Anyone that grew up in our quiet little town certainly has a story or two to tell about the little store on the corner. The future site of The Ledge (located where highway 70 and 152 intersect) has been many things – a service station, a country store, a BBQ restaurant – just to name a few.
The concrete building that stood on this corner for more than 50 years and many would say it serves as a physical reminder of ‘the good ole days,’ when life was a little simpler and slower-paced. I am reminded of a passage my grandmother, Virginia Pentecost, wrote in her book that she had published in 2011.
The people who talk of the good old days do not fool anyone. Life was hard, luxuries were scarce, and living was not easy. We are living in the good old days. But I would like to think that as parents and grandparents we can find a way to motivate the next generation to high purpose and ambition…Perhaps seeing how difficult life is for others will give more of a worldview and help them set goals for themselves and for their peers.Virginia Pentecost, Housing Our Home (© 2011)
While I was neither born nor raised in Spring Creek, I have a deep history here. My great grandparents, Oscar and Eunice Fly, called Spring Creek their home and raised two amazing daughters – Virginia and Martha (Hon). I remember my grandparents scooping us kids up and bringing us to Spring Creek for the weekend. With maybe 2 TV channels and a handful of books to read (mostly biblical history), it’s safe to say that I found Spring Creek to be quite boring as a teenage girl.
What I didn’t realize at the time is that my grandmother loved showing us off to the friends she grew up with and getting to spend time with us without the distractions that Memphis offered. My grandfather, Miller, would stop at Dairy Queen upon our arrival in Madison County and let us each get an ice cream cone. I often joked that the only reason he did so was that he knew it would be the only ‘cool’ thing about the trip to Spring Creek. Teenagers really think they’re clever.
In April of 2016, God transplanted my husband and me here, and I could not be happier. Over the past 4+ years, I’ve gotten a chance to see Spring Creek through my grandparent’s eyes. Thanks mainly to my wonderful aunt/best friend, Mary Bowen. I’ve formed close relationships with some of Spring Creek’s finest people, and I am encouraged daily to preserve the beautiful history and love that surrounds this community.
After purchasing the property, we began talking to community members about what we ought to do with the property. Needless to say, we got a lot of feedback, and we certainly used those conversations as a guiding light as we made plans for the future.
Today, the property has been cleared of underbrush and debris, the old building has been torn down, and the soil was seeded and now has a beautiful lot of grass. We are working with contractors and builders to design what we affectionately refer to as – The Ledge.
While The Ledge itself is still in its infancy, the idea of creating a place for Spring Creekians and our surrounding neighbors to gather, learn, and rejoice in the small-town life has been on our minds for some time. We are excited to see what transpires over the next few months, and we encourage you to join us in our efforts to preserve the community we live in and the lives we impact.