Breckinridge-Hardin-Meade County KyArchives News....."Early Big Spring.... The 'Dodge City' Of It's Time and Place" July 6, 1988
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Dana Brown http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00005.html#0001067 February 6, 2006, 9:04 pm

The Breckinridge Herald-News (Written By Betty Jefferies Morris) July 6, 1988
This small vilage, resting at the point where Breckinride, Meade and Hardin 
Counties join, was once known as the "Dodge City" of its time and place, due to 
the three saloons and violence in the town.  In the early days, because of it's 
location, Big Spring did not receive attention from law enforcement officials 
as did other towns.  According to legend, it was a bit of a "wide-open" town; 
another legend tells how people enroute to Big Spring were cautious about 
traveling through the "long hollow" east of town, especially at night, because 
of robbers.  The quiet, peaceful and serene little town of today in no way 
reflects the period of time when Big Spring was a thriving center of trade, 
commerce, tourism and recreation.

The little group of buildings comprising Big Spring sits there, sun-baked and 
wearing the look of age.  The not only look old, but they are old, some dating 
back to the pre-Civil War era.  Surely, if the buildings in the small village 
could talk, they would tell stories about struggle, strife, drama, courage, 
tragedy, affection, happiness, and examples of "man's inhumanity to man".  
Stories could be told about the early pioneers, Thomas Lincoln's visit, and the 
days when Big Spring was the "shopping center" for a wide area of the state.  
Stories could be told about the Civil War, of prisoners being held in the 
cellar and being shot as reprisals.  Stories of guerrillas and the terror they 
brought could also be told.  According to local legend, Sue Mundy, one of the 
most vicious of the guerilla leaders, was captured near what is now Irvington.  
Mundy was brought to Big Spring and held in the cellar of the old general 
store, the one that burned in recent years.  He was then taken to Louisville, 
where he was executed by hanging.  More stories could be told, some of which 
would be about runaway slaves being held in the cellar while waiting for their 
masters to come for them.

While the dates of first arrivals in the Big Spring section are not known, they 
are thought to have been during the late 1770's.  In 1780, Captain William (Big 
Bill) Hardin, with his party, came down the Ohio River to the point where 
Stephensport is now located.  They turned up Sinking Creek to the falls, where 
they landed.  From here, they journeyed over land to find a suitable site on 
which to build a fort.  Sometime later, the mend discovered they were being 
followed by Indians.  In order to avoid a fight, they abandoned their plans and 
set out for Hynes Fort in Severns Valley (Elizabethtown).  The men traveled all 
night untill they reached a big spring where they paused to quench their thirst 
and rest for awhile.  It was in this spot (presumed to be Big Spring) that the 
Indians overtook them and a fight ensued.  A Mr. Sinclair was killed, the 
others escaped to Hynes Fort.

Many towns in Kentucky claim the Lincoln family stopped there on their way to 
settle in Indiana.  Big Spring, too, makes this claim and with probably more 
reason than most, as it appears to be a direct route to where the Lincolns 
crossed the Ohio River.  It is claimed that Thomas Lincoln and his family made 
camp in a field near the spring on land owned by a family by the name of 
Board.  One hundred years later, there were old timers in and around Big Spring 
who could point out the trail the Lincolns took.

Some of the best farmland in the county can be found in the Big Spring area.  
In the early 1800's, many people began buying tracts of land for farms and 
businesses.  Ernest Bewley, a 76-year-old resident of the town said, "My father 
told me many times that when land was first sold in this area it went for 12.5 
cents an acre.  This was in line with the wages, which were often no more than 
5 cents a day."

For a time, Big Spring was a stage stop for the coaches running between 
Elizabethtown and Hardinsburg (Hardin's Fort).  the town gradually grew up in 
the early 1800's, around the clear, cool spring that rises in Hardin County.  
The spring flows about 50 feet, passing the junction of the three counties, 
then sinks and reappears several times.  It finally flowes underground for 
three more miles to emerge in the Sinking Creek, a tributary of the Ohio 
River.  

In early days, a large tree bearing leaves that were three shades of green was 
called the "Corner Tree" as it stood at the geographical point where the three 
counties joined.  Big Spring residents claim that the leaves facing each county 
reflected a different shade of green.  A granite marker now sits near where 
the "Corner Tree" once stood.

Big Spring served as a summer resort for people from Louisville and other 
places who were seeking a restful place to get away from the heat and noise of 
a large city.  At one time there were two hotels, which were usually filled in 
the summer months.  Some type of entertainment was always available for the 
many visitors.  If the quiet became too pronounced, there were plenty of events 
and activities with which to keep busy.

The most popular form of entertainment was found at the race track, owned by 
McHenry Meador, a prominent resident of the town.  Many fine horses were owned 
by some of the citizens of Big Spring.  Harness racing fans from all over 
Kentucky met there.  

At this time, there was a saloon where the men could quench their thirst and 
idle away time.  Several red hot poker games were often held, and at times, 
someone would draw a knife or gun on a member of the game who was caught 
cheating.  The county line between Breckinridge and Meade Counties was moved 
during the early days and hapened to pass through the center of the tavern.  
With Breckinridge County being dry, and Meade County wet, the proprietor simply 
started serving alcoholic beverages across the room on the Meade County side.

Herb Hodges, life-long resident of Big Spring said, "A fellow could buy a shot 
of whiskey in one county and go across the room to Breckinridge County and 
drink it.  This often led to confusion when the sheriff tried to arrest 
someone.  If the sheriff was from one county, and the criminal was across the 
county line, the law officer had no authority to arrest him.  Often no arrests 
were ever made."

Dances were often held in homes or the dance hall, and a ten-pin alley 
attracted the younger men.  At different times of the year, there were quilting 
parties, corn huskings and apple peelings.  Play parties were very popular with 
the summer visitors as well as the locals.  r the more sober minded, there were 
two churches: a Methodist and a Baptist, at which they could worship on Sunday 
and attend weekly prayer meetings.

Possibly the most exciting event that disturbed the serenity of this small 
village wasa the tornado that struck the town in March 1849, killing several 
citizens and destroying several buildings.  The Methodist Church was left in 
ruins, it was rebuilt in 1881; the Baptist church was build in 1884.  Near Big 
Spring one can easily locate Hurricane Hollow, named for the 1849 tornado that 
swept its length before hitting the community.  Another catastrophe hit the 
community in about 1911, when it was almost destroyed by fire.  The town has 
also survived several droughts and floods.

In the 1870's, businesses flourished, a town plat had previously been drawn and 
many building lots were sold to those wishing to settle in Big Spring.  Vine 
Grove, 10 miles northeast of the busy little town, was the major shipping 
point.  At this time the population in Big Spring was around 200.  It was 
during this time that two physicians, Dr.s J. R. Gray and C. B. Arnold, 
practiced in the town.  The druggist was J. C. Smith.

Other businesses included: W. A. Burkhart, blacksmith; J. Caldwell, barber; 
Eskridge and Brothers, blacksmiths; A. Grief, jeweler, tinner and trunkmaker; 
T. B. Howard, hotel proprietor; McHenry Meador, general and furniture store 
owner and undertaker; A. R. Morris, administrator (mayor); T. A. Robinson, 
carpenter; James O. Sturn, furniture; and G. A. Meador, flour mill operator.

At one time, Big Spring supported a large distillery, owned by Jim Wheatley.  
It was located behind and to the right of the Clarkson-Hardaway mansion.  The 
whiskey made at the distillery was known as "Big Spring Straight."  Since it 
was not sold in bottles, customers had to fill their own containers from 
spigots that were in the end of each barrel.

(Continued in part two).




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