Big Sugar Creek
Encyclopedia
Big Sugar Creek is a 47 miles (75.6 km) waterway
in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri
. The creek starts near the Arkansas
state line. Only about 24 miles (38.6 km) of this is floatable during the spring and summer. The gradient is near 9 feet per mile from Highway 90 to Cyclone and 6 feet per mile to Pineville, Missouri
. Big Sugar starts from three tributaries. One flows north from Garfield, Arkansas
, and one, west near Seligman, Missouri
, and another, south from Washburn, Missouri
. Big Sugar flows west down Sugar Creek Valley, where it is joined by Otter Creek, from Pea Ridge, Arkansas
. Flowing north for two or three miles (5 km), Big Sugar is joined by White Oak. Next is the community of Mountain. From Mountain, Big Sugar flows west for two miles (3 km) where Pine Creek joins.
Flowing west, Big Sugar goes through the town of Powell, Missouri
. Bentonville Hollow and Creek join Big Sugar at Highway E Bridge. One mile past Powell, Mikes Creek enters from the east. Further down the creek stands the famous Bee Bluff, known for its high cliffs which tower against the side of the mountain. Bee Bluff Hole is known for its deep water and large fish. At the end of Highway V, is Little Cedar Hollow on the right, followed by the Horseshoe Bend just above the town of Cyclone. Next is the town of Cyclone. Big Sugar then splits, the old channel flows to the right and heads into the town of Pineville. The left channel meets Little Sugar Creek, forming Elk River (Oklahoma)
.
Starting near Powell in McDonald County, Missouri
and continuing for approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) and then ending at the creeks confluence with Little Sugar Creek, is a stretch popular for canoeing and kayaking. In addition to being an absolutely gorgeous place to paddle a canoe, kayak or raft, Big Sugar is also noted for its excellent fishing opportunities. All around the creek is a natural area that is ideal for camping and other outdoors recreation activities.
A recent improvement to the area is the Big Sugar Creek State Park
, in which about 80 percent of its more than 2000 acres (8.1 km²) have been designated as the Elk River Breaks Natural Area, and is protected as a perpetual, undeveloped area that features a wide diversity of wildlife, birds, plants and forests. This area of the state has a distinct natural history, featuring many plants and animals that are less common or absent in other areas of Missouri. The park also offers a three-mile (5 km) hiking trail.
, post oak
, pin oak
, white oak
, giant sycamore
, pine
, cedar
, elm
, blackhaw, chinquapin
, walnut
, hickory
and several types of maple
. Some of the fruits that were used are huckleberry
, blackberry
, raspberry
, strawberry
, dewberry
, wild plum
, cherry
, apple
, paw-paw, May apple and persimmon
.
Local legend states that Daniel Boone
lived along the banks of Big Sugar Creek and led some of the early settlers through the Ozark trails. When ready to die, Boone made himself a walnut coffin, but his neighbor's wife died suddenly and Boone gave the coffin to his neighbor.
From the initial settlement of the area in the 1820s-1840s up until the early 20th century, Big Sugar Creek was home to a large number of mills. A saw mill and grist mill owned by Henry and Elizabeth Schell was situated at the point where Otter Creek joined Big Sugar Creek in the community of Jacket. The Schells had previously founded the town of Shell Knob, Missouri
in Barry County, Missouri
before establishing their claim on 1000 acres (4 km²) in McDonald County. Henry Schell was killed by bushwhackers during the American Civil War
and his wife and daughters, as his sons were off fighting for the Confederate States of America
, dug his grave and buried him in the yard of the old homestead. The war disrupted the usual funeral rituals. They used a large wooden meal box from the mill as a coffin. His mill was later destroyed in a flood.
One of the largest mills along Big Sugar stood at the junction of Brush Creek. Heavy rains washed this mill away in the late 19th century. A smaller mill was built near the old dam. Several mills dotted Bentonville Hollow and Creek into Arkansas. Just outside the town of Powell, about two hundred feet, was a mill built back in the early 1840s. In July 1883, the Ozarks were part of a major flood that destroyed most of the mills along the rivers and streams. Part of the mill dam can still be seen today. Mikes Creek enters into Big Sugar at Powell and they say several mills were along this creek.
