall of the courthouse sustained severe damage. The walls were soon repaired, and the roof was replaced. Our courthouse has received several updates throughout its 168 years of service. As of July 2016, the installation of rest rooms, new windows, all new electrical wiring, HVAC units, and the remodeling of the courtroom has been completed. Today our circuit, chancery, and general sessions courts are held in the courtroom on a weekly interval, and the building currently houses the offices of our circuit, chancery, and general sessions Court Clerks, as well as the office of the Administrator of Elections. Today, 168 years later, the same courthouse that was completed in 1848, along with its large, grassy courtyard and Veterans Memorial, is the beautiful centerpiece of our Spencer town square.

Area settlements were established as early as 1800, including what is now known as the Bone Cave Community. The discovery of Big Bone Cave led to the finding of a giant ground sloth in 1811. This skeleton, now on display at the Academy of Sciences in Philadelphia, is the only known specimen of a giant ground sloth with a complete pelvis. In 1971, the bones of a Pleistocene jaguar was discovered. Saltpeter was mined from the Big Bone Cave during the War of 1812 and the Civil War, with as many as 300 miners working the mine. Artifacts in the cave include wooden water pipes, railways, catwalks, ore carts, hoppers, vats, and ladders. The Big Bone Cave is the sixth-largest mapped cave in Tennessee.

In 1848, Burritt College was chartered to provide educational opportunities for the local youth, since poor roads and isolation was a primary concern of the community. The college was built in Spencer, with classes beginning on February 26, 1849, and Isaac Newton Jones serving as the first president. The college began with $1,500 in assets, 73 students, and 3 teachers. The second year, William Davis Carnes was elected president of the college. He later made Burritt College the first coeducational college in Tennessee (and in the South). The course work included Latin, Greek, Philosophy, Mathematics, and Christianity. Girls and boys were accepted on an equal basis.

Burritt College was named for Elihu Burritt of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was a prominent member of the “peace movement.” Due to being located in Van Buren County, Burritt College was better able to sequester students from the corruption of city life. Many of the students who graduated from Burritt College later moved to the city, preferring it over the rural life. In 1861, after the spring session, Burritt College closed due to so many of its male students volunteering for the Confederate Army. Federal troops occupied the college facilities during the Civil War, partially destroying the campus. Burritt College reopened in 1867.

William Newton Billingsley, an educator from White County, Tennessee, was brought to Burritt College in 1890 to lead the college. This began the most prosperous times for the college. However, Burritt College finally closed its doors in 1939 due to the tough economic times brought on the Great Depression, state requirements for schools, and, finally, the establishment of a county high school. Although elderly, there are local citizens that had, at least as of 2016, attended Burritt College in the 1930’s. The school was unique, and it served a great purpose for the children of our county.

The history of Van Buren County is immersed in the Volunteer Spirit! It is believed that as many as eleven veterans of the Revolutionary War later settled in what is now Van Buren County. The men and women of Van Buren County have proudly volunteered for every war in the history of our country. During the Civil War, 268 men volunteered for the Confederate Army, and 10 men volunteered for the Union Army. It is with great appreciation and gratitude that Van Buren County has proudly welcomed our veterans home. Their bravery and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

The natural resources of lumber, coal, and rich, fertile farming soil are some of our greatest commercial assets. Timber reclamation in the late 1800s and early 1900s introduced a railway to the Rock River community. Coal mining, and later strip mining (coal), was prominent during the 1970s and 1980s. Farming was the primary way of life during the early years of our county, and family farming and timber reclamation continues to be a large part of our economic structure. The natural beauty of our mountains, old-growth forests, rivers, streams, and majestic waterfalls gave birth to historic Camp Clements and Fall Creek Falls State Park.

The family farm and agriculture was a necessity in our rural community. Mr. D. M. Clements, the first vocational agriculture teacher and state department leader, had a vision of developing a camp for agriculture students and future agriculture leaders in Tennessee. In 1927, Mr. Norman Ward deeded twenty-five acres of land on the Caney Fork River for the purpose of developing this camp, and so a camp was born. Five hundred forty-three student members attended the camp the first year. In 1934, the State Association of Future Farmers of America honored the State Supervisor of Agriculture by naming the newly built camp in Van Buren County “Camp Clements.” Today, Camp Clements is fifty-eight acres of beautiful, river-front land. It provides magnificent facilities for all the Career and Technical Student Organizations in Tennessee. It is also open to groups for various events.

Fall Creek Falls, the highest waterfall (256 feet) in North America that is east of the Rockies, was first proposed in 1935 by the National Park Service. It contained 15,777 acres and was purchased for less than seven dollars an acre. In 1944, the land was quit deeded to the State of Tennessee. It was for the exclusive intent of creating a public park that would be used for recreational and conservational purposes. James M. “Peckerwood” Taft was instrumental in the development of Fall Creek Falls State Park. Upon finding that WPA (Work Progress Administration) labor was available, he went to the governor with the idea to build the park, and so Fall Creek Falls State Park was born.

The park is primarily located on the Eastern side of Van Buren County. Many properties were purchased, and families were relocated to create Tennessee’s largest and most visited state park. Though it is no longer there, around the year 1800, there was once a gristmill and a sash sawmill located at what is now known as the Cascades Water Falls. The mill washed away during flooding.

Gilbert Gaul (1855-1919) was one of America’s greatest artist and illustrators. Gaul’s property had a cabin and studio on land near Fall Creek Falls. The gorge, or “gulf” as it is known locally, has breathtaking views that were once painted by Gilbert Gaul. The gulf is around six hundred feet deep and over one mile wide. Cane Creek, the headwaters of Fall Creek Falls, has eroded this land, forming this beautiful view. The plant and animal life is similar to that of the Great Smoky Mountains. Deer can be seen every day while driving through the park. A wide variety of animal life is ever-present and abundant. Fall Creek Falls is open year around, and you can find prints of Gaul’s paintings of the Civil War located at the Village Center in the park.

Van Buren County has a four-lane connector road from I-40 in Cookeville to I-24/I-75 in Chattanooga. With beautiful trout streams, Fall Creek Falls State Park, an eighteen-hole golf course, and charming rural roads that wind through old-growth forests, Van Buren County is rich in the tranquility that was present when our forefathers first found it. Retirees will be attracted to the pleasant climate, glorious scenery, adequate rainfall, and our friendly folks. With 275 square miles of mountain range, valleys, and winding gorges, Van Buren County is in the very heart of Tennessee. As our history reflects, we are family-orientated and hardworking. And, yes, we are proud Volunteers!