This Geocache is part of an annual Geocache Challenge put on by the Heritage Program at Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area as part of our outreach to the public, to get people to explore their forest and their history, and to share the unique heritage of the families from Between the Rivers.
This Geocache is part of the “2023 Land Between the Lakes Heritage Geocache Challenge: Communities Between the Rivers”. There are 6 geocaches placed across Land Between the Lakes related to the history of some of the historic communities. If you locate each geocache, and collect a numbered aluminum tree tag from each cache, you can turn them in at the Golden Pond Visitor Center for one of 100 Challenge Coins created for this event.
The Geocache is a 6” x 6” orange watertight plastic box marked “Heritage Geocache” on the top. The geocache is placed at the base of a tree not too far from the water's edge.
The Blue Spring Community
The Blue Spring community was established as early as 1810 with the Boyd House, a log blockhouse built for protection from Indians. In 1826, the post office was established with Thomas Henderson as the first Postmaster. In 1894, a log church was constructed near the old Boyd blockhouse. It was a 2-story building that allowed for church services on the 1st floor and a masonic order and Odd Fellows' lodges on the 2nd.
Blue Spring quickly developed into an agrarian community and Loman Nance is thought to have purchased the community's 1st wheat thresher. In fact, it may even be the first of its kind Between the Rivers! This big, iron-wheeled contraption would have been pulled by a team of four mules. As rural domestic life transitioned to a more industrial age of automobiles, the community recognized the need for a durable bridge over Panther Creek.
Panther Creek Bridge
In 1924, the community had a bridge erected over Panther Creek which was paid for by the state but employed local workers to construct. This bridge served the community for only about 15 years before it was removed due to the inundation of Kentucky Lake, a process that began in 1938 and completed in 1944.
Kentucky Lake and LBL
Kentucky Lake was created in 1944 when TVA impounded the Tennessee River with Kentucky Dam in order to provide flood control and hydroelectric power. The process, however, began in 1938 as TVA surveyed the area that would become the lake and prepared 100s of families and households to move. This marked the end of the Blue Spring Community. Now the 2 springs from which it was named are under the lake, families were moved--somes remained in the area; some did not--and the church and school were moved.The bridge sat in storage for several years then ended up at Pryor Creek, just 10 miles away in Model where it still sits. If you've done past Heritage Geocaches, you may have visited it! As you visit this area and look at the photos, consider the people who once lived here. When the Land Between the Lakes was formed, some were forced to move twice. At the very least, they deserve our respect for the sacrifices they made, may unwillingly.