Jacket — At one time this community included a mill, a general store
, a gas station, a post office
, a tomato canning plant, a blacksmith
, a couple churches and a school. Today, all that remains in operation is a single church, Antioch Church of Christ
, which is located on Highway KK and still holds regular services. Antioch Chapel and Cemetery are close by, on the opposite side of the highway. The old general store building, which also housed the post office and gas station, still remains standing and is used as a barn and the old Sugar Creek Baptist Church building, which was built in 1897 and remained as a Baptist
church until the early 1985 when the congregation and the building was purchased and used as an Assembly of God church for about a decade, is now a private residence.
Mountain — This community, which was named for the hilly terrain of the area, included Henry JR Schell's mill, post office (called Schell's Mill), general store, and blacksmith shop, and later a gas station, churches and a school. Today, the general store and gas station building still stands, as does the school, and church, Mountain Bible Church, which continues to hold regular services.
Roller — This community sits near the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Pine Creek, as well as the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Trents Creek. It is named after the Roller family, who were among the early settlers of the area. Today, Roller still retains its quiet country charm, primarily thanks to the three historic structures that stand in a row across Highway 90 from the old Roller Cemetery
. The three buildings date from the late 19th century until the first half of the 20th century. The oldest of the three structures is the one room Laughlin Chapel, named after James O. Laughlin and his brothers, who were the primary builders of it and are all buried in the neighboring cemetery. This building dates to the 1880s and while the Methodist congregation which initially used it disbanded in the 1950s, it was restored by the Roller Cemetery Association in the 1990s with donations from local residents, including descendants of its original builders. The one-room Roller Schoolhouse
, also known as the Trents Creek Schoolhouse, was built in the early half of the 20th century and saw multiple generations of students pass its doors. This structure was also restored through contributions around the year 2000. The third building is Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, which has sat there for around a century. This church still holds regular services and has been added onto and renovated multiple times.
Powell — This community sits near the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Mikes Creek. Powell is one of the better preserved communities along Big Sugar. One of its general store buildings still stands and is occasionally in operation as is the Albert E. Brumley
and Sons/Hartford Music Company, which has operated out of Powell since the 1940s. Owned and operated by the late gospel composer Albert E. Brumley, the hymn and songbook publishing operation is now run by his son Robert Brumley. Albert E. Brumley's best known song, "I'll Fly Away (hymn)
" has been recorded by multiple Grammy Award winning musicians and even inspired the name of a television series. Brumley also started an annual, though now defunct, craft fair and concert in a field next to his house in Powell. Through the years such celebrities as Minnie Pearl
and Grandpa Jones
, of Hee Haw
fame, performed at the venue. Several other older structures also exist, but are no longer in use, such as the First Baptist Church building and an old gas station.
Cyclone — This community's name comes from a cyclone
that swept through, destroying everything in its path. As the story goes, the Cyclone area was an Indian trading post for many years. An Indian baby was found here at the John Mullison farm. It was wrapped in deerskin and mummified. Indian burial grounds have been found in this area. The baby is now in the Smithsonian Institution
. The first grist mill was built here about 1860 by Albert Cook. James Cowan built a store here and it was also used as a post office until 1873. The Cyclone Mill was purchased around 1883, by Henry Schell Jr. The original low water bridge and mill were used by movie makers for the Twentieth Century Fox movie of Jesse James (1939 film)
in 1938, which starred Henry Fonda
and Tyrone Power
. In the 1920s, W.W. Chace opened a boys' camp on the edge of Cyclone and named it Camp Tilden. Today this is a popular campground, RV park and canoe outfitter.
Waterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
in the Ozark Mountains of southwest Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. The creek starts near the Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
state line. Only about 24 miles (38.6 km) of this is floatable during the spring and summer. The gradient is near 9 feet per mile from Highway 90 to Cyclone and 6 feet per mile to Pineville, Missouri
Pineville, Missouri
Pineville is a city in and the county seat of McDonald County, Missouri, United States. The population was 916 at the 2009 census, at which time it was a town. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. Big Sugar starts from three tributaries. One flows north from Garfield, Arkansas
Garfield, Arkansas
Garfield is a town in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 490 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, and one, west near Seligman, Missouri
Seligman, Missouri
Seligman is a city in Sugar Creek Township, Barry County, Missouri, United States. The population was 877 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Joseph Seligman, a prominent 19th Century businessman.-Geography:...
, and another, south from Washburn, Missouri
Washburn, Missouri
Washburn is a city in Washburn Township, Barry County, Missouri, United States. The population was 448 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Washburn is located at ....
. Big Sugar flows west down Sugar Creek Valley, where it is joined by Otter Creek, from Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Pea Ridge, Arkansas
Pea Ridge is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The name Pea Ridge comes from a combination of the physical location of the original settlement of the town, across the crest of an Ozark Mountains ridge, and for the hog peanuts or turkey peas that had been originally cultivated by...
. Flowing north for two or three miles (5 km), Big Sugar is joined by White Oak. Next is the community of Mountain. From Mountain, Big Sugar flows west for two miles (3 km) where Pine Creek joins.
Flowing west, Big Sugar goes through the town of Powell, Missouri
Powell, Missouri
Powell is an unincorporated community in eastern McDonald County, Missouri, United States. It is located on Missouri Supplemental Route E about ten miles east of Pineville. It is located on Big Sugar Creek in a scenic area. The community includes some homes, a couple of businesses, and a post...
. Bentonville Hollow and Creek join Big Sugar at Highway E Bridge. One mile past Powell, Mikes Creek enters from the east. Further down the creek stands the famous Bee Bluff, known for its high cliffs which tower against the side of the mountain. Bee Bluff Hole is known for its deep water and large fish. At the end of Highway V, is Little Cedar Hollow on the right, followed by the Horseshoe Bend just above the town of Cyclone. Next is the town of Cyclone. Big Sugar then splits, the old channel flows to the right and heads into the town of Pineville. The left channel meets Little Sugar Creek, forming Elk River (Oklahoma)
Elk River (Oklahoma)
The Elk River is a tributary of the Neosho River in southwestern Missouri and northeastern Oklahoma in the United States. Its tributaries also drain a small portion of northwestern Arkansas...
.
Starting near Powell in McDonald County, Missouri
McDonald County, Missouri
McDonald County is a county located in Southwest Missouri in the United States of America. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the population was 23,083. Its county seat is Pineville...
and continuing for approximately 25 miles (40.2 km) and then ending at the creeks confluence with Little Sugar Creek, is a stretch popular for canoeing and kayaking. In addition to being an absolutely gorgeous place to paddle a canoe, kayak or raft, Big Sugar is also noted for its excellent fishing opportunities. All around the creek is a natural area that is ideal for camping and other outdoors recreation activities.
A recent improvement to the area is the Big Sugar Creek State Park
Big Sugar Creek State Park
The Big Sugar Creek State Park is located in Southwest Missouri, United States. The park was established in 1992 to preserve part of the Elk River water system . The park has a three mile trail for hiking....
, in which about 80 percent of its more than 2000 acres (8.1 km²) have been designated as the Elk River Breaks Natural Area, and is protected as a perpetual, undeveloped area that features a wide diversity of wildlife, birds, plants and forests. This area of the state has a distinct natural history, featuring many plants and animals that are less common or absent in other areas of Missouri. The park also offers a three-mile (5 km) hiking trail.
