SOUTH-CENTRAL-KENTUCKY-L Archives

From: Sandi Gorin <>
Subject: HISTORY OF SULPHUR WELL - METCALFE CO.
Date: Mon, 09 Mar 1998 08:22:53 -0600

Taken from the Homemakers booklet of about 1940-41.

The following history of Sulphur Well, Metcalfe County, Kentucky is based
upon information secured from sources which are believed to be authentic.

A few years before the Civil War a man named Ezekeal Neal owning about 300
acres of land lying along either side of South Fork of Little Barren river
decided to drill for salt on the river bank. Instead of salt, he tapped a
wonderful stream of water of great medicinal value - a combination of
sulphur, magnesium, salt and iron, so proportioned that it is vsery
pleasant to the taste. Naturally artesian, unaffected bycold, heat, rain or
drought, it has been flowing incessantly for nearly a century. From this
well the village received its name.

Mr. Neal's home was situated about 75 yards north of the present home of my
father, J. B. Smith. Aftr striking the well, he enlarged his home and used
it as a hotel. Not only were visitors attracted by the water, but many came
to build homes. Among the early settlers at or near Sulphur Well were the
Morriss, Scotts, Overfelts, Browns, Burtons, Williams, Mitchells,
Pendletons, Smiths, Thompsons, Marcums, Beauchamps, Bostons and Hardings.
Mr. Neal and many of the older settlers have since passed into the mystic
beyond, yet numbers of their descendants help to make up the present
population of Sulphur Well.

After Mr. Neal's death, his hotel was used as a combined dwelling and
school house. The first school of which there is record was taught in 1878
to 1880 by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard. Soon after the building burned, but it was
replaced by the community and referred to as a "college". The official
personnel of this school consisted of Professor John Grove, principal;
Professor Fitzer, Professor Ellison and a Mrs. Smith, assistants. Sometime
later, Mr. Joe Ray and daughter, Annie, of Edmonton taught school in the
building. To the college came students not only from this county, but
adjoining counties, living in boarding houses or in various homes. About
1885 this school house was destroyed by fire, and a ten pin alley near the
Sulphur Well becamet he pedagogue's domain. Here Miss Lula Hutcherson,
sister of the late J. C. Hutcherson of Glasgow, was one of the teachers.
The main room of the present school house was built about 1887.

Priior to the construction in 1903 of the Buela Villa Hotel by C. W.
Thompson, the building now owned by H. P. Porter was the main hotel at
Sulphur Well, and the rates were usually $5.00 per week. One of the first
proprietors of this hotel was Captain J. B. Morris, who with his family
moved here from Hart County in 1879. This property changed hand several
times, but was used as a hotel by each occupant until the present owner.
There were sevseral others hotels or boarding houses as they were generally
called. The rates of these ranged from $1.50 to $3.50 per week.

Mrs. Luvenia Estes, great aunt of Mrs. Mary Ball, owned and operated a
boarding house located at the top of the hill east of Mrs. Lena Asbury's
residence. Many of the teaches and students boarded with her.

To be continued - Sandi

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Sandi Gorin - 205 Clements Ave., Glasgow, KY 42141-3409
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