Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee: Some Pre and Early History of This Historic Resort Town

n commemoration of the first history of this region, the Historic Salt Lick Creek Park was established and sanctioned by the City of Red Boiling Springs in 2024 between this creek and Church Street. Historic signs have been placed in this city park to honor and record the premiere history of this area.

Salt Lick Creek and the salt licks that this creek was named from was the key and principal factor in this area being vastly inhabited by animals and then human settlements — both Native American and White settlers.

Animals sought the salt for life sustaining substances to their diet. This area was once the habitat for large herds of buffalo which were drawn here for their quest for the life enhancing salt. As the buffalo and other animals traversed this region, well-worn paths were created. Thus, this trail was to be known as the Buffalo Road, which was a section of the Great Buffalo Road, entering Macon County at the extreme southeast corner and traveling northward to follow Wartrace Road (State Route 56) to the Willette Road (State Route 262). This section was called the War Trace Branch — so named from its use by warring Native American parties as they navigated this path to launch attacks.

It then traveled to the Gibb’s Cross Roads (which was earlier called Witcher’s Cross Roads) and the Milltown area, following State Route 56 through Red Boiling Springs. The Great Buffalo Road also touched Macon County at the most northeastern point, with the path of Salt Lick Creek, exiting the Northern border of Macon County into Kentucky. This section was called the Big Barren Buffalo Road. The entire Buffalo Road was later referred to as the Tahlonteeskee Trail, so named for Cherokee Chief Tahlonteeskee, who was the principal Chief of the Southwest Cherokee Indian Nation from 1817–1819. Early White settlers named this route the Cumberland Trace.

t has been said that the last Buffalo killed in this area was ran off ‘Buzzard’s Roost’ cliff, above the Barren River, across from what was known as the Jacob Riherd farm in Bugtussell, Monroe County, Kentucky.

Naturally, the Native Americans sought out these large mammals, not only for their abundant meat source, but for their hides which were used in various ways.

It has been written there existed a Native American Cherokee village in the area of downtown Red Boiling Springs, with the last known ruler of Chief Katawley. Not only was this place enjoyed for the plentiful food supply, but the native dwellers surely knew the value of the healing mineral springs found here and used them for these purposes.

A mecca for these native people — there was water, food, and the shelter of the valley — until the arrival of the White man. The Native Americans were then pushed out and forced to leave this haven.

Legend states that Edmund Jennings, a noted long hunter, discovered this now historic place in 1830 with the plentiful game and its salt licks, although there appears to have already been settlement here before this date. Edmund Jennings was given the privilege of keeping a ferry “near the mouth of Jennings Creek,” on 18 December 1799, by the Sumner County, TN County Court.

Daniel Boone, an early explorer through this area now known as Macon County, left his initials carved on at least three trees in the area of Salt Lick and Little Salt Lick Creek when passing through here to the new territory of Kentucky in 1775. He most probably was the first non-Indian to set foot on this unplowed land.

There were three known trees with Daniel’s initials carved thereon — two in the vicinity of Little Salt Lick Creek and the other above the Salt Lick Creek on what was to become the Ether Emery Rhoads farm. Another tree site was in the Drapertown community. Sadly, all were inadvertently destroyed after the land was sold and cleared. The third carved Boone tree has not yet been located, but was said to be on Little Salt Lick Creek.

The area was undoubtedly a haven, supplying all that was needed to sustain life — abundant water and food supply, with natural materials used daily.

Of course, there are the numerous sulphur mineral springs and wells providing medicinal remedies for the indigenous people and later white settlers. Red, Black, Double Twist, Freestone, and White mineral water have all been advertised here for their healing properties. It is reported that only one other place in Germany has all these types of waters in one locale.

It was indeed these mineral springs that launched the town into its existence. Medicine in olden days was not what it is today — people sought the passed down and natural, ayurvedic, homeopathic approach to health, sometimes the only health care available.