History of the area
The name of Big Sugar Creek is believed to come from the fact that at one time, there were a number of sugar maple orchards on the creek. The first settlers to this area were supplied with syrup, sugar and a wide variety of trees, fruits and nuts. Some of these were water oakWater oak
Quercus nigra, the Water Oak, is an oak in the red oak group , native to the southeastern United States, from southern Delaware and south to the coastal areas of Maryland, Virginia, the piedmont of North Carolina, all of South Carolina, most of Georgia , all of Alabama, Mississippi, central...
, post oak
Post oak
Quercus stellata is an oak in the white oak group. It is a small tree, typically 10–15 m tall and 30–60 cm trunk diameter, though occasional specimens reach 30 m tall and 140 cm diameter. It is native to the eastern United States, from Connecticut in the northeast, west to southern Iowa, southwest...
, pin oak
Pin oak
Quercus palustris, the Pin oak or Swamp Spanish oak, is an oak in the red oak section Quercus sect. Lobatae.-Distribution:...
, white oak
White oak
Quercus alba, the white oak, is one of the pre-eminent hardwoods of eastern North America. It is a long-lived oak of the Fagaceae family, native to eastern North America and found from southern Quebec west to eastern Minnesota and south to northern Florida and eastern Texas. Specimens have been...
, giant sycamore
Sycamore
Sycamore is a name which is applied at various times and places to three very different types of trees, but with somewhat similar leaf forms....
, pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
, cedar
Juniperus virginiana
Juniperus virginiana is a species of juniper native to eastern North America, from southeastern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico, east of the Great Plains...
, elm
Elm
Elms are deciduous and semi-deciduous trees comprising the genus Ulmus in the plant family Ulmaceae. The dozens of species are found in temperate and tropical-montane regions of North America and Eurasia, ranging southward into Indonesia. Elms are components of many kinds of natural forests...
, blackhaw, chinquapin
Chinquapin
-Plants:* Chinquapin or chinkapin, any of the shrubs in the genus Castanopsis* Chinquapin or chinkapin, any of the several trees and shrubs in the genus Chrysolepis* Chinquapin or chinkapin, some of the species in the chestnut genus Castanea...
, walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
, hickory
Hickory
Trees in the genus Carya are commonly known as hickory, derived from the Powhatan language of Virginia. The genus includes 17–19 species of deciduous trees with pinnately compound leaves and big nuts...
and several types of maple
Maple
Acer is a genus of trees or shrubs commonly known as maple.Maples are variously classified in a family of their own, the Aceraceae, or together with the Hippocastanaceae included in the family Sapindaceae. Modern classifications, including the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system, favour inclusion in...
. Some of the fruits that were used are huckleberry
Huckleberry
Huckleberry is a common name used in North America for several species of plants in two closely related genera in the family Ericaceae:* Vaccinium* GaylussaciaHuckleberry may also refer to:-Plants:...
, blackberry
Blackberry
The blackberry is an edible fruit produced by any of several species in the Rubus genus of the Rosaceae family. The fruit is not a true berry; botanically it is termed an aggregate fruit, composed of small drupelets. The plants typically have biennial canes and perennial roots. Blackberries and...
, raspberry
Raspberry
The raspberry or hindberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus Rubus, most of which are in the subgenus Idaeobatus; the name also applies to these plants themselves...
, strawberry
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
, dewberry
Dewberry
The dewberries are a group of species in the genus Rubus, section Rubus, closely related to the blackberries. They are small trailing brambles with berries reminiscent of the raspberry, but are usually purple to black instead of red.Dewberries are common throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere,...
, wild plum
Plum
A plum or gage is a stone fruit tree in the genus Prunus, subgenus Prunus. The subgenus is distinguished from other subgenera in the shoots having a terminal bud and solitary side buds , the flowers in groups of one to five together on short stems, and the fruit having a groove running down one...
, cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
, paw-paw, May apple and persimmon
Persimmon
A persimmon is the edible fruit of a number of species of trees in the genus Diospyros in the ebony wood family . The word Diospyros means "the fire of Zeus" in ancient Greek. As a tree, it is a perennial plant...
.
