History & Culture
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Songwriter Beth Slater Whitson was born in Goodrich, Hickman County, in 1879. Her parents were John H. Whitson and Anna Slater Whitson; her father was coeditor of the Hickman Pioneer newspaper. Beth Whitson began her extensive songwriting career in Hickman County. With the assistance of her younger sister Alice Whitson Norton, she composed lyrics to over four hundred songs and wrote poems and short stories, many of which were published in leading magazines of the early twentieth century. Her first major hit was "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland" in 1909; it was followed the next year by "Let Me Call You Sweetheart," which is still performed today.
In 1913 Whitson and her sister Alice moved to Nashville, where they continued to write and publish. Her local biographer, Grace Baxter Thompson, remarked at the dedication of a state historical marker to Whitson's career in 1978: "She gave beauty and color and enjoyment to her community from which those qualities have been far-reaching and long-lasting." (1) Beth Slater Whitson died in 1930 and is buried in Spring Hill Cemetery in Nashville. |
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A Tid Bit of Basketball History |
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The Hickman County Chamber of Commerce believes it is important to preserve the rich heritage of our county. High school sports have always been an important part of our community and athletic events bring a community together. Published here in full is an article from the county paper about the HCHS Basketball team from 1922-1923.
HICKMAN SCHOOL IS WINNER IN TOURNEY
Centreville, Tenn., March 26, 1923 - A basketball tournament here Saturday afternoon and night, listing four crack teams of as many high schools of the county and open to all teams was won by Hickman County High School of this place after splendid work by the various teams competing. The decision was gained by process of elimination, the schedule being played as follows: Only vs Coble, beginning at 3:30 pm, with a final score of 27 to 17 in favor of Only, featuring work of Burchard and Brown at forward: Sunrise vs Shady Grove at 4:30 pm, the score being a tie of 14 to 14 and played extra time with a final score of 18 to 14 in favor of Sunrise. As winner of the first game the only team matched against HCHS at a game called at 7:30 pm and won by the local quintet in a score of 10 to 7, with exceptional work at forward by Downey. The latter victory gave HCHS the position against the winner of the second game of the afternoon, being the decisive battle between the home team and that of Sunrise. The resulting score of 18 to 4 in favor of Hickman County High School was largely due to brilliant team work of the winners, with exceptional playing by Downey at forward, Shouse and Fowlkes at guard and Lowe at center. The winners of the tourney, the first ever of the kind ever played here, have played consistently good games throughout the season, which closed with tonight's game. Only one game has been lost due to splendid material under the capable management of Massey G. Noblett, as athletic instructor and T.M. Woodson, popular principal of Hickman County High School the past three years.
Record - won 9 games, lost 1
Individual Season Scores: Fred Downey, forward - 108 points, Horace Goodman, forward - 22 points, Douglas Lowe, center - 22 points, Wash Shouse, guard - 8 points, Edgar Fowlkes, guard - 0 points.
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The county was named for explorer, Edwin Hickman, who led a surveying party into what is now Hickman County in April 1791. The party camped at the mouth of a small creek on the north side of the Duck River opposite the present site of Centerville. This creek is known today as Defeated Creek. Hickman was killed here by a band of Indians, who attacked the group. He was buried at the spot where he was killed. Hickman County was officially created in 1807 and named for Hickman. The county extended all the way to the Alabama state line. By 1820, several new counties were created out of Hickman County. Vernon was the first county seat, but a movement began to move the county seat to a more central location. In 1823 the new town of Centerville became the county seat. Other communities in the county include Aetna, Brushy, Coble, Little Lot, Lyles, Bon Aqua, Nunnelly, Coble, Pinewood, Only, Shady Grove, Pleasantville and Wrigley.
Hickman County is now the 8th largest county in the state and contains 612 square mies. The county's primary industry has always been agriculture, however there have been other industries that have come and gone throughout the years. In the 19th century the county had 3 commercial health springs in operation. Iron furnaces were also predominate around the same time. Modern times have seen timbering, packaging, wood products, structural steel, ammunition, illuminated signs, fruit products, custom insoles and grapevine wreath products. Tourism has also become a growing part of business in Hickman County because it contributes so strongly to local revenues. Country music venues and songwriters nights, a thriving Amish community, Grinders Switch Winery, old fashioned country stores, Grinder's Switch Radio Hour, antique and gift shops are all important. A rural area like Hickman County offers pristine beauty, unique recreational activities and warm and friendly people. |
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