This area appears to have been noted as a mineral resort as far back as 1834. Shepard Wright Kirby settled in the area circa 1837–1840, seeking relief for an insufferable eye infection, and realized the powers of these miracle-inducing and healing waters. Wyatt and Susanna (Kirby) Goad moved to Salt Lick in 1841. She had suffered with dropsy and realized that drinking and applying the foul-tasting sulphur spring water eventually healed her of this ailment. She went on to manufacture “Aunt Sooky’s Salve,” a popular medical remedy of its day made with secret ingredients. Both have been attributed as being the first non-native persons to realize the healing benefit of these mineral waters.

The original name for Red Boiling Springs was Salt Lick Creek, whose first post office was established 1 March 1833 with Samuel DeWhitt as the first Post Master. The name was changed to Red Boiling Springs on 5 April 1847, with Samuel Jones, Jr. its first Post Master. The post office was located on the lot adjacent to 100 Main Street, where the Red Boiling Springs Bank was built in 1928. That building later became the Bean Barber Shop and a beauty shop, then the Sulphur City Gallery, and is now the Red Boiling Springs Heritage Museum.

The area surrounding the town was an original North Carolina land grant of 365 acres, deeded to Thomas Hickman of Davidson County, Tennessee, entered 23 June 1797. Through a series of sales and transfers, the land eventually came to Samuel Jones, Sr., who died in 1842 leaving the estate to his widow Elizabeth and son Jesse Jones. On 10 April 1844, they sold 20 acres — containing the town area known to many as “Jones Springs” — to Samuel E. Hare, a Gainesboro, Tennessee businessman and entrepreneur, for the price of $200.

It appears that after this time the town began to grow with the building of a tavern, stables, cabins, and other accommodations essential for a growing town. The resort, eventually encompassing 200 acres, was later sold circa 1887 to James F. O. Shaughnessey for $15,000. He made further improvements including a hotel, bowling alley, and croquet and tennis courts, further creating a nationally known mineral resort enclave in this peaceful valley along Salt Lick Creek. Eventually a dance hall, horseback riding, movie theater, drive-in theater, and M. A. Simmon’s Lake for boating and swimming were added to enhance patrons’ stays.

The first and only commercial establishment at this initial time was simply known as ‘the Hotel,’ later to become the Bledsoe, the Webb, the Dedman, and still later the Palace Hotel (built in 1914), situated where the present Palace Care and Rehab reside at 309 Main Street. This first hotel burned in 1897.

It was here that a Civil War Confederate enlistment center was established, due to the benefit of the cabins and buildings having shelter, food, and water available. This site was also utilized as a Civil War hospital used by both the Northern and Southern armies. There is a Civil War Park, established in 2014 by the Red Boiling Springs City Council with historic markers, located at 317 Main Street.

Across Salt Lick Creek, against the hill, located in what was to become the Palace Amusement Park, the original red boiling spring is situated. It was so named due to the red bubbling spring which appeared to be boiling freely from the ground — the red appearance caused by red sediment filtering out of the water. This spring was affectionately known as “Lil’ Red.”

To meet the demands of the thousands of visitors to Macon County’s own resort town, more hotels, boarding houses, and bath houses were constructed. Among the notable hotels for their day were the Allen (later the Arlington), Cloyd (now the Thomas House Hotel), Colonial, Counts (later the Red Boiling Springs Inn and now Armour’s Hotel and Spa), Moss, Farmers, Red Boiling Springs Hotel, Trousdale Hotel, the Whitley House, and the Donoho Hotel, among others. During its heyday, every hotel and boarding house was completely filled, with the overflow sleeping in their vehicles or camping outdoors.

The building of better roads and the advent of modern medicine started the town’s decline, with many hotels having burned, not to be rebuilt, or torn down. The only hotels to survive the ensuing years are the Armour’s Hotel and Spa and the Thomas House Hotel. The Donoho Hotel was woefully destroyed by fire on November 11, 2025. Each remaining hotel offers a comfortable and restful stay and a historic step back into time, with many amenities, idyllic settings, and great food served family style.