Estill Springs Tennessee Historical Photos  

Estill Springs Tennessee is a turn of the century 19th century city that became somewhat famous from both of its natural mineral springs and Civil War history. Click to learn more about Estill Springs Tennessee.

During the Civil War, the town was generally known as "Allisonia"

The majority of photos from Estill Springs were taken in the early 1900s though there are newspaper articles and advertisements from the mid-1800s onwards.

The 1800's in Estill Springs Tennessee

The mineral springs in the Franklin County area (of which covers the majority of the Tims Ford Lake area) were Water Cure, Hurricane Springs, Winchester Springs, and Estill Springs.  Of the seven spas in Franklin County, Estill Springs, Water Cure, Winchester Springs, and Hurricane Springs originated before the Civil War.

Dr. William Estill, a medical doctor who practiced in Winchester TN just down the road a few miles, founded the Estill Springs resort in the 1830s for therapeutic use of the sulphur springs.  Unfortunately during the Civil War, the resort suffered almost total destruction; afterwards, four hotels by the railroad were either built or reconstructed.  Approaching the depression in the 1930s, the resorts were closed.

Allisonia (Estill Springs) article 1852

Estill Springs  Brookview Resort

Estill Springs 1852 Newspaper Article - note "Allisonia" not Estill Springs

Estill Springs Hotel 

Estill Springs Beard House

Estill Springs - East Brook Hotel - c1899

The East Brook Resort Hotel had a location just three and a half miles from the Estill Springs Train Depot.  The East Brook Hotel only reached the capacity to serve seventy-five guests and came to include five cottages on the property.  Tennis, bowling, swimming, boating, fishing, horseback riding, and ballroom dancing could be enjoyed at this resort which remained open into the middle of the twentieth century.

The 1900's in Estill Springs Tennessee

Estill Springs Oak Hill Hotel

The Estill Springs Dam and Power Generation ..... In 1922, the Nashville firm of Foster & Creighton built a power generation facility and a dam for the Southern Cities Power Company. The power generation plan used diverted water from the Elk River (from the dam) to create electricity. The Dam was for the most part destroyed to make the Tims Ford Lake, though some portions of the dame are still visible.  The Dam was made of masonry, 14 feet wide at the base and 5 feet at the top., and 300 feet long, spanning the Elk River.

Fishing on the Estill Springs Dam

An interesting photo below -- shows the Estill Springs Dam (above) taken in 1939 while the photo below shows the same location after the Tims Ford Lake was built.

Estill Springs Dam

Estill Springs Downtown c 1909

The Estill Springs Train Station was eventually no longer used used and was torn down.

Estill Springs Baseball Team - c1909

Estill Springs Tennessee Milling Company

Estill Springs Tennessee Mill Company

The mill in Estill Springs was the Tennessee Milling Company which was almost 1/8 mile long.  The mill was located where the current Baseball Fields are located.  It burned down in the early 1900s.

Inside the Estill Springs Mill

Estill Springs Drug Store -- early 1900's

Estill Springs Drug Store -- early 1900's

What Happened to the Estill Springs Mineral Springs?

As time progressed though the mineral springs for Estill Springs have become covered by the TN-41A roadway linking Winchester to Tullahoma.  The closest Mineral Springs that are still around are the Winchester Mineral Springs.

Do you have any historical photos of Estill Springs?