Local legend states that Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
lived along the banks of Big Sugar Creek and led some of the early settlers through the Ozark trails. When ready to die, Boone made himself a walnut coffin, but his neighbor's wife died suddenly and Boone gave the coffin to his neighbor.
From the initial settlement of the area in the 1820s-1840s up until the early 20th century, Big Sugar Creek was home to a large number of mills. A saw mill and grist mill owned by Henry and Elizabeth Schell was situated at the point where Otter Creek joined Big Sugar Creek in the community of Jacket. The Schells had previously founded the town of Shell Knob, Missouri
Shell Knob, Missouri
Shell Knob is a census-designated place in White River Township in Barry and Alpine Township in Stone counties in the U.S. state of Missouri...
in Barry County, Missouri
Barry County, Missouri
Barry County is a county located in the U.S. state of Missouri. As of 2010, the population was 35,597. Its county seat is Cassville. The county was organized in 1835 and named after William Taylor Barry from Kentucky, a United States Postmaster General....
before establishing their claim on 1000 acres (4 km²) in McDonald County. Henry Schell was killed by bushwhackers during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and his wife and daughters, as his sons were off fighting for the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, dug his grave and buried him in the yard of the old homestead. The war disrupted the usual funeral rituals. They used a large wooden meal box from the mill as a coffin. His mill was later destroyed in a flood.
One of the largest mills along Big Sugar stood at the junction of Brush Creek. Heavy rains washed this mill away in the late 19th century. A smaller mill was built near the old dam. Several mills dotted Bentonville Hollow and Creek into Arkansas. Just outside the town of Powell, about two hundred feet, was a mill built back in the early 1840s. In July 1883, the Ozarks were part of a major flood that destroyed most of the mills along the rivers and streams. Part of the mill dam can still be seen today. Mikes Creek enters into Big Sugar at Powell and they say several mills were along this creek.
Communities along Big Sugar
Several distinct communities shoulder Big Sugar and comprise the residents of the Sugar Creek Valley as it twists and turns through the Ozark hills. Most of these communities are little more than a name today, but at one time they included mills, general stores, small canning operations, schools, post offices and gas stations. In some, most traces of previous commercial establishment are all but obliterated, but others still retain recognizable evidence of a time before automobiles, when certain necessities had to be within a few miles.Jacket — At one time this community included a mill, a general store
General store
A general store, general merchandise store, or village shop is a rural or small town store that carries a general line of merchandise. It carries a broad selection of merchandise, sometimes in a small space, where people from the town and surrounding rural areas come to purchase all their general...
, a gas station, a post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
, a tomato canning plant, a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
, a couple churches and a school. Today, all that remains in operation is a single church, Antioch Church of Christ
Church of Christ
Churches of Christ are autonomous Christian congregations associated with one another through common beliefs and practices. They seek to base doctrine and practice on the Bible alone, and seek to be New Testament congregations as originally established by the authority of Christ. Historically,...
, which is located on Highway KK and still holds regular services. Antioch Chapel and Cemetery are close by, on the opposite side of the highway. The old general store building, which also housed the post office and gas station, still remains standing and is used as a barn and the old Sugar Creek Baptist Church building, which was built in 1897 and remained as a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
church until the early 1985 when the congregation and the building was purchased and used as an Assembly of God church for about a decade, is now a private residence.
Mountain — This community, which was named for the hilly terrain of the area, included Henry JR Schell's mill, post office (called Schell's Mill), general store, and blacksmith shop, and later a gas station, churches and a school. Today, the general store and gas station building still stands, as does the school, and church, Mountain Bible Church, which continues to hold regular services.
Roller — This community sits near the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Pine Creek, as well as the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Trents Creek. It is named after the Roller family, who were among the early settlers of the area. Today, Roller still retains its quiet country charm, primarily thanks to the three historic structures that stand in a row across Highway 90 from the old Roller Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. The three buildings date from the late 19th century until the first half of the 20th century. The oldest of the three structures is the one room Laughlin Chapel, named after James O. Laughlin and his brothers, who were the primary builders of it and are all buried in the neighboring cemetery. This building dates to the 1880s and while the Methodist congregation which initially used it disbanded in the 1950s, it was restored by the Roller Cemetery Association in the 1990s with donations from local residents, including descendants of its original builders. The one-room Roller Schoolhouse
One-room school
One-room schools were commonplace throughout rural portions of various countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Ireland and Spain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In most rural and small town schools, all of the students met in a single room...
