The area surrounding present-day Blue Springs was first inhabited by natives of the Creek Nation. White settlers began arriving in the mid-1830s, and the little village of Blue Springs later emerged situated by the Choctawhatchee River. The river was not the village’s only water source, as it set upon a small aquifer that fed several small cold springs.
In the late 1800s, Blue Springs resident John Harrison decided to capitalize upon the cold spring on his property. He built a small hotel in 1890 and set out to create a summer resort, with the spring being the major attraction. The spring quickly became a popular gathering place for citizens of the surrounding area.
However, it was not long before a strange occurrence began happening every time Mr. Harrison closed the gate of his swimming hole in order to raise the water level. When he did this, the water in a lime sink about two hundred yards away would raise itself to the same level as that in Mr. Harrison’s spring pool.
After observing this occurrence several times, the owner of the sink, J.T.E. Whigham came up with the idea of digging a ditch from the lime sink to the nearby river to see if the water would stay. Miraculously, Mr. Harrison’s spring quickly dried up and rapidly bubbled up into Mr. Whigham’s lime sink.
Mr. Whigham turned his sink into a swimming pool, built his own hotel and resort, and turned Blue Springs into an area hotspot. The Whigham hotel was fully booked every summer and those who could not get rooms often pitched tents near the spring. Some prominent families even built summer cottages near the spring.
Because of the popularity of the spring, it became a major political arena in which prominent politicians would hold public gatherings during campaign season. In addition, there were many large celebrations and gatherings held at the springs each year. Most notable was the 4th of July celebration, the old Confederate soldiers’ reunion, and the mule and horse trading fair. These events often attracted more than 1000 visitors in one day.
Unfortunately, the Great Depression took a toll on the area and the Whigham family ceased operating the hotel and resort in the late 1930s. They continued to allow area citizens to enjoy the spring but without continual upkeep, the swimming area fell into disrepair.
In 1963, when lifelong area resident George Wallace (raised 6 miles from Blue Springs) became governor of Alabama he made it his mission to turn the springs into a part of the state park system. After several years of working with the descendants of the Whigham family, and local and state officials, the springs and the surrounding 103 acres became Blue Springs State Park.
History of the Park
The area surrounding present-day Blue Springs was first inhabited by natives of the Creek Nation. White settlers began arriving in the mid-1830s, and the little village of Blue Springs later emerged situated by the Choctawhatchee River. The river was not the village’s only water source, as it set upon a small aquifer that fed several small cold springs.
In the late 1800s, Blue Springs resident John Harrison decided to capitalize upon the cold spring on his property. He built a small hotel in 1890 and set out to create a summer resort, with the spring being the major attraction. The spring quickly became a popular gathering place for citizens of the surrounding area.
However, it was not long before a strange occurrence began happening every time Mr. Harrison closed the gate of his swimming hole in order to raise the water level. When he did this, the water in a lime sink about two hundred yards away would raise itself to the same level as that in Mr. Harrison’s spring pool.
After observing this occurrence several times, the owner of the sink, J.T.E. Whigham came up with the idea of digging a ditch from the lime sink to the nearby river to see if the water would stay. Miraculously, Mr. Harrison’s spring quickly dried up and rapidly bubbled up into Mr. Whigham’s lime sink.
Mr. Whigham turned his sink into a swimming pool, built his own hotel and resort, and turned Blue Springs into an area hotspot. The Whigham hotel was fully booked every summer and those who could not get rooms often pitched tents near the spring. Some prominent families even built summer cottages near the spring.
Because of the popularity of the spring, it became a major political arena in which prominent politicians would hold public gatherings during campaign season. In addition, there were many large celebrations and gatherings held at the springs each year. Most notable was the 4th of July celebration, the old Confederate soldiers’ reunion, and the mule and horse trading fair. These events often attracted more than 1000 visitors in one day.
Unfortunately, the Great Depression took a toll on the area and the Whigham family ceased operating the hotel and resort in the late 1930s. They continued to allow area citizens to enjoy the spring but without continual upkeep, the swimming area fell into disrepair.
In 1963, when lifelong area resident George Wallace (raised 6 miles from Blue Springs) became governor of Alabama he made it his mission to turn the springs into a part of the state park system. After several years of working with the descendants of the Whigham family, and local and state officials, the springs and the surrounding 103 acres became Blue Springs State Park.