SULPHUR SPRINGS, TEXAS
"A NICE PLACE TO VISIT, BUT I WOULDN'T WANT TO LEAVE THERE!"

(The following is a collection of observations by Myra Hargrave McIIvain in her book Texas Auto Trails - The Northeast)

Hopkins County is touted as the land of "Milk and Money." With almost 200+ dairies, the county easily qualifies as the "dairy capital of the nation," but it is also the second largest beef-producing county in the state and national manufacturing companies have moved in more than 30 plants. Despite the progress, the atmosphere here is still warm and friendly as one expects in small towns. A collection of music boxes, which began with a gift from the queen of Belgium, is open to the public and a dairy farm welcomes guests.

Early teamsters hauling commodities from the port at Jefferson followed a route that passed through this area. They found one hundred springs bubbling up from gray rocks at a former Indian campground. The site offered a fine place to rest their oxen under the shade of the oaks and white-flowered catalpa trees. Businesses began appearing along the Jefferson Road. Eli Bibb set up a store on the spring lot where he sold staples, whiskey, his home-brewed persimmon beer and slabs of his wife's ginger cake. As other merchants and settlers arrived, the post office took the name Bright Star. Residents continued calling the place Sulphur Springs because of the abundance of Sulphur water that even showed up at the private wells dug around the community. Since few homes had private bath facilities as late as 1880's, townspeople used the four or five bathrooms available at the City Bath House, built over the springs.

Turn right on Church Street and follow the flow of traffic along the brick street.

Unlike in may East Texas towns, the square is for parking and the courthouse, completed in 1895, sits on Church Street, facing the parking area. The architect, J. Riely Gordon, used red granite, contrasting sandstone trim and the combination of central tower, turrets, balconies and stone carvings to make the Romanesque Revival structure the dominant feature of downtown. It is listed on the National Register.

Do not circle the square. Drive north about three blocks on Church Street, turn right on Houston Street and drive to Heritage Park where Houston Street T-intersects at Jackson Street.

The Hopkins County Museum is in the park housed in George H. Wilson Home. Wilson, the owner of a brick plant at the rear of the property, built the home in 1910 with fourteen-inch walls and pressed-tin ceilings. The rooms extend from a center gallery with an elegant domed ceiling. Early county history is interestingly displayed in the form of pictures, letters and other memorabilia. An impressive collection of local craftsman John Kizer's carvings of historic persons is exhibited, plus a replica of the old Hopkins County Union Stockade.

The stockade was built after the Civil War during the Reconstruction era, a time of fear and unrest. Outlaw gangs roamed at will, harassing citizens and beating and killing former slaves. Although they suffered at the hands of roughnecks, Texans harbored such resentment of Reconstruction authorities that they were willing to up with Outlaws and even protect them from capture. In this climate Cullen Montgomery Baker, a murderer who had deserted both the Confederate Army and the Union Army, led a gang in this area. He became a Robin Hood hero by evading Union troops, capturing single-handedly a federal supply train and even appearing in disguise at troop headquarters to ridicule officials. With this sort of lawlessness throughout the state, federal troops moved into many counties. On August 10, 1868, occupation forces arrived in Sulphur Springs. Because of impassable roads during rainy seasons, and despite citizen protest, the army moved the county seat from Tarrant (four miles north) to Sulphur Springs.

The Ku Klux Klan persuaded many county residents to join them in ambushing the military and even whipping and killing some blacks. One night the hotel where the army officers and their wives were staying was burned. Immediately the soldiers built a stockade enclosed by ten-foot-high split log fence. The garrison housed quarters, a hospital, jail, stable and kitchen.

The military regime ended in 1870. Business grew as the railroads arrived and the sulphur springs became known for their medicinal purposes.

In 1976 the Historical Society acquired the Wilson home and eleven acres for a park. A two-story log house, two rooms of which were built in the 1850's and completed in the 1870's at Sulphur Bluff, has been moved to the park. Three is an outhouse for visitors who aren't familiar with that type facility. Also in the park there is a sixty+ year old grist mill and print shop equipment from the old Echo Publishing Company. In the last few years the Atkins House, oldest brick home in Sulphur Springs, and the sanctuary of the old Episcopal Church, which was moved from Houston Street, have been reestablished at the park. A country store from Sulphur Bluff and turn of the century frame house and a washhouse have all been placed at the museum site.

Annual events at Heritage Park include a folk festival, staged the 2nd Saturday in May and Indian Summer Arts and Crafts Event, the second weekend in October. The museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Special arrangements can be made for group tours by calling the museum at 903-885-2387.

Leave the park and turn left (south on Jackson Street and drive three blocks to Jefferson Street and turn right. It is two blocks to the public square. Follow Jefferson Street on the north side of the square. Stay in the right lane as the driving path turns left around the square. Between the City National Bank and Nelson's Corner Drug is Connally Street. Turn right onto Connally and drive to the traffic light, which is North Davis Street. Turn right on Davis Street and proceed for four blocks. In the fifth block, on the corner of North Davis Street and Woodlawn is the brand new, state of the art, Sulphur Springs Public Library.

A collection of over two hundred music boxes, donated by Leo St. Clair, is housed in the library. A rotating display provided returning visitors with a new set of these fascinating and unique items. In 1919 Mr. St. Clair served as storekeeper on the USS George Washington and became responsible for the forty-two pieces of luggage accompanying the king and queen of Belgium on their state visit to the United States. One of the bags fell and St. Clair heard the rich tones of a music box coming from inside the valise. He reported the incident to the queen's lady-in-waiting. He told her he'd not heard a music box with such tones since he listened to his grandmother's 1875 music box back in Texas. At the end of the voyage, the lady-in-waiting gave a velvet jewel box with a miniature gilt and silver chair perched on top to St. Clair. When the chair is tilted, the music box plays a tune from the opera Faust. Thus began one of the most extensive collections of its kind in the world.