, also known as the Trents Creek Schoolhouse, was built in the early half of the 20th century and saw multiple generations of students pass its doors. This structure was also restored through contributions around the year 2000. The third building is Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, which has sat there for around a century. This church still holds regular services and has been added onto and renovated multiple times.
Powell — This community sits near the juncture of Big Sugar Creek and Mikes Creek. Powell is one of the better preserved communities along Big Sugar. One of its general store buildings still stands and is occasionally in operation as is the Albert E. Brumley
Albert E. Brumley
Albert Edward Brumley was a shape note gospel music composer and publisher.Brumley was born near Spiro, Oklahoma on October 29, 1905. Pre-Dustbowl Oklahoma was primarily made up of sparse agricultural communities; Brumley's family was no different. He spent much of his early life chopping and...
and Sons/Hartford Music Company, which has operated out of Powell since the 1940s. Owned and operated by the late gospel composer Albert E. Brumley, the hymn and songbook publishing operation is now run by his son Robert Brumley. Albert E. Brumley's best known song, "I'll Fly Away (hymn)
I'll Fly Away (hymn)
"I'll Fly Away", is a hymn written in 1929 by Albert E. Brumley and published in 1932 by the Hartford Music company in a collection titled Wonderful Message...
" has been recorded by multiple Grammy Award winning musicians and even inspired the name of a television series. Brumley also started an annual, though now defunct, craft fair and concert in a field next to his house in Powell. Through the years such celebrities as Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
and Grandpa Jones
Grandpa Jones
Louis Marshall Jones , known professionally as Grandpa Jones, was an American banjo player and "old time" country and gospel music singer...
, of Hee Haw
Hee Haw
Hee Haw is an American television variety show featuring country music and humor with fictional rural Kornfield Kounty as a backdrop. It aired on CBS-TV from 1969–1971 before a 20-year run in local syndication. The show was inspired by Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the major difference being...
fame, performed at the venue. Several other older structures also exist, but are no longer in use, such as the First Baptist Church building and an old gas station.
Cyclone — This community's name comes from a cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
that swept through, destroying everything in its path. As the story goes, the Cyclone area was an Indian trading post for many years. An Indian baby was found here at the John Mullison farm. It was wrapped in deerskin and mummified. Indian burial grounds have been found in this area. The baby is now in the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. The first grist mill was built here about 1860 by Albert Cook. James Cowan built a store here and it was also used as a post office until 1873. The Cyclone Mill was purchased around 1883, by Henry Schell Jr. The original low water bridge and mill were used by movie makers for the Twentieth Century Fox movie of Jesse James (1939 film)
Jesse James (1939 film)
Jesse James is a western movie directed by Henry King and starring Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Nancy Kelly, and Randolph Scott. Written by Nunnally Johnson, the film is loosely based on the life of the notorious outlaw for which the film derives its name...
in 1938, which starred Henry Fonda
Henry Fonda
Henry Jaynes Fonda was an American film and stage actor.Fonda made his mark early as a Broadway actor. He also appeared in 1938 in plays performed in White Plains, New York, with Joan Tompkins...
and Tyrone Power
Tyrone Power
Tyrone Edmund Power, Jr. , usually credited as Tyrone Power and known sometimes as Ty Power, was an American film and stage actor who appeared in dozens of films from the 1930s to the 1950s, often in swashbuckler roles or romantic leads such as in The Mark of Zorro, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan,...
. In the 1920s, W.W. Chace opened a boys' camp on the edge of Cyclone and named it Camp Tilden. Today this is a popular campground, RV park and canoe outfitter.