By Michael K. Brantley
Spring Hope is located in Nash County, North Carolina, about 45 minutes directly east of Raleigh. Nash County is shaped sort of like the state of Nevada, flipped sideways.
Spring Hope has a quirky history. A man named Crenshaw helped establish the community in the mid-1800s near a series of springs that legend says the settlers “hoped” would never dry up. A post office and stagecoach inn were established.
In 1886, the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad began laying track to connect Rocky Mount and Raleigh. A wealthy mill operator (Webb’s Mill) and landowner, James T. Webb, was directly in the proposed path and raised the price of his land so much, the railroad decided to stop before it got to his property. This was about four miles away from the “original Spring Hope.” Since Spring Hope was the nearest post office, the railroad applied to call the depot area — which had previously been called Pine View — by the same name.
Within a year, a town sprouted around the depot, which they called Spring Hope. Legend has it that the “new” Spring Hope had 11 taverns. There aren’t that many towns that just pack up one day and move four miles down the road. The previous village became Old Spring Hope. A store remained there for at least 90 years, and I remember visiting a time or two as a child, but never bought anything. Older folks recall that the proprietor never recorded a sale because “somebody else might come along and want that.”
Old Spring Hope Road runs from the county seat of Nashville almost to Franklin County in the south, but it is still considered a back road.
When Spring Hope relocated itself to the railroad spur, it saw its boom. The old downtown still exists, and several streets are lined with beautiful examples of early 20th Century architecture. There was a movie theater, a Western Auto, a few farm stores, a dime store, a couple of upscale ladies clothing stores, restaurants, a butcher shop, banks, a couple of garages and full service gas stations, a park, a school, and an old seed store.
The mill
Webb’s Mill still stands today. It was still operating when I was a young child, and it was fascinating to go there — a beautiful place in the Tar River with falls, a metal bridge, and a mill grinding corn all day. Since that time, the bridge was condemned and the road closed, although it is still accessible by foot. The road leading to the mill is closed off, and there are some homes around it. The road is not well travelled and leads into a spider web of back roads and farm, almost other-worldly seeming, especially in the winter.
One last note: the family that sold the railroad the land did so at such a low price, that local citizens pooled their money to buy the couple a ticket to anywhere they wanted to go on the Atlantic Coast Line. With a choice of practically any location on the east coast, the couple chose to go to Rocky Mount — about 20 miles away.
There is a chapter about Spring Hope and some of the characters who lived on Old Spring Hope Road in my book, Memory Cards: Portraits from a Rural Journey here.
SOURCES: By Faith and Heritage: A Compliation of Nash County Historical Notes; “Old Spring Hope,” Nash County NCGenWeb/Margaret Stickland; Memory Cards by Michael K. Brantley.
I’m from Wilson, but my dad taught and coached at Spaulding in the early 1960s. Enjoyed this piece!
Thank you for reading and taking time to comment!
My dad and his brother worked at Webb’s Mill for years! They were young men when they started. As kids we would go to the mill and watch them work. We lived up the hill from the mill and would run down there everyday after school. Those was some good day’s! My dad and uncle was the Harris brother’s. Born and raised in Spring Hope.
Thanks for reading and taking time to comment. It was still running when I was really young, and my dad would take me along. It was fascinating to watch the process, and I loved how the river was right there. I still think it has a haunting beauty, although access is difficult now.
Absolutely loved reading this…. I’m originally from Clayton but moved to spring hope in 1996 and have so many great memories associated with living there. This was a great artical and it was interesting facts about things I never knew about that small town growing up.
Thanks! I’m very glad you enjoyed it.
I lived in Spring Hope for awhile. I attended Spaulding, Southern Nash Jr, & Sr High School. I enjoyed reading this article.
Thanks for reading – glad you enjoyed it.
This was a nice little article to read!
Thank you!
I grew up in Spring Hope with my Aunt Mae and Uncle Duck Sykes. I have many wonderful memories of this quaint little town. I have a 30+ year history in that old seed store, plus many items from there in my home today.
I wrote about Sykes Seed Store in my book, Memory Cards. I loved going in there in the spring every year when my mother would buy seeds for the garden. I loved watching him scoop the seeds out, weigh them, put them in the brown paper bag and tie them up with string. He was such a nice and interesting man. Still remember how the store smelled.
My Grandparents Cotton and Beth Hildreth who still live in Spring Hope, owned Sykes seed store from the early ‘80’s – 90’s or so. :). nice article
Thank you! I haven’t seen them in years, but I always enjoyed talking to the Hildreths.
I have my 2nd Great Grandfather’s Leger Book he used in Old Spring Hope, records of a lot of familiar names buying things there. I understand by his book he had a store at Old Spring Hope where he owned a fair amount of land, then in Present Spring Hope I think it was where the Fitness store is now. He had a store in Nashville also. His name Benjamin Hawkins Vester Jr. his wife was Sally Ann Rackley Vester.
I love it my granddad had a store Bryant’s grocery near the mill and we always go down there to fish til this day or just go to see the water fall
Great information. My pops family has lived a few miles outside Spring Hope since the early 1800’s, and the family still lives there.
No one talks about this. I don’t know why!
Nice read. I love learning the history of the local towns. Thank you for sharing.I have one question who was the family that did sale to the railroad?
I went there often as a child and young adult. Bought my family home place about 3 miles away where I now live. I am always looking new places to walk my dogs and last spring I thought about Webbs Mill. Parked on the “Bunn side” of bridge leashed dogs and set off. Drive into the Mill itself is blocked and faded sign says No Trespassing, Video Surveillance. I thought yeah right, I don’t think no video here… and we continued our walk down on the property, got pics of dogs and river. As we were leaving and almost back to the gate, I see headlights approaching (about dusk then) and sure enough we had been seen on video and the owner and his son had come to run us off. I apologized nicely, trying to be friendly…I was told not to come back. Lol And such a great place to take the dogs!
For years my family has lived in SpringHope My father moved us to Greensboro in the early 60s Dawson is my family name Jack Dawson my grand father loved him like the air I take in remember the mill the store at the end of the road going to town with mule and wagon no shame of where I come from best times of my life made me the man I am today God bless this place long may it stand many family members have left but always return soon I will be my turn I know the way.Frederick Marshall
I was born and raised in Spring Hope.
I remember walking across the dam at Webb’s Mill during a drought.
Thanks for the article.
I grew up on Old Spring Hope Road. To this day my dad still lives there & I still consider that to be my HOME, regardless of living in another town. I even still use that as my address too. I had always wondered why that road was called Old Spring Hope Rd but just figured it was because it connected you from Sunset Ave/Eastern Ave to Spring Hope. And you have East & West Old Spring Hope Rd, it switches to West at Old Bailey Hwy. I know where my dad’s home sits was old farmland owned by the Joyners. I’m not sure if they were the original landowners though. But I’m so glad this story was written! I love history of our county & especially of why my road is named what it is!