Although no
one would ever know by looking around here today, this area was an
iron-ore boomtown in the late 1800’s called Bluffton. The
coordinates above will take you to Salem Baptist Church founded in
the 1850’s, and all that’s left of Bluffton. Bluffton’s prosperity
came and went with the three iron blast furnaces built in the
1880’s and 1890’s. The town grew to a population of nearly 8,000
due to the high demand for charcoal iron. Unfortunately, the ore
fields didn’t meet expectations and the town went bust. During
Bluffton’s glory days from 1889-1892, it appeared that it would
grow into one of the most important cities of north Alabama.
Bluffton was the first to have electricity in the county. It also
supported it’s own newspaper, “The Mascot.” Plans were even made
for “The University of the Southland.” There were schools, stores,
churches, blacksmith shops, gun shops, factories, sawmills,
gristmills, a train depot, a post office, and even a fine Victorian
hotel called The Signal.
Bluffton may have been the first town in the county to have
electricity, but it still took days to get the sheriff from Centre.
Residents took the law into their own hands. There are many stories
about William A. Smith who you will find buried here. He was a
cotton farmer and businessman in Bluffton. Many say that he was
quick to shoot anyone who trespassed on his land, and killed a
total of 8 trespassers. Will Smith had the nickname Belltree that
he gained by hanging a bell attached to a rope from the limb of a
large oak tree. Since selling whiskey was illegal in Alabama, this
protected the identity of the seller. The buyer placed his
container and money at the base of the tree, rang the bell, and
then took a walk. When he heard the bell ring, he could return for
his whiskey and change. The bell tree was on Will’s land, so hence
the nickname. Will ventured into several businesses. He owned
charcoal pits, a store, raised and sold livestock, had
sharecroppers who worked his land, made loans, and imported whiskey
for the bell tree. Will was destined to make enemies. In 1908, he
didn’t survive an encounter with two Chandler brothers. Will was
hit over the head with a rock by one brother, and fatally shot by
another. His murderer was found guilty, but received a full pardon
from the governor.
Learn more about Bluffton:
Read
about this Cherokee County ghost town
This is a 2 part multi. The above coordinates will take you to the
grave of William A. Smith. In order to get to the final stage, add
the year Mr. Smith was born to 4831 and fill in the blanks.
N 34 00.707
W 85 2_._ _ _
The cache is a small pill container with a logbook - BYOP. It is
hidden just outside of the cemetery beside Salem Church. I’d advise
that you not attempt this cache on a Wednesday night, Sunday
morning, or Sunday night since services are still held here. Please
remember to be discreet as with any geocache placed in a public
area. Due to the location of the caches in this series it would be
awkward explaining the nature of what you’re doing to someone who’s
family member may be buried here.
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